At the zoom meeting (Sat, March 21), we didn't get a very good timeframe of when we would be leaving. All we knew was we were going soon, in a few days or so, and that we needed to leave our apartments like people wouldn't be coming back in a long while. That meant taking care of trash, expired food, and any food that could expire in the foreseeable future. With that uncertainty in mind, we decided to get right to work. We spent the rest of our day packing and cleaning out the trash out of the apartment. Another Elder came to stay with us since his Filipino companion was already heading home. The next couple days were pretty much the same amount of uncertainty and with less things to occupy our time than ever before. As I missionary, I feel physically and mentally and spiritually terrible whenever I am doing nothing, so I just tried to stay as busy as I could, whether it was messaging people, or just scrubbing the apartment.
When the day finally came (Tues, March 24), we took a train to Aomori and met the sisters in our district. From there, we took the bullet train under the ocean to Hokkaido, then a train the rest of the way to Sapporo, where we met about 40 other missionaries in the same boat.
Train station in Misawa
Message received Tuesday, 8am PDT // Wednesday, 12am in Japan right after arriving in the mission home
President McClure got all the Elders together and started talking with us about what was going to happen. He talked about how this was going to be a wonderful opportunity for missionaries to combine in other missions and share ideas around the world like cross-pollination. I really think that this COVID-19 thing has so many hidden blessings that are timed so perfectly for this day and age. If this plague had happened just a few years ago, we wouldn't be able to do missionary work like we are able to do now via devices.
Breakfast in the mission home in Sapporo -- Sister McClure outdid herself in an incredibly busy week — made breakfast casseroles for all the missionaries who were staying at the mission home.
Elder Brown and Sister Brown :)
The next day (Wed, March 25), they were sending us all out in waves throughout the day. I learned I was in the last wave of the day, so I got to see most of everybody leave for the airport. Got to eat sushi for lunch at the same place where I first ate sushi in Japan, which was a super neat experience. When the time finally came, we took our drive over to the airport with the mission president, who talked to us all along the way about trusting the Lord in all things.
We arrived at the airport, which had a few people walking around the main mall area. Then we entered the gargantuan baggage checking section, which was eerily empty and silent. A couple staff members appeared and got us situated. We actually had to run a little ways to get to our flight so it could leave perfectly on time. There was almost nobody else on the flight anyway. We took our seats and started our long journey at 7:45 Wednesday night, a journey which would somehow end at 11:45 that same night, lol.
The flights themselves were mostly studying or sleeping, but we got off the plane in Honolulu and ran into tons of fun people. I met some missionaries who were at the MTC the same time I was, but got out a few weeks before I did. I also got to see Elder Kimball, my friend from high school, which was super fun! We got to chat a lot about our missions in Japan and our experiences so far. We were on the same flight back home to Vegas, so that was also fun. Met some nice members along the way who chatted with us.
Finally, got back home to Vegas. My mom gave me a hug. My dad gave me one next. On the way home from the airport, we saw my sister T-posing in the back of our truck next to the house. My brother met me with our dog inside.
It's interesting being home. I've only been gone about 8 or 9 months, so I haven't forgotten life in the Brown home. And with plenty of time already in self isolation, I'm more used to that situation. I have already seen plenty of blessings come from this experience already, and I expect more to come.
Ether 2:24-25
24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come.Ether 6:88 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.
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