HOMEWARD BOUND

This was the week of departures and arrivals. It happens every six weeks.  We had 12 missionaries go home, and we had 14 new arrivals. It is bittersweet for these missionaries. I have spoken about this before in an earlier Blog, but they have been through a lot with their companions and now it is their time to go home. I even get teary-eyed writing about it.  You can see from the pictures and videos below the love they have for one another.  And that doesn’t even address the fact of the love they have for the people of Ghana. The members are wonderful.  But think about the people who have seen their lives change because of these missionaries.  They are totally different people now because they have the gospel of Jesus Christ and they have renewed hope for the future. They can now be found thinking of greater possibilities not only here on earth, but in the life to come. That very question is why one of the men I talked with this week, who was a Pastor two months ago at another church, became converted to our church…..the concept of eternity and how one can work towards living with our Heavenly Father once again. His church did not teach that. How does one even attempt to put a price on what these missionaries have done by giving 18 months or two years of their lives just to tell others about the love and change that can take place in one’s life by becoming a follower of Jesus Christ.  There is, however, a somewhat more sadder part of ending one's mission. Most of these young people will never see one another again in this life.  The missionaries from Africa will go home to difficult circumstances, in most cases.  The American missionaries will go home and then to school and be around family and friends.  They will also get to go to reunions a couple of times each year, if they choose to do so, during General Conference. The contrast is striking when one really thinks about it.  They were all wonderful missionaries and amazing people…..they tried as hard as they could, they did things they never thought they would be able to do, and they found success and happiness. Now they are leaving their missions knowing they did some good.  I love it.  I love how it changes these young people because they have spent so much of their time everyday in the service of their fellow being. I love to think about it. I love when people help other people out of the goodness of their heart. That is what the Savior wants us to do.  He just wants us to love one another and love our neighbors as we would love ourselves.  It is pretty simple doctrine if you think about……and it is doctrine that bring happiness and joy in one’s life.

One of the videos below shows an Elder Bishop, from Manti, Utah playing the harmonica the night they were about to get on an airplane to go home. It was a somber setting for sure. Tears were flowing as this music was so wonderfully played.  The name of the song….. “Homeward Bound”.....very appropriate. The other videos and pictures show Transfer Day…..departing missionaries arriving at the Mission Home and new missionaries assigned to new Trainers.  It is a busy day for sure.  We made 7 trips to the Airport on Tuesday and Wednesday.  One video is Jill at the MTC picking up some of the new missionaries. The last video is the departing missionaries singing “God Be With You Till We Meet Again”.  After the song and prayer, there was not a dry eye in the group.  One of the pictures below shows all 12 of them together.  This was a powerful group and it feels like a big hole was just left in our mission.  But the wonderful thing about the missionary program is that when we see the ones that are leaving.....we think they won’t ever be able to be replaced….. but, in fact, they are replaced by the younger very talented and faithful missionaries that are excited to do the work and ready to go.  They will be our future leaders in this mission and do the things these departing missionaries were doing.  It is a cycle. It just gets better and better. And just as the sun is setting in Ghana , there will be a new day for the departing missionaries and new adventures await them. President Monson said, "BE OF GOOD CHEER. YOUR FUTURE IS AS BRIGHT AS YOUR FAITH".

To quote another prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, “It was as Charles Dickens described in the opening lines of “A  Tale of Two Cities”:  “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, ….it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of Hope, it was the winter of Despair”.  "Notwithstanding the great evil of these times, what a glorious season it has been and now is.  A new day has come in the work of the almighty. That work has grown and strengthened and moved across the earth.  It has now touched for good the lives of millions of people. And this is only the beginning.  We of this generation are the end harvest of all that has gone before. It is not enough to simply be known as a member of this Church. A solemn obligation rests upon us. Let us face it and work at it.  We must live worthy of the glorious endowment of light and understanding and eternal truth which has come to us through all the perils of the past.  Somehow, among all who have walked the earth, we have been brought forth in this unique and remarkable season  Be grateful, and above all..... be faithful."

 Just as these missionaries sang at their final devotional,

“God Be With You Till We Meet Again”..... God be with us all .....that is my humble prayer.

They will all be missed. But a new dawn awaits each of them as they serve elsewhere.

Elder Bishop....He surprised us all with his incredible talent.

She loves being in the driver's seat and she loves them as her own sons.

Transfer day. Lots going on..... and lots of tears.

More of the same. Tons of work to make this all happen. the logistics is crazy with no cars in the mission.....just Tros and Uber drivers moving everyone around.

Great missionaries. The two on the left are the Assistants to the Presidents and make all of this happen. The logistics of moving about 50 missionaries on transfer day is incredible.

These are five new trainers of new missionaries coming the next day. They are awesome.

Brothers.....enough said. They would do anything for each other. I love that.

One of the Tros. We just hope and pray they make it back safely.

Good looking missionaries. All walks of life....yet they serve unselfishly together.

Saying their hellos.....and also their goodbyes.

Brothers for eternity. It will be fun to share experiences they had on Earth in the next life.

They love their Ghanian ties. And to the Spero's...I love my ties, also. I wear them every week.

Picking up new missionaries at the MTC. What a great place to have so close.

Here come the new missionaries. Some of these are going to the Ghana, Accra North Mission. It is about 10:00 at night.....they have been traveling for two days.

Waiting in line to get blood work done and their new Ghana Non-Citizen Card. This Sister is from Tampa Bay, Florida and lots of personality. She can't wait to serve in the "bush".

Every time they come to the office.....they want our cereal and pancakes and french toast and chocolate milk. I don't blame them. Jill is a great cook.

This young lady was leading the music at a baptism and was getting the biggest kick out of the fact that she didn't know what she was doing. Such a great attitude.....they asked her and she said "sure, I will lead. I don't know how, but I will do it".

On the way to one of our churches .....the busy-ness is mesmerizing !!!

Why not? It saves my back !!!

Random signs. I like the last one on the right that says we will get you there....but it might take 1-2 years. And of course, can you see the middle sign on one of our trees in America?

GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN. NOT A DRY EYE AT THE END OF THE SONG.