What is the hardest part of a mission?
The answers would vary
depending on where the missionary is in the course of his/her time.
For these missionaries the answer would be
"going home is the hardest part."
Even harder than leaving families and friends for two years.
When you have given your all...
when you have spent your time and energy and testimony
in service for the Lord
with the sole purpose of finding the "pure in heart"
and bringing them to Him...
you don't just leave.
You first have to tear your heart apart by saying good bye to a people
and culture that you have grown to love.
You say goodbye to a lifestyle that is so very difficult,
yet so very easy because a mission requires selfless focus every day
and thus, freedom from all other worldly cares.
Then you consider all that you have gained by choosing to make this sacrifice
and you realize that the true sacrifice would be to
have stayed home.
The blessings that have come are immeasurable and impossible to measure.
We are indeed grateful.
(President and Sorella Allen)
L-R... Anziani Dalton, Whitlock, Challis, Garrett, Korak, Henderson, Jones, Clayton, Keller.
Our final dinner together.
Afterwards we sang a hymn, bore testimony of Jesus Christ,
and concluded with the mission hymn and prayer.
Well done Anziani!
"Bretheren, shall we not go on in so great a cause?
Go forward and not backward.
Courage, brethren; and on,
on to the victory!
Let your hearts rejoice,
and be exceedingly glad.
Let the earth break forth into singing.
Vi voglio bene!
