Monday, September 21, 1970

Today has been one of the saddest days of my life. This evening my beloved brother and companion, Elder Blackham, left for Rio on transfer. The short four and a half months we shared together came to an abrupt end yesterday afternoon when he received a telegram informing him of the change. He elected not to tell anybody until in sacrament meeting, in which he became the last speaker.

He passed the afternoon in complete external calmness, both during our youth fireside at Aldo’s house and at choir practice. Aldo took an entire hour for his sacrament meeting talk. Elder Christensen was the second scheduled speaker but did not speak. The choir sang “Abide with Me, ‘Tis Eventide” (Elder Blackham’s favorite hymn), and he and Vitória sang the second verse as a duet. Then he spoke. He expressed his overflowing love for the Brazilian Saints and especially his closeness to the members in Maceió. Tears were streaming down his face before he could announce his departure. Nearly everybody was crying before he finished. We closed the meeting with “God Be with You ‘Till We Meet Again.”

For the first time in Brazil I cried openly in public, moved to tears by the emotion of the moment. In it I could see a preview of my own departure.

Following sacrament meeting nearly everybody sat around crying for more than an hour. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. It’s nothing anybody could really understand without having served among the precious children of our Heavenly Father in this city. Their love is profound. Their respect for the elders is nearly worship. Their hearts are warm and open. The best way to describe it is as a funeral at the death of a beloved friend or relative. Most likely these members will never see Elder Blackham again in this life, a sobering thought.

When we finally did make it home, Elder Blackham and I were up until about 2:30 or 3:00 packing, evaluating, talking. The other elders were in bed by midnight.

One of the choicest moments of my mission and my life was our testimony meeting we held with each other before we knelt together for the last time for companion prayer. At that moment our souls were knit together, our hearts one, as we expressed our love and gratitude for each other and bore by the Spirit our witnesses concerning the truthfulness and beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Just a few nights ago I had shared with Elder Blackham my patriarchal blessing, honoring him as the fourth person ever to read it outside my immediate family. Others have been Bob Russell, Elder Monte Stewart, and Elder Ronald Axtell. While packing, he showed me some pictures from before his mission that he has never showed another living soul during his mission.

Today we played volleyball at the SESC for the last time. Elder Blackham had played on the BYU volleyball team.

About 10:30 Elders Ferrin and Greenhalgh arrived to hold the second leadership training session with us, which we held about 3:00. Elder Blackham and I went to visit Aldo’s family, and Hévia and Nádia and Vitória were there. For about an hour we went down to visit Sônia and Simone, then came back for a farewell dinner for Elder Blackham.

Dona Creuza took his departure really hard. I felt particularly sorry for her. As she left for the evening, they cried on each other’s shoulders.

The two elders from Recife returned on the 6:00 bus. Elder Blackham left at 7:00. Many members were at the bus station to see him off and to cry some more. Since my arrival here in Maceió I have seen four elders off, and none of this had happened before. A great compliment was paid him by someone comparing it to the departure of Elder Eric (Clarence E. Ott), a beloved early elder in Maceió.

Elder Blackham is gone now. My new companion will not be here until Wednesday or later. We work in threes until then. Tonight I felt lonely, like I had just lost my right arm. Elder Blackham had been such a help to me in my responsibilities as district leader and branch president. His support was loyal and complete. He was serving as branch clerk, branch music director, Sunday School teacher, home teacher, choir member (as lead voice), district historian, my unofficial counselor, my companion, friend, and brother. As I reflect upon it all, I suspect that I have never been closer in my 21 years of experience to another human being than I was to Elder Blackham.