Fond Farewells
Thursday, June 30 - 9:00 PM. Two pathetic, lonely people quietly walked down Burgos Street, each pulling a small bag and carrying another. It was dark and quiet. We felt alone. I looked back to where we had come from and tears welled in my eyes. It was the end of a day we had anticipated with a mix of excitement and dread. We have lived in denial these last few weeks, thinking we could wish away the end. But everything was ready for the arrival of the new mission leaders. They arrived a little after noon, and we took some pictures, went for lunch and had a brief orientation. We felt for them, remembering our first day in the field; feeling like we were being flooded by a fire hose. Finally, we needed to rip off the bandaid and head upstairs to finish our packing. 2 hours later, we emerged, leaving behind this life we have lived for the last 3 years, and slowly walked down the street to the hotel. Missionaries live in a world of hellos and goodbyes.
Friday, July 1 was a day of tearful partings and joyful reunions.
The Assistants and Office Elders picked us up from the hotel and drove us to the airport. We were joined there by Elder and Sister Ramel.
How could we leave this place? Cauayan has become our second home. Lately we have been soaking up the beauty of the endless fields of rice, watching the planting one more time. We have savored our relationships with the people here, wondering how many more we could have met and associated with had we not lived in a world of zoom for these last years. We visited with friends we have not seen since before the pandemic, and with those whom we have grown to love so much.
We wiped the tears and bravely waved good-bye as we entered the airport terminal.
When we arrived in Manila, we dropped off our luggage at the hotel, headed to the Area Office to drop of some computer equipment, said a quick hello to Izra, our travel coordinator and now good friend. We navigated so many regulations and COVID tests and cancellations together through the last 2 1/2 years!
Then it was off to a reunion with a few of our returned missionaries. It was a joyous time to see them again and reminisce about our experiences together in Cauayan Mission. We continue to love them and suffer with them and rejoice with them. And so many from far away joined via Zoom. Some were awake in the middle of the night to join us from New Zealand, Samoa, USA. We are humbled by their kindness. This difficult day was changed to a glorious day. It wasn't all endings.
The active days of mission service have ended, but we will continue always to remember the days in Cauayan. We have eternal relationships that will not end. These are truly days "never to be forgotten".
I remember a talk given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
"In light of what we know about our eternal destiny, is it any wonder that whenever we face the bitter endings of life, they seem unacceptable to us? There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings.
Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny.
The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions—temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful."
--Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Grateful in Any Circumstances", Apr. 2014 General Conference
Farewell for now. Cauayan will always be in our hearts.
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