- So I promised I would write one last post on my last week in the mission. The exciting news is that on Sunday the 28th of July, Margarita got baptized! But man, that was one heck of a baptism. We got a call on Saturday night telling us that there was no hot water for the font! They said the baptism may not happen and we were so bummed. On Sunday morning, Margarita came all prepped and ready with a skirt and her nice shoes on and we were honestly praying for a miracle... and that's what happened. Something that was once broken started working and we were able to fill the font with warm water. What a miracle right?? Margarita was baptized and it was a perfect way to end my time in Toay. I also was able to fulfill a goal of mine...at the beginning of my mission I made the goal to baptize in every area and with every companion. And I am so happy/blessed I was able to have this baptism with Hermana Vawdrey! I will miss her!!
- The whole rest of the week was full of goodbyes and lots of people wanting to give me food. We even had lunch with our favorite investigators, Juan and Cristina... they are so great!!
- So on Sunday night, I left Toay with all my suitcases and headed to the terminal. My bus left at 4am and everything was so surreal. We got to Bahia at like 9 in the morning and went straight to the office to weigh our suitcases and have our last interviews with President. My interview was the absolute best. I asked President to give me a blessing and it was the absolute best decision I have ever made. It was the sweetest and clearest blessing and I will always hold that near to my heart. After finally having the chance to shower, Hna Gonzalez and I went off to Villa Mitre 2 so I could visit some people. I was able to see Tatiana and Erika and found out they would be off to the temple that week to do baptisms... SO GREAT!! I also saw a few more families in the ward and it was just so nice to be back in my old area and say goodbye.
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| With Tatiana and Erika |
- That night we had FHE at the Presidents house and everything just felt like a dream. We shared our testimonies for the last time as missionaries and had asado. Our gift from President was a bound book of all our letters we had written to him throughout our missions. It was funny to look back and see how terrible my Spanish was when I first started! After that we went home and tried to sleep... that didn't work too well, but that's ok. The next morning, we got picked up and we headed to the airport. Everything was so surreal and sad.
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| With Hermana Parreno |
-When we got to Buenos Aires, we met up with all the leaving groups... from Cordoba and Mendoza and ate lunch. We also met the new missionaries going to Bahia Blanca! Then we were all shipped off to the temple. We got to see one of our old APs there and he was able to do a session with us! Such a sweet experience for us all.
- The temple was so beautiful but we couldn't enjoy it because we had to rush outta there and get to the airport. Then we found out that the Bahia Blanca group wouldn't be leaving that day... I know, ahh! Our luggage (which was sent by ground transportation) didn't make it in time so we would be staying an extra day. We were all pretty bummed, but mostly just scared to have to call our moms and tell them the news! So, there was about 18 of us... and I was the only sister. Ha, awkward.... but at least the Elders were pretty cool. We had to stay in a hotel that night, and I had to sleep in a room by myself... which was very strange, still being a missionary and all. The next day we were able to do a tour of Buenos Aires and see the sights. At last we were able to get on the plane... all of us pretty ready to go home.
- Those two flights... from Buenos Aires to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Salt Lake...were the absolute longest flights of my life. 8 of us finally made it to Utah and we were all so excited and nervous. We booked it through the terminal, ignoring all the excited pointing from fellow Utah mormons and made it to the escalator. I tried filming everything but my hands were so shaky I couldn't!
-Seeing my parents and family and friends was amazing. I was just crying and shaking so much! It made me think of how our "homecoming" will be when we finally make it back to our heavenly parents. I imagine that the pure joy I felt on that day in the airport will be magnified when I run in to my Father in Heaven's arms. How sweet will be that reunion?
-Well there you have it... my journey home. I'm sad that this chapter of my life is ending, but I am so so excited for the next one to begin. Missions are a funny thing. You're out there, preaching the gospel day in and day out and if you let it, it starts changing you. Little by little, until you look back and realize you're not the same person you were before you left. Like they say, you only have 18 months to serve and an eternity to think about it. And in these last two weeks I have thought about my mission every day. I am so grateful I had this opportunity to serve.
Love you all,
The former 'Hermana' Cydnee Squire
