Being on a Mission

       I just wanted to take a minute and talk a little about being on a mission and all of our great missionaries.
       1 year and 3 1/2 months ago I thought the hardest thing I would ever do was leave my children and grandchildren and family and go half way around the world to tell people about their Savior, Jesus Christ.
       I cried all the way the Seattle, then I cried all the way to Japan, by the time we got on the airplane to Guam, I was to tired to cry( we had been up for 20 hours straight by this time), so I dosed and thought about everything I had left behind.
     I was scared, I was already homesick and missing everyone. So I said a little prayer and ask Heavenly Father to please help me do my best.
     We landed in Guam, and there were 2 smiling faces ( at 1:00 a.m.), to meet us at the airport, Pres. & Sis. Mecham. And at that moment I felt such peace, it was indescribable, but I knew I was in the right place and I knew that I would be o.k. and even more, I knew that my family would be o.k.
       We have worked hard, we have had many great experiences, we have grown more then we thought possible, we have learned a lot about ourselves and each other. We have learned that not everyone likes us, which I must say was a little shocking, after all we are sooooooo  likable. We have learned that everyone has their agency, and just how important that is. We have learned to Trust in the Lord, and lean not unto our own understanding.
        We have had harder times then I thought possible and we have had such blessings.
       We have had the blessing of working with the most amazing Young Men and Young Women, your sons and daughters, our fellow missionaries, and I must say the rising generation of missionaries are amazing. They have such strength and testimony of the Gospel, and they are not afraid to share it. The spirit guides them each day and it is a blessing for us to get to go out and work with them. They teach us a lot. It is hard to see them go home, when they do, but great to be able to tell their parents what great sons and daughters they have. You have trained them well, they are strong.
       Now why do I say all this, because I discovered something in the last little while out here. I found that there is something harder that I will have to face in about 7 months. Leaving here.
     You see, even though it was hard to leave my family and everything that was familiar to me to come here, I knew I would see my family again in 2 years. But, when I leave here, I will probably never see these wonderful people or my beautiful Island again, until the next life. I have come to love my Pohnpein family and I know I will cry all the way home and even longer, and I will be homesick for them.
      You parents, never need to worry about your missionaries out here, these wonderful people love them and watch over them as if they were their own children. These people truly are the "Salt of the Earth" We love them, we love the blessings of serving them and we love teaching about our Savior, Jesus Christ and bringing the Gospel to so many, in so many different ways.
      Missions are great things, in fact the best thing you can do FOR your life. Are they hard, YES, but WORTH every single second.
      MAY WE ALL GO ON IN SO GREAT A CAUSE.