There's No Place Like Home
By Debi:
I feel a little like Dorothy from Kansas in the Wizard of Oz. But I am Debi from Kansas City in the Wizard of Haws!
I have my ruby red shoes on, all of my belongings gathered and I am clicking my heels and saying over and over "There's no place like home." My Wizard is Greg and I am riding home in his nice White Ford Truck!
The last two weeks have been almost torturous. Greg and I have had so many emotions. As the missionaries all hug us and beg us not to leave our hearts feel like they are going to break. Then I talk to my daughters and find out that our grandchildren are marking off the days until Grandpa and Grandma come home from their mission.
We have said our goodbyes to so many people. We have had our last transfer and we said goodbye to so many of the young missionaries Two of the Elders that live close to the office had their parents send them t-shirts saying they love old people. We see them almost everyday and we have grown very close.
The confusion and chaos in the office the morning of transfers is so crazy. I tried to warn the Blacks (the couple that we are training who are taking our place) but I think they were a little shell shock by it all. We had a great time though because we were able to see so many of the missionaries and say our goodbyes.
We had a large group of Elders and Sisters going home. Many were the leaders of the mission. This is going to leave a void for a while in the mission but the next group of leaders are already fulfilling their new callings.
Sister Eriksen is one of the Sisters that taught Jin Bo. The Chinese student who joined the Church. She is going home to try out for Snow White at Disneyland. I told her we would come and see her.
Sister Halverstadt is a great missionary and we taught an investigator together.
Sister Fuenzilida is such an amazing missionary and a great trainer. We love all of these Sisters.
And Sister Diedrich and Sister Zito are the two sisters we brought back after their visit to the temple to meet their parents.
Elder Rea is the Elder that taught the mother and father with the little handicapped boy who smiled so big when the Elders started teaching that families can be sealed in the temple for eternity. We love Elder Rea.
Last night Greg and I were able to attend the Kansas City Temple for our last time. This temple will always have a special place in my heart. What a beautiful temple and we feel so blessed to have been able to attend almost every week. Last night we helped with the Young Single Adult branch with the baptisms and confirmations. I was privileged to help by the font. Each YSA that came in gave me a hug. It is amazing how our hearts can grow to love so many people. Last night was truly a tender mercy from the Lord.
Now we are going to our last YSA Sacrament meeting tomorrow. We are bearing our testimonies and then we will say our goodbyes after the meeting. This will probably be one of our hardest goodbyes. We have worked with the Branch for our entire time while we have been in Missouri. We love them all so much.
As Greg and I bring our mission and our blog to a close I want to express my gratitude for this beautiful experience the Lord has given me. A mission is hard. That is why they call it missionary work! But it is a very good work. It is a work that will forever change me. A change that I hope is for the better. I thank my Father in Heaven for the miracles that I have witnessed and the miracles in my own life. We will never feel like this has been a sacrifice. The Lord has blessed us and our family way beyond any sacrifice we have made.
Last of all, thanks to all who have supported us. We have felt your prayers and your encouragement. A huge Thank You to our children and grandchildren. We couldn't have done it without all of their help. And thank you to our extended family and friends.
I have my eyes closed. I am clicking my heels. "There is no place like home!"
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| Greg said, "Follow the yellow brick road!" |
By Greg:
This is copied from my journal/essay file. I realize this is a long piece. I will understand if few read it, but this is a glimpse into my heart right now.
The last
transfer
By Elder Greg W. Haws
24 July 2014
Thursday was our last transfer.
I knew it would be a busy day, but I also knew that I really did not
have a vital role to play. The night before, at the new missionary orientation
held at the mission home, I began to realize that I have been replaced. We have
been training our replacements. I also
knew that we were leaving the mission one week from that day. It was Thursday, the transfer day.
As I got out of my truck, and Sister Haws and Sister Watts took their
stuff (which included homemade treats that they had prepared for the
missionaries), I looked at the yard behind the mission office and the grove of
trees between the office and the stake center, and decided not to go into the
office just then.
It was such a lovely morning—very pleasant. I took my camping chair out of my truck and
set it up in the grove and sat down. I
wanted to reflect upon the last 2 years.
It was 8:00 am and in one hour missionaries would arrive and the parking
lot will fill up with cars and missionaries, but right then it was as pleasant
a place as I could possible image existing anywhere on earth. The following is what I recorded in my
journal:
There is a light breeze, birds are chirping, “Scotty the Squirrels” are
moving around on the ground and in the trees with such purpose. Train whistles in the distant even sound like
music. Cars pass by, but are not a
distraction. The sky is so blue. Even the distant beeping of the warning
signal from a backing garbage truck seems to be a song.
 |
| This was our 1st transfer, last fall |
The spire of the RLDS Temple points heavenward.
Old homes along Walnut Street are quiet—oh what have they seen and
witnessed over the years?
In the RLDS campground park, a girl and her father are practicing fast
pitch softball. Perhaps they have a
tournament today.
There is still that constant ringing in my ears from damage when I was
young, but I can ignore it, most of the time.
A plane flies overhead.
The air smells perfectly clean (not like Africa—which stinks; not like
Florida—which is decaying, and paper pulp factories, moisture vs. everything
else). The air here today is sweet.
Wayne sent me a text. He is golfing;
Jan is holding their spot on the parade route.
It is the 24th of July in Utah (actually it is the 24th
of July everywhere).
I wonder what was happening on this very spot in 1831, or 1832, or 1833. Joy in 1831. Work in 1832. Conflict in 1833.
I woke this morning in a dream that I had died. I had fallen off a balcony into a lake and
drowned. My first spoken words when I
woke were, “I am not dead!”
I wondered, what if I did die today, or in three weeks, would I be
happy? Would I be OK that I spent these
last 2 years on a mission? Or would I
have wished that I had done something else?
What else would I have done?
·
Continued teaching—maybe
·
Worried about our finances—definitely
·
Got a job—for sure
·
Kept doing my Area Church assignment—yes
·
Got sick and had surgery—I think so
·
Enjoyed going to Church in our ward where I had
no role to play—not so much
·
Appreciated Debi and her greatness—not nearly as
much as I do now
·
Loved being with my children—yes
·
Seen my grandchildren grow and attended their
activities—yes
·
Attend several funerals-yes
·
Gained weight—hard to say, I have gained weigh
anyway
·
Had a feeling that I was doing something
significant with my life—definitely not so much
8:25 am. Missionaries are
starting to arrive. Some drive into the
parking lot and not seeing others decide to go up to the office first. Sister
Haws said she would call me if I was needed.
Cars arrive driven by members with sister missionaries. Then another car—it is a missionary car, easy
to spot; bike rack and “how is my driving” sticker on the bumper.
Transfers are change. Change is
good for missionaries. It helps them
grow.
Going home from this mission will be different than going home from my
first mission. Then, I had my whole life
ahead of me—marriage; a family; school; career; Church service; Wow! This time, I don’t know. Growing old and then dying? What else lies ahead?
The members of the new Ogden Temple Presidency are all my friends. Maybe I will become a temple worker. I know
that one day I will, but I am not sure I am ready to do that just yet.
I will get my first social security check in October. I am ready for that! This is a significant milestone, for sure.
I have not had my “calling and election sure” but I know how this story
will end. I am grateful to the Lord for his goodness and mercy.
Sisters are walking up the sidewalk to the office. Sister Haws will hug them when they arrive. She will also tell them goodbye. She loves them so much.
Am I saved? Definitely. Why are we so reluctant to say yes to that
question when asked? We should be sure
of our future status.
2 more sister missionary cars just pulled in. Then a car arrived with 4 elders. No hugs between the elders and sisters—handshakes
only, maybe some of these will hug when they are released and get home. We have already heard of several that are
hugging, several engagements announced. They will make great couples and
parents.
4 elders get in one car and leave.
They are not going to the office.
Maybe they are going somewhere for food. Elders need food.
8:40 am. More missionaries are walking
up the sidewalk. They know there are
treats in the office today. The food is
waiting. Also they need supplies and a
hug from Sister Haws. I wish I could hug
them all. Sometimes I hug elders.
More cars arrive. Some are
white, some are silver, and a few are red.
Elders, sisters, and members are mingling. Sisters are screaming and hugging. No one sees me watching them from the grove.
I want to remember this
moment forever!
When I first witnessed this organized chaos, I could not believe
it. That was last fall. We have now been here for several
transfers. One was so cold we had to go
inside the Church.
11 cars are parked. More are
coming.
The instructions are to meet at 9. I don’t know how 4 sisters and 2 sets of
luggage can fit in one car. Sisters have
so much stuff. It is amazing, because it
seems to fit.
Tomorrow some of these will fly home.
3 of them have parents coming to pick them up. Sister Haws and I will gather these 3 at the
temple and deliver them to their parents.
All of the dearly departing will spend tonight at the Mission Home. They will go to Adam-ondi-ahman today and the
Temple tomorrow.
The parking lot is filling. There
is more screaming and hugging.
There will be lots of activity in the “bat cave” this morning, bikes
in, bikes out. Elder Atwood is in charge
of that space.
Here comes the mission van and trailer, followed by a rented van. These contain the newly arrived missionaries
we saw last night at the mission home. I
hope they had a good sleep. They were
tired. They also looked very
apprehensive.
The President arrived in his white GMC Acadia.
Some cars have bikes on their racks.
Others have empty racks waiting to take a bike back to the area. The AP’s are unloading the trailer. The newly called “Trainers” are moving slowly
toward the trailer and their new companions.
8:50 am. 28 cars and maybe 80 missionaries. Some elders are wearing their jackets, all of
the new ones are, but most just have white shirts; most of them are short sleeved.
Tons of luggage everywhere.
The President is moving through the crowd. This is his first transfer. He is doing great!
Now there is a constant stream of cars entering the lot. I see Sister Vest. She is also working the crowd.
8:55. 36 mission cars plus member’s cars and the vans. President Hepworth of the Mission Presidency
just arrived. He always comes to
these. He is a great man.
Two of the mission vehicles are small trucks. Elders are coming down the sidewalk from the
office. The action now is in the parking
lot. Most will go to the office before
they return to their area. That is
always a zoo. I will have to go in and
help when that begins.
They are all supposed to be gone by 10:00 am.
Now Elders are running across the lot screaming and yelling and jumping
on each other; obviously former companions.
Lots of shouting, hugging and laughter.
Also some male affection expressed by strong physical contact that could
misunderstood as fighting.
There are a few senior missionaries in the crowd. Some have given young missionaries rides.
Elder and Sister Rasmussen (the nurse and car man) are working the crowd as
well.
There is a big group of missionaries in the middle, several smaller
groups, but no one is alone, there are no stragglers.
Lots and lots of luggage. How
will we sort it all out?
The rental van just left. It was empty.
Now the AP’s are working the crowd.
You can tell them apart from the rest.
They know everyone. These young men are great. We have loved each one, but these two are
really special. They have had the
assignment to help transition a new president.
The RLDS bells are ringing. It
is 9:00 am.
There is Elder Allred from Hooper.
His father is our new Stake President.
Elder Allred is wearing his jacket but I can tell he has lost some
weight. He gained some at first; too
many dinner appointments.
I want to join the crowd, but right now I just sit here and
observe.
One of the missionary car’s alarm just went off.
Sister Haws has arrived and stood by my side. She asks if I want to go down and say
goodbye. I don’t think I can, not right now. She gives me the camera—when I am ready. Then she goes back to the office.
I am crying. I cannot help it. I
want to be strong, but I cannot help it.
This has been a joyful hour. My
heart is full, my eyes are wet, I am so happy!
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| Elder Cortez told us his father is getting baptized-he is one of our favorites |
This is my last transfer!
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