As I was trekking across the Arizona desert at early nightfall on Wednesday, I thought of my friend Barbara who is from a town called Holbrook in Northeast Arizona. How do I know Barbara? She was my very last mission companion in Uruguay.
We were companions for two transfers, or three months; from the second week in August up until I was to meet up with my mother in Montevideo on November 2nd, 2007. Since I hadn't seen her since I had finished my mission, I got in touch with her while on the road to see if she was available to meet up with me in Tucson sometime during the course of the weekend. Much to my surprise I discovered that she was no longer in Holbrook, but had gone down to Thatcher, AZ for school, and she told me that Thatcher was even closer to Tucson than Holbrook, and would love to see me! As we talked details over the next day, Barbara sadly realized that her textbooks were quite expensive, and that she wouldn't have enough gas money to come up to Tucson, so I opted to drive to Thatcher to see her.
It was soooooo fun! Granted, I was exhausted from all the driving I had done since leaving Las Vegas, but nonetheless, I enjoyed my time in Thatcher. We talked about the mission and relived some of the memories, went out to lunch at a Mexican restaurant called Casa Manana, talked some more, and went for a walk around EAC's campus (that's Eastern Arizona College). We took some fun pictures while out on the walk, but I don't have copies of those yet.
Barbara was the only mission companion that I had not seen since I arrived back in the United States 14 months ago, so it was a real treat! After all, she was one of my favorite companions!
We worked along side each other and with other missionaries,
studied together and ate together.
But more importantly, I learned from her. I learned more how to love and serve others,
and how to see eye to eye in order to lift others.
It was also while I was companions with Barbara (digo - Hermana Self) that I saw some of the most amazing miracles.
Barbara was always so positive and full of faith. I am so glad that I got to be her companion!
How cool is that!
ReplyDeleteGood to finally put a name with a face. You talk about her all the time.