Farewell Testimonies

In the Church when one bears his testimony, he gives a brief statement of his strongly held beliefs (chiefly of Jesus Christ) and often shares an experience that strengthened or tested that faith.  Most meetings of the Church have some bearing of testimonies and others are exclusively dedicated to the bearing (or sharing) of testimonies.

As with other missions, the night before our missionaries complete their terms of service and return home we have a supper with them in the mission home.  This is precious time together because it is unlikely that the entire group will ever be together again in this life.  Some fly home to America, others fly to another Island in the Philippines and others to New Zealand and elsewhere.  The thought that you may not see some of these dear friends ever again is heart rending.  For 18 or 24 months they have worked together, learned together, served together and loved the people of the Cagayan Valley together.   After the supper we have a short program and then our departing missionaries are given an opportunity to bear a final testimony in the mission field to their peers who are also going home the next morning.  This is a most enjoyable experience.  To hear these magnificent young people struggle to put into words what this mission experience has done for them and how much they love Jesus Christ is particularly touching.  They speak of their most meaningful experiences of bringing others and themselves closer to Jesus Christ. 

Recently we enjoyed such an experience with a special group of missionaries.  These missionaries are COVID missionaries who served for one full year during this pandemic.  This group bore the trials of the pandemic easily because of the trials and experiences of their lives; which were more severe than any this pandemic inflicted. 

The first Elder rose to his feet to speak, and like the others, was excited and yet nervous to return home.  He told of a young man in his late teens who loved a girl deeply and she loved him.  Four years they were together.  She then contacted cancer.  The cancer would take her.  He was angry at God for a long time but eventually recognised that he needed to move on with his life.  That young man was him: our missionary.  As he prepared for his mission he asked God only one question: “Is she happy now?”. Through the experiences of his mission God had answered his question: he believed that she was quite happy and content in the world of spirits and knew he would see her again.  The journey of this mission was worth it for him.

The next Elder stood and told of his Father’s dying wish; expressed to the young man the day after his birthday; two weeks before his father’s death.  His father wished that he would always go to Church each Sunday, because his father knew this would keep him in the path of duty.  Not all in his family has honoured his Father’s wish, but he had and that led him to serve a mission.  He had, like the others of his peers in this batch, served with honour.  He felt great joy in the thought that his faithful service had honoured his father.

The next Elder stood.  We knew his story; his mother died when he was young.  His father unexpectedly died about 4 months ago, leaving him an orphan.  He spoke of the Lord’s great kindnesses to him.  He had been serving in Africa when the pandemic struck and he was evacuated home.  He was home for 3 or 4 months with his father before returning to the mission field and serving with us.  Those months with his father are now forever treasured by him.  He also spoke of receiving an impression a day of two before his father’s death that he needed to call him that day.  He did not know why, but asked and received permission to make the call even though it was not a Monday, which is the day missionaries call home in our mission.  He told his father he loved him at the end of that call which would be the last words he would speak to his father in this life.

The next to stand (We of course had been struggling to contain our emotions as we listened to the stories of these remarkable young people) has only been a member of the Church for a few years.  He is the only member of his family.  His family could not understand his desire to serve a mission so he quietly prepared for his mission in secret.  His family grudgingly consented to his missionary service.  He hated to disappoint his family who he loves, but believing in the truth of the Church he felt compelled to come on a mission.  His resolve was severely tested about one year ago when a tornado swept through his home province.  The family was devastated: they lost their home and their crop.  They asked if he could come home and help rebuild.  How he loves his family and wanted to help, but he had made a commitment to God and he would keep it.  His family, while disappointed, understood his resolve.  Our hearts leapt as he told that now his mother is studying with the missionaries and is waiting for him to come home to be baptised into the Church.

The next Elder that stood is a close friend of our orphaned missionary.  They are close because he lost his mother while in the mission field about 6 months ago.  His mother had joined the Church a few years before him.  She often invited him to meet with the missionaries but he would refuse.  She would reply, “Well it’s not your time yet”.  Eventually he grew tired of his lifestyle and agreed to meet with the missionaries.  The first time he met them he asked his most troubling questions at the start of the meeting:  “What happens to someone when they die?  Do we ever get to be with them again?”  Eventually he would join the Church and then apply to serve a mission.  His mother was thrilled.  The day before he left to serve his mission his mother told him that she did not believe she would be alive to see him return from his mission with his name tag on.  The statement startled him, because she was healthy.  About 6 months ago he had a dream in the night where his mother came to him and expressed her love to him.  The next day he received a video call from me and I tearfully told him his mother had passed in the night.  I had tried to drive to his apartment but was stopped by a quarantine checkpoint and refused access into the city to meet with him in person to give him the heavy news.

A sweet sister next arose, a college graduate.  She had spoken with her parents years before about serving a mission but was forbidden until she finished her schooling.  Obedient to her parents she finished her schooling and asked her parents again if she could serve a mission.  Again she was refused because they wanted her to get some work experience.  With a sad heart she again complied with her parents instructions.  Over the next couple of years, she would repeatedly ask permission to serve a mission.  Eventually her parents would give their consent to her desire to serve a mission.  We remember well the day she got off the plane.  Quiet and shy by nature, but very determined to make the most of the experience she had hoped and prayed to have.  She DID make the most of it and we are so proud of her.

Finally, another sister would arise and speak.  She had been a remarkable missionary who had an ability to help and lift other missionaries.  She spoke of the people here she had grown to love and of her deep faith in God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  She had inspired and helped so many with her powerful witness of their reality and love.  She shared that witness in spite of hardships and difficulties experienced by her and her companions.  She had done so well and lifted so many.  Now it was time for her to go home.

Are we proud of this group and all the others?  Of course!  Do we love them?  Yes!   Will we miss them?  YES!!  We pray they stay in touch, and are excited to see what they will do as they move forward with their lives.