We taught our last class. We cooked our last meal. We gave out hugs to almost everyone of these 200+ crazy, kind, wonderful, shy, loud, thoughtful, funny, over-the-top, reserve, , , – in other words – just normal, great college-age Institute kids. (“Hugs” you say? Yes, we gave out “hugs.” Not exactly a “mission” thing to do. But what are they going to do? Send us home?)
Clarence Oddbody in the Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” tells George Bailey:
“Strange, isn't it?
Each man's life touches so many other lives.
When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?”
Though we be the ones leaving, , ,
Each individual and unique kid makes for an awfully big hole in our hearts.
But isn’t the gospel great? For does not Christ’s gospel give purpose and meaning to “holes?” Does not the spirit whisper softly these empty voids will be filled to overflowing?
Take for example, the hollow felt through the hugs and sniffles exchanged as a son or daughter enters the mission field. Or even the small pit felt by a mom each time she reaches the last sentence of her missionary’s weekly email or letter. Are not these filled to overflowing upon their loved one’s return?
And what of the pits and hollows which seem to have no bottom? Those which seem to defy any possible way to be filled? Does not the gospel give hope to the impossible? For we know these pits and hollows are not just ours. They are His.
Our kids are His. Our extended family & friends are His. He wants each of us home. He wants no eternal “holes.”
For this He gave all. For this cause we have given but little. Yet for what little we have given, once again we find ourselves in His debt tenfold.
Speaking of service, as alluded to in our last writing, we were given the permission to have a final friendship feast with a special Christmas missionary theme. So, since a little before Thanksgiving, we have been preparing.
Thursday night we decorated and put it all in place:
Notice how Mike is safely on the ground, while his “elf” (a great young man, named “Xavier”) is doing all the high flying work.
Keeping one eye on Mike (to make sure he didn’t disobey my two-feet on the ground at all times rule - yah, like he has obeyed any of my rules in the past right?), I busied myself in the kitchen:
And so I watched as the scene progressed into the night (or perhaps into the morning, I am not quite sure when we actually finished):
And they even let all 5’2” of me help a little:
And even “accessorize:” Actually we just gathered up a lot of the pictures of Christ that hang in different rooms of the Institute and brought them all together into one room:
And so it was done – or at least as much as we could get done by 4:30am:
So we went home and got a “few” hours of sleep to return and finish.
And a Christmas miracle happened. We finished – (or at least the parts we didn’t weren’t too noticeable.)
And then they all came. And the program went off okay. We would talk more about it, but this writing is getting long.
So they filled our hearts to overflowing and well, I can’t go into that right now without choking up, so I will just have to leave it here:
Though our hearts are heavy, we are also very anxious to be home. Home to our kids (at least Katie for now), family, friends and neighbors.
We so look forward to once again fill the “holes” made without your presence. We are anxious to get all caught up with your lives and happenings.
And so it goes. Our last official missionary writing has come to an end.
See you soon!
Love,
Elder “Mike” & Sister “Jenny” Thornton
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