Tacloban Phillipines Mission August 2019- August 2021: 3-29-2020 Unforseen changes

So as my trainee and I were sitting down to plan our day last Tuesday we got a text. I didn't bother to look at it for a while because I figured it wasn't important. 5 minutes later I took a look at the phone and I felt like a wall of shock and sadness hit me as I read the text, "DUE TO THE GROWTH OF CORONA VIRUS ALL FOREIGN MISSIONARIES WILL BE RETURNING HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE." As I am sure many of you have heard, all foreign missionaries in the Philippines were sent home to complete a quarantine for two weeks and then be reassigned stateside. I packed as light as I could and loaded my bags in the bishop's truck the next morning. The whole thing felt surreal as if I would wake up from this bad dream any second. We dropped our luggage at the mission office and then proceeded to spend the next three and a half days in the A.P.'s apartment waiting as our amazing mission president and office missionaries worked nonstop to gain passage for us to leave Tacloban and go to Manila. Three options were worked through, taking a boat out of Leyte and flying from Cebu, taking a bus 30-60 hours to Manila, or last but not least negotiate with the Mayor of Tacloban to raise the travel ban for just the missionaries so we could get to Manila on a flight from Tacloban airport to Manila. After much negotiation the mayor's heart was softened and we were able to fly to Manila. We spent a night there and the next day flew out at 6:15 to Japan, refueled and arrived in Salt Lake Airport at 9 on Sunday evening. I spent a night at a hotel in Salt Lake and on Monday morning I flew to Denver and took a connecting flight to Durango Colorado.

I am now home with my family and it is so amazing to be with them. I will be on quarantine for the next two weeks since I just came from a foreign country. When I returned home I had two options offered to me, option A: follow through with a reassignment or option B: be released honorably due to complications with the Virus and my mission. After counselling with my Stake President, my family and the lord I have made the decision to be released honorably and I am officially released as of earlier today.

On that note I would like to talk about trials and challenges.

I am very sad because of the current circumstances and the abrupt end to my mission that I did not expect but I know that the Lord has a plan for me, for you and for ever single person here on the earth. That does not mean we will never encounter challenges or trials while in this mortal journey but rather he will use trials and challenges to help us grow into the person he needs us to become. As we continue to do the small and simple things we will be able to hear the guidance of the spirit and follow his plan. With our mortal eyes we see the here and now, a fraction of the big picture, the challenges that oppose us. He can see the entire picture. God's vision is perfect. He gives us challenges and trials so we may better become the person he wants us to become. It may not seem apparent when we are in the actual trial itself but god is walking with us every step of the way, sometimes carrying us through the challenges. Through his atonement and the gospel we can overcome the hard times and continue to press forward steadfast with a steadfastness in Christ. Though these hard times in our life may come and go, Jesus Christ will always be there for us.

A poem written by Carolyn Joyce Carty describes this perfectly,

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.

He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.

He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:

“LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me.”

The LORD replied:

“My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.”

I know that in the hard times, even in our most difficult trials our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be walking next to us and at times carrying us.

In Mosiah 18:9 it has an invitation for us all, "to stand as ^cwitnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death,...that ye may have eternal life"

I invite you to stand as a witness of his name, in all things. I know as we do so we will enable ourselves to receive Eternal Life through the Infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Though my mission may be finished my discipleship is just starting. I will strive to invite others to come unto Christ wherever I am, standing as a witness of him at all times, and in all things and in all places. I know that this church is true. I know that your Lord and Savior loves each and every one of us, even you. I know that he atoned for our sins so that through his blood our sins may be washed clean. I know that President Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God and holds the keys and Priesthood authority to direct God's kingdom here on earth today. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of god and through this book "a man may draw closer to God". The Book of Mormon was translated by a called prophet of God, Joseph Smith, who held the Priesthood Authority to do so. This Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is the Lord's kingdom here on earth today. I know that it is the one and only true church in the last dispensation of the fulness of times.

I love you all

The Elders I had to be quarantined in an apartment with for 4 days. Glad to have Elder Case with me. He drew that map of the Phillipines on the wall.