The Beat Goes On...

As I spend a lot of time at my desk in the mission home these days, I have found myself drawn to the palm tree growing outside the window.  I have watched it grow over the past year, seeing the slender upward spike grow taller and wider, until one day, the side splits open and a new frond bursts from the spine. As if this wasn't exciting enough, recently a pair of red-collared turtle doves have taken up residence.  First building a little nest, and now taking turns sitting on a treasured egg or eggs (haven't been able to get a close enough look!).  They are diligent and faithful, rarely leaving the nest.  I am drawn to them, watching their preparations for their little family, and how they are focussed on their purpose.  Right now their work is just a lot of sitting.  Sitting and preparing.  I am looking forward to the day when there will be babies in the nest to watch.  It is the miracle of life.  And I am drawn to it.

Sitting.

On the 14th and the 16th, we had two more missionaries leave the mission to go home.  Up to now the only missionaries we have sent home as they finished their missions were ones that lived on Luzon, and they got to have door-to-door service to the front doors of their homes.  This was our first try at sending them to places that would require a flight.  I feel like I need to give a huge shout out to Izra and the people in the Area Travel office that are trying to navigate this huge undertaking in less-than-ideal circumstances.  Elder Dela Cruz had served for 27 months, and was the first to leave.  Sister Camral was 2 weeks past her release date, and left two days later.  Both were to have an overnight stay at a Manila hotel and then leave early the next morning for home.  Both have had their flights cancelled, and rules changed at the last minute.  Third time was a charm for Elder Dela Cruz, and he was finally able to fly yesterday, 10 days later.  Sister Camral is still waiting.  Two flights cancelled now, with another scheduled for August 3.  Hopefully that one will go.  Once home, they will spend 14 days at a quarantine facility before they can be welcomed home by their families.

We are glad that we sent each of them with one of our old keypad phones so that they can at least communicate over the phone or by text with their families and with us.  

Sister Camral has shared with us a couple of humorous stories that she gave permission for me to tell:

1. First night at the hotel, she was rudely awakened by a knocking at her door, telling her to get up, the shuttle driver was waiting to take her to the airport.  Sister Camral knew the flight was cancelled, but apparently the driver had not been informed.  She dressed, and slowly walked to the lobby to inform the driver that she wasn't coming.  She said she was still basically asleep, and the other missionary that knocked told her she was walking like she was drunk.  I told her it was just because she was moving like "the walking dead"!

2. After having spent the last 18 1/2 months as a missionary, never being out of sight or sound of a companion, being alone is a weird experience.  Being alone for days in a hotel room makes it that much weirder.  She tells me she filled part of her time reading Saints aloud, looking in the mirror, acting out the characters in the conversations.  She said she looked so crazy, but it helped to fill the time and not feel as alone.  I love that she is staying positive and not complaining in this craziness.

Luckily there are a few other stranded missionaries at the hotel as well, so they are able to visit and study with one another.

More Sitting.

The Beat Goes On...

Missionaries are still teaching and working on finding new ways to find.  We are not allowed any street contacting, so proselyting goes on through members and social media.  Most teaching is done using the phone, using traditional calls and video calls.  This is a steep learning curve, but these young people have been prepared and are extremely creative.  We have seen miracles as they have continued to press forward.  

Last Sunday was our first Sabbath back at church, and it felt so good to be able to gather, even if only those 21-59 years were allowed to attend.  We attended the Burgos Branch, which was cool, since the last time we were able to attend a church meeting we went to the Burgos District Conference in March.  Everyone wore masks and allowed for social distancing in the chapel.  It was sweet and comforting to be back.

We are grateful for these little changes and all the blessings.

They are telling us we could be in quarantine until the end of the year.  We must not let this beat us down.

We will find purpose in the sitting.  

But we can do hard things.  

We are not sitting still.

The beat goes on.