I don't know why that it always such a surprise, but after a major loss, I always seem a bit caught off guard that the world hasn't stopped for everyone like it has for me. Of course, intellectually I get that, but the emotional side of me wants everything to stop just for a moment so I can grieve and adjust to this new change in life.
With nothing else to do, we headed back on Thursday to mission life at the Church History Library. We knew that we were going to miss several days for the funeral which was going to take place in Amarillo, Texas, so we needed to keep working and getting things ready to go. Gary did cancel an oral history that was scheduled on the 22nd. Although I thought I probably would be okay to do it, it just seemed better to postpone. Of course, the couple was very supportive of the delay and we were able to complete that interview last week.
It was weird to think that September 22 was to be the last day of our mission! I think we were directed to extend our mission for many reasons, but I think one of them was so that we would not have the stress of leaving the mission on top of losing my dad--even the weeks before his death would have been more stressful if packing and saying goodbye were being done.
As it was, we got an unexpected call to the mission office to meet with President Parker. In that meeting with the other zone leaders in our part of the mission, he told us that he and Sister Parker were going to be released on October 7th. We were shocked. The original plan was for them to be released in December so we would only serve without them for a month or so. Sister Parker had had knee surgery at the first of September and would have another surgery in the new year, so I am sure that was part of the reason. They have served in our mission for about four years in a variety of assignments. We love them and are so grateful to know them and to have been taught by them. Another big goodbye in a short amount of time!!
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