As missionaries, we were always excited when local young adults came home from their own missions. These newly returned missionaries were used to walking long hours, striking up conversations with complete strangers and guiding gospel discussions. They also typically didn't have jobs yet and were more than willing to go out visiting with us.
This week, a flashback took me back to the day we went out with a newly returned sister missionary from Apopa. She was the younger sister of Majorit, one of the members of Barrio Refineria (Refineria Ward). She’d arrived home only a day or two before, and from personal experience I now understand how lost she probably still felt.
Hna Infanzon and I arrived at the chapel to meet her prior to beginning the day's work. I will always remember the wide smile that lit up her face when she saw us, and the longing in her eyes because of our missionary nametags - those precious plaquitas that represented countless spiritual struggles and triumphs, total dedication to God and love for those you served.
The longing must have won out, because when she gave me a hug of greeting, she didn't let me go right away. I started to release her after a normal amount of time, but her hold tightened and she started to get choked up, so I gave in and hugged her back.
After a minute or so, she released me and stepped back, wiping her eyes quickly with the back of her hand, and gave Hna Infanzon a regular hug of greeting. She was okay after that, and we had a great afternoon together.
In that moment, I felt my spirit connect with hers and I felt honored to provide a brief connection to her past.
Now that I'm home, my place is reversed, and the sisters that serve near my home now provide my connection to the past.
No comments:
Post a Comment