Sunday, March 4, 2018


Sunday, March 4, 2018
 
This has been such a bitter-sweet day.  We have ended another chapter in our lives, one that has left us with precious experiences, and forever friends.  Sacrament Meeting was our only meeting today, and I finally gathered enough courage to get on my feet and walk, cane in hand, to the pulpit and bear my testimony.  It took the whole meeting to gather that courage—I was the last one.  But it was short and sweet, if a little teary.  Everyone gathered afterward for a group photo and more goodbyes.  Most of the missionaries will be leaving tomorrow although some are sight-seeing with family for a few days, and a half dozen will be leaving during the week for other assignments to finish out the last six months of their missions.

It has been an incredible blessing to serve in this temple and to be in the Lord’s house every day learning how to discern the promptings of the Spirit and see others as Heavenly Father sees His children.  When you come from Idaho, a person doesn’t have the opportunity to learn to appreciate the great diversity that exists in our country.  This city is such a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, experiences, and length of time spent as members of the Church.  Our hearts have been opened and expanded with greater love and understanding.

We have been packing, weighing luggage, repacking, re-weighing, and still my bags are a little over the weight limit.  I’ll just have to have the most disposable items on the very top and toss them one by one until the scale meets it’s allowed poundage!  Glade’s things all fit just fine in one large bag and one carry-on size, but I have way too much “good stuff” to stuff in mine, even with an extra bag.

Last night I worked side by side with Sister Martinez on the Spanish veils and loved every minute of the experience.  I invited her to come to our apartment today to see if she could use or would want any of the things we have collected and have to leave behind.   She came today at noon with her daughter Joselyn—the young girl I tutored on the organ and who just turned 13 on the week-end.  The first bag I showed her was filled with the Christmas garland, poinsettias, and lights that decorated our china hutch, and she was ecstatic!  She had seen them when she stopped by with food when I first broke my ankle.  I was so happy that she was so happy! 

She also took an array of other things in half a dozen bags including my little Begonia plant, a new lap quilt and pillow, a few groceries, and left only a small can of pumpkin and a package of white chocolate chips.  Latin Americans must not eat much pumpkin.  We looked for it in Honduras and had to explain to the grocer exactly what it was and that it came in a can as well as fresh on the stem!  😊  They special-ordered it for us and actually stocked it during the holidays the second year we were there.

I was so happy to share with her and her family.  Her husband is the one who fell on the job and is now disabled enough that he can’t work.  But he has finally started coming back to Sacrament Meeting after a long absence from church and Sister Martinez feels her prayers for him are being answered.

Our flight out of DC is scheduled to leave at 4:40 p.m. tomorrow, and we are already checked in with the flight status showing “on time” for which we are grateful after all the closures on Friday and Saturday.  We arrive in SLC about 7:40-ish and hope the snow has melted enough for a safe landing!  Would love your prayers for a safe flight!

Good Night, Everyone!  Love you all so much!  😊

Here's one last photo of our beautiful temple.  It's the one on your puzzles.





3 comments:

  1. Sorry you couldn't bring your Christmas Garland home, but I'm glad you gave it to your friend. :) I'm proud of you for bearing your testimony!! Can't wait to see you!!

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  2. Good job finishing up another mission! Travel safe.

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  3. Nice post mom, thanks for keeping that up and going again. When do you think you'll submit papers for your next mission?

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