Phone Call Home: Tuesday, June 14, 2022


Pday for Sister Garcia was on Tuesday this week because she had a chance to go to the temple. :) I love that it has become an option in her mission and that she will have the memories of this for a lifetime. I will admit that it throws my world off to have a one day shuffle of pday calls but it is okay. I still love the option that we get to talk. 

 This week started out just fine. I was able to see her and she looks so happy. This girl radiates pure joy. About 10 minutes into our call though, I just got a black screen that said "trying to reconnect". It didn't happen on her end so we still ended up being able to have our weekly photo. Gotta love technology and the trials it takes to get two countries together right? :) 

 Sister Garcia is quickly coming to an end of her mission and she is really starting to feel the feels. She was on a high from being in the temple. She said that as they were coming out of the Celestial Room an Elder that was with them and her and her companions were approached and asked if they wanted to sit in on a sealing. Sister Garcia has never done that before and she was so happy to have the chance. I have always told the kids that sealings are probably my most favorite ordinance to do in the temple so I LOVED hearing that she was able to participate. She said she loved it so much and even though she didn't fully understand the words, she loved the way she felt. I wish I could scream letters onto a computer of just what this does for my heart. I pray that she stays on the covenant path and that she is married in the temple to a worthy priesthood holder and that they will have kids who are born into the covenant. This would be such a blessing for my heart. 

We talked very minimum today because of the events of the temple and then getting back to their apartment but she did tell me that her friends are progressing, they are going to go help with a baptism of a cute girl in the ward, and she had a good exchange this last week too. 

I told Sister Garcia my crazy trying to figure out her travel home. I called church travel and I emailed Sister Nordfelt as well. Church travel told me that they use a program that will auto populate a ticket for missionaries when it is time for them to return home and that usually gives families a 6-8 week heads up. Well, that system is down and so they are hand doing all the reservations. Because of the number they are doing, most families are only getting a 7-10 day window before they know when their kids are coming home! What in the literal heck?! This does not help with my anxiety I will tell you that much! Sister Nordfelt was so kind and replied back and just let me know that they haven't seen any plans on their end yet either but she did say that Sister Garcia would be home on the 6th probably around noon. She also promised she would be sure to forward any travel details once she receives them on her end. I love her and I have never even really met her. Sister Garcia is sure I am 100% nuts and she just laughed and said "Mom! I promise I am coming home!" I don't worry so much that she won't be home. I just worry that I have things planned that I need to get information to people so they can plan too. Ahhh the joys of being a missionary Mom who has literally zero control on any of the information in order to get her home!

I am so thrilled that our countdown is getting closer and closer to the single digits and that Sister Garcia will be joining us here at home again real soon but I am also unsure of what that looks like as a whole when it comes to her being home. I know she is excited to see us and I know she has plans to meet up with old companions and friends but I also realize that this next phase of life is going to be very different than what I imagined it to be. See, when she began her mission 17 months ago I was naive and assumed she would come home and life would look similar to what it did then. Boy was I foolish. The last time she 'lived' at home was literally the last time. She will return after living on her own and running her own life and there is no reason she should come home and have it be like it was a year and a half ago. I will always be her Mom. But now...I am more grateful than ever that we are friends too and that there is a relationship there that we can continue to move forward together with life. I miss her. I miss my friend and daughter. I am looking forward to seeing her again and being able to wrap my arms around her and welcome her home. To whatever that looks like. :) 

Until next week, I love you for forever and for always,
Mom

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