Let one day pass with a blink of the eyes and the whole world is a changed place. Consider this as an example. Yesterday morning I went to Rio with Elder Slade. He was leaving, after a few days in São Paulo, for home, and I was merely going to have my toe checked at the hospital, planning to return to Petrópolis that afternoon. My companion went with me to the hospital, where I came out shortly thereafter without a left big toenail. Reflecting upon it, I noted that the first day and the last day that Elder Slade was my companion he had been with me in the Hospital Silvestre watching me lose toenails. My farewell to Dean Slade was made from on my back on a bed in the mission home. Seeing him leave was sad because he had been a good companion, one I had relied on heavily for help with my lessons and the language. Next I learned that Friday I would be transferred to Rio to work in Tijuca with an Elder Sarager, who has been down one week longer than I have but who has troubles with language and lessons. President Johnson said there would be no senior/junior companion designations; we would work together as equals unless some problem developed requiring a designation.
This morning I returned to Petrópolis to make ready for tomorrow’s transfer. I was supposed to go with the other two elders to Teresópolis for the evening when they went over for the MIA there. They left me a note in the room informing me they had already gone. I spent the rest of the day, therefore, alone in the room being careful with my foot, packing, preparing instructions for those continuing in my stead, finishing my part of the district history (having been district historian), writing in this journal, catching up a bit of delinquent correspondence, and such.
Elder David Braithwaite will continue as branch president in Teresópolis, going there on Thursdays and Sundays. He will also be the new district leader. Elder Craig Hurst will take my place. Both will receive new companions.
My stay in Petrópolis was short, only six weeks. I like the city, the climate, the people. It is sad to leave. But like Elder Slade told one of the brothers here: He was glad he had been here only a short time because otherwise it would really be hard to leave. But my leaving will be different from Elder Slade’s: It is not Brazil I am leaving.
Saying good-bye yesterday to Elder Slade was sad, as I mentioned earlier, but not really difficult. Since I had first come to Petrópolis six weeks earlier, I was constantly being conditioned to the fact of his leaving because I had to prepare to take over, not knowing it would be in a different city though. Also, we did not really grow as close together as companions as we might have. There were no communication barriers, but we were both generally quiet (inherit nature, I guess). At times I did feel restricted in what I might share on a very deep spiritual level or very deep personal level. I must improve in this area.
After Elder Slade departed, having said some of the things he did in parting, I was overcome with thanksgiving for all that is mine. I poured out of my soul in prayers of gratitude and pleading, being directed by the Spirit. My eyes are wet. And my toe down there throbbing with pain at the end of my leg did not even matter at that moment.
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2 comments:
Can you elaborate (despite the passage of time) on how you felt "restricted in what [you] might share on a very deep spiritual level or very deep personal level"?
Specifics, at this distant point, no. I suspect that I had a hard time sharing my deepest, most intimate thoughts and feelings. I learned how to do that more with later companions in my mission, such as Elder Stewart and Elder Blackham.
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