Traveling To Korea

As we were getting ready to board the plane to Washington state, a woman asked us what "Military Relations" was. As I started to speak, the woman next to her said, “Ginger is that you?” These two women that I had just happened to sit by, had their children in my preschool nearly 30 years ago. We were also in the same ward. Alice and I had worked in primary together, and her husband had built a home for us. She told me how they were on their way for a fun trip in Washington. Both had lost their husbands two years ago. One with cancer, and the other with a heart attack. All the way to Washington my head was filled with how life is so filled with surprises. It reminds me of a saying, “You can't be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you." I thought about the challenges that had come into my life over the last 30 years. The good, the bad, and the ugly. It reminded me of Nephi when he said, “having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God." Lately I have realized that my challenges have taught me understanding, and he has given me the strength to bare my burdens. He has taught me faith. It reminded me that if we turn to Heavenly Father and follow him, He will make all the challenges we face, be for our good and learning. What a blessing! That "chance meeting" took my mind off my sad children. It helped me remember why we were leaving our children and heading half way across the world away from them.

In Washington we met a man that had served a senior mission in England. He assured me the first month would be the most difficult. After that he said the time will go by too quickly. It is amazing looking back, and seeing that already we were being showered with little tender mercies to soothe my breaking heart. Even the ten-hour flight went quickly. The custom line was long and took forever though. We stood waiting with 3 young men who were in the US Army; which helped to remind us why we were there. As I stood at the customs booth I was told to put my two index fingers on the pad. I tried to show the man in the booth that might be a problem, but he didn't understand. I put my left index finger, and my right middle finger on the pad. He looked confused, so again I held up my hands showing him I was missing my right index finger. This time he got it. A sign popped up telling me to put my thumbs on the pad. As we finished customs we collected our bags.  Finally, we passed by where people were waiting for those of us leaving the plane. We anxiously looked for the Mission president and his wife. But no one fit that description. We found a bench where we could sit and still see people entering the airport, we figured they may have gotten caught in traffic. We knew that in two hours a new group of young missionaries would be coming to the airport, and someone would be there to met them.