Merry Christmas 2021

Today was wild and weird as we woke up here at home and it was Christmas morning. I was up bright and early so that I could talk with Elder Garcia via the Facebook Messenger. The house here was quiet and I wasn't sure what time Brooklyn would be up and moving but I was loving the one on one that I was having with Elder Garcia. So peaceful and fulfilling to know that even though he is in Africa and I am here in Utah, we got to spend Christmas morning 'together'.

Elder Garcia is under the weather right now. He has what he says is a 'wicked cold'. He isn't sleeping well because he can't breathe at night and he says that he can feel in his lungs the gunk that is blocking it all. He described it as bubbly. :/ I asked him if being able to obtain medicine is an option and he said they have stuff in their apartments but it is Africa medicine so it just isn't the same. It is times like this that I wish I could get a humidifier and some NyQuil and DayQuil in the mail to him! Part of the other thing he is dealing with is dry heaving. He says he coughs so hard that he can feel stuff come up the back of his throat and he dry heaves hoping to get it out. Thankfully he promises me that he is staying hydrated and doing what he can to try and get better. He does have interviews and an activity towards the end of the week so if it isn't getting better by then he will let the mission nurse know to see if there is anything perhaps she can assist with. 

Elder Garcia is super excited about New Years coming up. He went out and found himself a goat and purchased it so they can take it into Lome and him and Elder Hansen can kill it and cook it! What? Seriously...this is the goat 

I was seriously like "it is so cute! Why would you kill it?!" You know his response? Mom, it is literally my food. It's what we do here. I don't even know what to think of all of it to be honest. He said Elder Hansen has sharpened his knife and is ready and waiting. There are 3 sets of companionships that are getting together in Lome for the New Year celebration and they are each putting money into a food pot and going to have a party like no other apparently and this goat is going to be part of it all. Elder Garcia says he has had goat before but even still...wow. I asked how he was going to get the goat from Kpalime to Lome and he said "that's the easy part. We put it in the car or strap er to the roof". Literally...no words. And he says it isn't weird to him at all. I asked him to make sure and let me know how it all goes but that I sure do not want videos or photos of it. Thankfully he agreed and said no traumatizing would happen by him doing that. :) 

We talked a little about what was under the tree here for Brooklyn and he said he didn't get a chance to talk to Kaitlyn yet. He wasn't sure if he was going to call his Dad or not. I talked to him about Bishop Thornell asking about him this last week at our ward adult party. He asked how Elder Garcia was doing and if the girl that was here causing problems was still a problem. I told him that something had clicked for Elder Garcia on the mission and that he asked this young lady to move on with life and that he was doing the same. Bishop Thornell just smiled and said that he had some clear answers in prayers on behalf of Elder Garcia that his future spouse is out there waiting for him to return from his mission. I let Elder Garcia know how grateful I am for a Bishop who 1: prays on behalf of our missionaries in our ward 2: that the Lord clearly has Elder Garcia in His hands and 3: His plan is greater than Elder Garcia and I can even begin to imagine. 

I wasn't sure that it would be well received as I shared the thoughts from this conversation but Elder Garcia said it was a perfect answer that I passed on. He said that his concern is connecting with the people there in Africa rather than someone who isn't around. I hope that these thoughts and actions continue and that Elder Garcia will continue to thrive in Africa every single day. 

Brooklyn's alarm (yes, she set an alarm to wake up on Christmas morning!) went off at 7am so as we watched as she opened up gifts I kept Elder Garcia in the loop on all things shoes with photos and a video or two. He would be so proud of her and her choices. Ha. I will never understand that shoe fettish like she has but Elder Garcia would and it just makes me smile. He was so wonderful and asked what was in my stocking (he always knows that Tyler hides a gift or two in there) and how things were for me and for Tyler on this morning as well. 

As we talked on the video call with Elder Garcia he seemed a little 'home sick'. I don't know if it just that in general he isn't feeling well or if he really truly is just missing home. His voice sounds a little sad today. I am sure Christmas is tricky as a missionary and I am even more sure it is tricky in Africa of all places. The sun is shining, he isn't feeling well, he knows what Christmas looks like at home and he isn't part of it, and not having family around would all be hard. But, he kept a smile on his face and he reminded me that even in hard times and lonely times, we can still be 'together' as we connect through this Gospel and celebration of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

As our day here moved along and as Elder Garcia's day ended on his end, his last Facebook message to me made it incredibly heavy on my heart. I knew today would be different and I knew that my whole person would long to have all of  my kids here at home but I also thought I was prepared to not experience the feelings that I did as I knew Christmas was ending with Elder Garcia. I had to step out and remove myself from the room that Tyler and Brooklyn were in. I didn't need to let them see me as tears fell from my eyes.I miss Christian more than words will ever be able to truly convey. He has been a missionary now for 6 months! He has been out of our house for almost 5 months. We haven't heard him flitting about downstairs or have him in day to day for what feels like forever. I count blessings for having him on a mission don't get me wrong and I love knowing that the time he has left to serve is the duration of Kaitlyn's entire mission and hers has flown by! But there is a spot on my heart that belongs to him and I long for the day that he is back in Utah and able to celebrate the holiday season with us. I long for the day that I can send a text to him or pick up and call him whenever I want. I long to have him on US soil. :) Until then, I am grateful for the blessings of being his Mom and for the choice he has made to be a missionary at this time. I am grateful to know this isn't forever and that the day will come that we will welcome him home. 

Merry Christmas Elder. I love you to the moon and back,
Mom