My Mission Pres Part 2

At the funeral I discovered that my Mission President had been fighting cancer for the last 5 years. I was not aware of this even though I had seen him less than a year ago. I’m grateful that last Fall I was able to attend the “unofficial missionary reunion” at his house. At that time I was able to visit and laugh with him. I had always regretted not getting to know him well on the mission; however, on this occasion I learned that he had really gotten to know me while I was a missionary and that made us closer than I had realized. I shook his hand, and he gave me a hug and a warm smile. I didn’t know it then, but that was the last time I would see him alive.

          At the funeral I saw many photos of him at various ages and locations. Suddenly, one particular photo literally stopped me in my tracks and gripped my interest. For some, this photo would simply appear to be Michael and his wife bundled up and smiling on the edge of a cold coast somewhere. Others might recognize the cloth cap and venture a guess as to the location. For me, the photo was an instant window to my former forgotten home of England. Emotion swept over me like a crashing tide. For a brief moment my memories felt tangible. I felt the familiar embrace of the cold misty air of England. I could feel it on my face, smell it in the air, and taste it on my lips. I couldn’t help but smile. It was real again. I did not dream my experiences their, but shared them with real people. We had all been part of something special. As the misty memories began to dispel, I held on to keep a few for myself. Who can blame me for trying to trap some of the precious mist in my eyes?

Although I rarely speak of England anymore, it still speaks to me. There’s no real way I could explain all that I experienced there, but I will try to explain a part of it with the following quote:

“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the self-same well from which your laughter rises was often-times filled with your tears.”                                                                                            --Kahlil Gibran