Need a Miracle
Throughout the night last night, SK and I talked. We slept some, talked some, and worried some. We wondered if Derek and family will be able to get out of the country, and we wondered if we might be asked to self-isolate. All of our pondering didn't really prepare us for the reality of this morning.
We signed up for 18 months. We wanted to come to England and give our utmost best to serve the Lord. We had hoped to give back something to that Father who has given us so very much. Our prayers - lengthy to say the least - have always included the pleas that we could be in good health until the end of our mission, with enough energy and then some to accomplish all we hoped to.
At 7 this morning, President Checketts called and said, "Brace yourself." He went on to tell us that all senior couples were being sent home immediately. We have until Friday at midnight to get out of Dodge. We laid there for a little while trying to digest the message. Were we really going home? There is an up side to that of course....seeing our family. But we are not finished here. We have a year left and we have assignments and we simply can't leave!
Well....we are leaving. But there is such a rush to get to America before the Friday at midnight deadline that the church could not line up travel for us. We were told that It may be Saturday or Sunday or even Monday.
We got up and went in and sat down in the living room....bright with the morning sunlight, our happy little houseplants perking up with their morning drink, and the beautiful art hanging on the walls around us - sharing its messages about Christ.
Throughout the day we have packed. I've done laundry, organized a few closets and drawers, cleaned and have puzzled over the quick turn of events. What will happen? I don't know.
Around 9, the two sister missionaries came to the door. Sister Gaillord, an absolutely awesome missionary was sobbing. She is being sent home to Utah because she has asthma. She is devastated. She loves this place and she loves her mission and she adores the people she is working with currently, but that will all come to a halt as she journeys into London with her companion, boards a flight to Utah and leaves this beautiful land.That kind of grief only comes when you have given your heart completely to something. She has been hard working.
Veer came by and spent an hour with us. She sat on the couch beside me leaning into my shoulder as she cried. We adore her, and pray for her. Without the connection of church and other meetings (all of which are temporarily on hold), we worry that she will not be able to maintain her testimony. She is strong and so very good, but with no one in her family who is a member, she faces some rough times ahead.
After she left, I tried to do a little more packing. Jusef, a young man who will be baptized in 2 weeks came by to visit and tell us he was sad that we were leaving. Sister Gaillord and her cute companion Sister Halavaka came back with two other sisters and we sat and talked for an hour. It was a good hour. We love those young people so much and will miss them terribly.
After more packing, Berklee and Seth came by and we visited with them until midnight. Every single visit made me sad, because we love these young people so very much. Seth and Berklee were the first YSAs we met, and they hold a special place in our hearts. We've been on a few double dates with them and have loved loved loved our association with them.
Several will come by tomorrow to visit for a little while and then leave. We feel as though we are leaving grandchildren behind.
Barring an absolute miracle, it looks like we will soon be in Gilbert.
We signed up for 18 months. We wanted to come to England and give our utmost best to serve the Lord. We had hoped to give back something to that Father who has given us so very much. Our prayers - lengthy to say the least - have always included the pleas that we could be in good health until the end of our mission, with enough energy and then some to accomplish all we hoped to.
At 7 this morning, President Checketts called and said, "Brace yourself." He went on to tell us that all senior couples were being sent home immediately. We have until Friday at midnight to get out of Dodge. We laid there for a little while trying to digest the message. Were we really going home? There is an up side to that of course....seeing our family. But we are not finished here. We have a year left and we have assignments and we simply can't leave!
Well....we are leaving. But there is such a rush to get to America before the Friday at midnight deadline that the church could not line up travel for us. We were told that It may be Saturday or Sunday or even Monday.
We got up and went in and sat down in the living room....bright with the morning sunlight, our happy little houseplants perking up with their morning drink, and the beautiful art hanging on the walls around us - sharing its messages about Christ.
Throughout the day we have packed. I've done laundry, organized a few closets and drawers, cleaned and have puzzled over the quick turn of events. What will happen? I don't know.
Around 9, the two sister missionaries came to the door. Sister Gaillord, an absolutely awesome missionary was sobbing. She is being sent home to Utah because she has asthma. She is devastated. She loves this place and she loves her mission and she adores the people she is working with currently, but that will all come to a halt as she journeys into London with her companion, boards a flight to Utah and leaves this beautiful land.That kind of grief only comes when you have given your heart completely to something. She has been hard working.
Veer came by and spent an hour with us. She sat on the couch beside me leaning into my shoulder as she cried. We adore her, and pray for her. Without the connection of church and other meetings (all of which are temporarily on hold), we worry that she will not be able to maintain her testimony. She is strong and so very good, but with no one in her family who is a member, she faces some rough times ahead.
After she left, I tried to do a little more packing. Jusef, a young man who will be baptized in 2 weeks came by to visit and tell us he was sad that we were leaving. Sister Gaillord and her cute companion Sister Halavaka came back with two other sisters and we sat and talked for an hour. It was a good hour. We love those young people so much and will miss them terribly.
After more packing, Berklee and Seth came by and we visited with them until midnight. Every single visit made me sad, because we love these young people so very much. Seth and Berklee were the first YSAs we met, and they hold a special place in our hearts. We've been on a few double dates with them and have loved loved loved our association with them.
Several will come by tomorrow to visit for a little while and then leave. We feel as though we are leaving grandchildren behind.
Barring an absolute miracle, it looks like we will soon be in Gilbert.
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