Our "Evacuation" and Return Home

It’s finally here – time for the senior missionaries to leave. There has been talk about the possibility of being sent home for some time now because of the COVID-19. It was on again and off again, and then on again. The temple senior missionaries had been sent out the week before. We knew our time was next.  Still, when the time finally came, it was still a bit bewildering. So much left undone. So many plans unfinished. 

Mixed emotions of feeling we are abandoning ship, but excited to be home with family during this uncertain time. Knowing it was safer to stay in Taiwan than in the United States, but wanting to be available to help family should the need arise.

The senior missionaries ended up being given a choice by the Area Presidency – if we wanted to stay we could, as long as we recognized the risk involved in perhaps not being able to get home if more borders were sealed or flights quit flying.

But with prayer, we both felt peaceful and calm. Returning home was the right thing for us to do. All the senior missionaries in our mission chose to return home except for the office couple, who would stay to help keep things running.

One last mango bing. We will miss the amazing mangoes here!

Our last goodbyes. Love this group of dedicated senior missionaries!

The flight home – eerily empty planes and airports.

 So grateful they were still flying!

San Francisco airport!

How's THIS for social distancing?

And then into the arms of family!

As we begin our 14 day quarantine, we were able to meet with our Stake President via Zoom, and were issued an honorable, howbeit "temporary" release. Should the situation with COVID-19 change soon, we may be called back up to complete our missionary service - somewhere. Our official end date is January 1, 2021. For now, we are "civilians" once again.

We feel so blessed to have been able to serve in Taiwan, even though it was cut short. But the work continues in the hands of our wonderful mission president and his wife, and in the capable hands and hearts of the Taiwanese missionaries. We made friends with many and cherish those experiences.

It was a blessing to see the hand of the Lord working miracles with us, with the missionaries, and with the people in Taiwan. The work will continue. No unhallowed hand, or virus, can stop this work. We are so blessed to see the unwinding of the last days unfold right before our eyes, even as the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ continues throughout the world.

As this is a mission blog, we will end here, until we are sent out again. Missions are the best – may God bless any of you considering a mission. We’re happy to correspond and answer questions or share ideas together. Please feel free to contact us: coffey58@gmail.com. 

And we plan to serve again!