On Monday, January 18th, we had our final interview with President Winters. It was a sweet experience! During the interview, President Winters asked us to share three things we learned that strengthened our testimonies. My simple response to that invitation was: 1) this is the Lord's work, 2) the Lord loves his missionaries, and 3) the Lord blesses missionaries and their families.
1 - If serving as a senior mission during a country-wide transportation strike, weight loss, hair loss, three mission presidents, a global pandemic, emergency evacuation of 150+ missionaries, having COVID, and moving to a new office, has taught me anything, it has been that gathering Israel, uniting others to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and sealing families for the eternities is God's work and it shall continue to roll forth. As the Prophet Joseph Smith declared....
“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
2 - God knows and LOVES his missionaries. It is a privilege to see how God blesses his faithful and obedient servants. He truly labors beside them in this great work. In His own words the Savior said: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” (DC 84:88)
3 - Without a doubt, missionary service brings blessings to the missionary and to their family. We experienced blessings when our four sons served their missions and our family experienced great blessings as we have served. When President Winters was set apart by Elder Renlund, he was told that there would be "collateral" blessings to his family from the service that he and Sister Winters would render. We have experienced "collateral" blessings.
Many years ago, I was told by a mother who was preparing her 4th child to serve a mission, that when missionaries begin the process of submitting their mission application, the adversary works very hard to derail their efforts. That is true, but I also know that when missionaries begin the process of serving a mission, the Lord is present and blessings are undeniable and abundant. We are grateful for the blessings that we've enjoyed and the blessings that have come to each of our children and their families!
Our final week was busy. On Monday, President & Sister Winters hosted a dinner at the mission home for departing missionaries. Tuesday was transfer day and the mission office was full of activity as missionaries came and went. Tuesday afternoon was orientation for new missionaries. Wednesday through Friday, I spent reviewing my responsibilities with Elder Puche who took my place, conducting English exams, and finalizing the mission history. Friday, for a final office farewell, we went out to lunch with the office missionaries and President & Sister Winters.
Missionaries coming and going on transfer day. It looks and feels chaotic,
but by the end of the day everyone has found their new companion and they are off to their assigned areas.
On Saturday, the Guerrero Family picked us up at 8 AM for a final Ecuadorean excursion. We spent the day with them visiting Lagunas de Mojanda, Lago de San Pablo, and Cayambe. It was wonderful! We love the Guerrero Family and they have been so good to us since we first arrived in Ecuador.
Our first stop on the way to Lagunas de Mojanda. A view of Cayambe valley.
The white-roofed buildings you see in the valley are greenhouses where roses and other flowers are grown.
Our next stop was Lagunas de Mojanda, three lakes (Karikucha (the largest), Yanakucha, and Warmikucha), that sit high in the alpine grasslands of Cerro Fuya Fuya, an inactive volcano south of Otavalo. It looks very similar to Quilotoa, but you don't have to hike in and out of the crater. You can drive up the mountain and then down to the lake. However, once you leave the main road the drive is a rough and steep!
A view of Karikucha at Lagunas de Mojanda - elevation is about 13,000 ft.
Elder Lewis at Lagunas de Mojanda.
These sod walls appeared to be constructed as bank for fish hatchery pool.
Trout is the fish of the day in the laguna.
We assumed that this landscape is a dried fish hatchery pool.
The Guerrero Family - Sylvia, Victor, David, and Erika.
Checking my balance and preparing for our flight back to the USA!
After enjoying the sites at Lagunas de Mojanda, we went to Lago de San Pablo for a delicious lunch at a restaurant that cantilevered over the lake.
A view of Lago de San Pablo from our table.
The water is very cold, but there was a lot of activity on the lake - kayaking, jet skies,
water trampoline, ferries, and a pirate ship.
Pirates in life jackets??
Before leaving the area, we had to stop in Cayambe for some Ecuadorean bizcochos. In Ecuador, bizcochos are a rectangular-shaped, buttery, flaky biscuit. They are usually eaten with a stick of cheese. The Guerreros encouraged us to eat them with a caramel dip and a yogurt drink. We tried the caramel dip and they were delicious!
Ecuadorean bizcochos. Deliciosos!!
It was a wonderful day and we arrived back in Quito around 6 PM. We spent the evening packing and preparing for our departure. Sunday we attended Church. After Church, the Guerreros met us at the office with a departure gift, some of their packaged Ecuadorean 100% cocoa blocks and 2 cups with "Ecuador - ama la vida" printed on the front. Meaning "love life!" We will continue to "love life" when we are settled in Northern Wyoming drinking a hot cup of Ecuadorean cocoa and waiting for Spring to come.
Ecuadorean chocolate from our Ecuadorean friends -- sweet memories!
We then spent a few hours in the mission office reviewing our responsibilities with the office missionaries and answering questions. We watched the mission devotional at 4 PM, shared our final farewell wave, spent the evening talking to family, and finalized our packing. We left for the Quito airport at 12 midnight.
Waiting for our 3 AM flight to Houston early Monday morning, January 25th, in the Quito airport.
The 5-hour flight to Houston was not full. Elder Lewis and I both had 3 seats to ourselves and the flight connections were on time. When we went through customs in Houston, the woman directing us at the baggage x-ray machine, whom I didn't know, but who must have been acquainted with missionaries from our faith or was a member of the Church, said to me, "Welcome home Sister Lewis." My missionary name tag reads, "Hermana Lewis." It may sound silly, but her words of welcome felt like an approbation from our Heavenly Father, a loving embrace of His approval as we concluded our missionary service in Ecuador!
We had a 2-hour layover in Houston before flying on to Salt Lake City. We landed 45 minutes early at the beautiful new SLC airport and walked to the baggage claim! The walk was so long, that when we arrived at the baggage claim the bags from our flight were coming out. Max walked over to get 2 luggage carts and as our 6 pieces of luggage, 4 that were 70 lbs., appeared; I turned around and there was our son Patrick with two of his children, Kenneth and Lucy. It took me a moment to process that he was there to welcome us home! It was a SWEET surprise!!
We retrieved our bags, loaded them on the luggage carts, and started walking toward the rental car when we saw our daughter-in-law, Erica, with Katie and Evie. Apparently, our 45 minute early arrival foiled the welcome committees' plans, but we didn't know or care. It was wonderful to see and hug family!
After getting our rental car, a lime green KIA Sol, Patrick helped us load our luggage and then we waited for Ethan who was also on his way to meet us. Since we were going to stop at two Honda dealerships between the airport and Whitney's house, we decided to meet him at the first dealership. It was also a sweet reunion!
Since we had not driven a car for 18 months, we thought this lime green KIA would
be easy to see on the freeway, big enough to hold all of our luggage, and recognizable in a parking lot.
We spent the next few hours with Ethan, shopping for a car, and eating our first real meal in the States......a late lunch at Slap Fish. After that, Ethan return to Orem and we went to Whitney's where we were welcomed by her sweet family.
WELCOME HOME greeting at Whitney's!
Monday evening we had a Zoom release meeting with President Coburn of the Akron Stake. It was wonderful to visit with him and share some of our mission thoughts and feelings. At the close of the meeting, we removed our missionary tags. Our "name tag" service has officially ended. We are adjusting to the next phase of life and we will continue to be serviceable.
Removing our missionary tags on January 25th. We are confident that we will be wearing missionary tags again.
We spent one night with Whitney and then moved into a small Airbnb in Orem, UT. It has been a busy 10+ days. We finally met in person, the lovely Veronica Aragon, our future daughter-in-law!
Veronica & Ethan formal wedding photos.
We also purchased a car, bought some new clothes, visited with extended family, met President & Sister Barlow for lunch (former mission president), attended Veronica's bridal shower, welcomed our children flying in for the wedding, went skiing, enjoyed time with children and grandchildren, finalized our apartment arrangements in Cowley, WY, and a host of other things.
Picking up our new Honda 2021 CRV on Wednesday, January 27th from
the Ken Garff Dealership in Orem, UT.
A photo of Max at the Salt Lake Temple while visiting Elder & Sister Burkinshaw (my sister and her husband)
who are serving a mission on Temple Square. This is their 3rd mission and they are amazing senior missionaries!
Lunch with President & Sister Barlow, former President of the Ecuador Quito Mission, on Friday, January 29th at Cafe Molise in Salt Lake City. They are an exceptional couple and we are grateful for our association with them.
Veronica in her tissue designed bridal gown at her bridal shower on Friday evening, January 29th.
A beautiful day of skiing with Jenna, Avery, and Capri on Monday, February 1st at Brighton.
It has been surreal and REAL! We are grateful for the blessings of missionary service and we are excited about the future. As President Russell M. Nelson said in October 2020 General Conference, "Embrace the future with faith," reminding us that life without God is a life filled with fear. Life with God is a life filled with peace. We will embrace the future with faith!
Thanks to all for your love, support, and prayers as we have served our mission. May God's choicest blessings be yours always and forever.
Sincerely,
The Lewis'
