Monday, September 21, 2015

Farewell letter to Char and Mike Ford


Good bye letter from my precious friend Char Ford as she prepares to leave with her husband Mike and go serve as Public Relations Missionaries in 6 countries of Africa, with their home base in Kenya. We had tried to get them to replace us here in Britannia but they were snatched up before we could get them. But the Lord's in charge. He knows where they are most needed. They will be wonderful.


From Char:

Dear Friend.....We had our Sacrament meeting Sunday.  Now that is a good day to get behind you.  I really didn't realize I was so wound up about it....that afternoon I felt like my breathing went back to normal and I was my old self again.  As you know, these last few weeks really are packed with so much to do and so much emotion that it is hard to handle all of it.  BUT I have a really sweet friend in London right now serving a mission and I got a surprise phone call from her a while back that has saved my life over these last few days.  I try to remember her council so that my heart won't break completely. 
Yesterday Amy and her family left.  We have had everyone here for the past week and it is heaven for this old grandma when we are ALL together.  As we began our goodbyes I felt like my heart was breaking....at least a fourth of it....Christy will leave tomorrow and then my heart will be broke in half.  I'll finish it up with
goodbyes to the boys and their families in a few weeks.  This truly is the sacrifice of serving a mission.  I told all the grandkids in my talk Sunday that even though I cry when I say goodbye it is not because I don't want to go....I have always wanted to serve a mission with Papa, it's just because I love them so much and will miss them.  Oh the things we do because we believe in the Savior.  Really you couldn't do these things unless we did.
I love you Starla, thank you so much for the tender phone call, truly a friend in the time of need.  Mike and I are really getting excited and want more than ever to GET STARTED!!!  We are still praying for Visas but are told by Brother Love in the travel department all is well.  So with faith we will take that advise and let the system work.  Please give Jim a hug......now that is one lucky man!!!  We will have e-mail so we can keep in tough.  See you for a hug February 2017!!!!!!  Take care and God Bless

My reply:
 (7 days ago)

Sweet friend;

So last week my computer (which is where all things mission related come from) crashed and I have had to get a new hard drive. Finally got it back last night and saw your very tender sweet letter that warmed my soul. Oh Char how I can relate!!! it's not about leaving your home, the ward, or the convenience of Orem Utah. It's about leaving those little people that have such a hold on your heart (AND our big children who are our dearest friends). I know I sometimes wonder if our sacrifices are acceptable to the Lord. But when it comes to getting on a plane and leaving those people that own your heart behind to go serve people you don't even know yet I KNOW that it's a sacrifice deep and dear enough to count as some payback to the Lord who has given it all to us in the first place. I continue to feel his acceptance of our efforts ALL THE TIME! Your heartbreak is known to the Lord. IT COUNTS!!!! We've been gone for over 18 months and my heart still will ache for our family. But sweet Char He will use that ache to propel you forward to serve more diligently and fill it up with the love you have for those you are serving. It's a very tender circle of love and sacrifice. 

I've reached an interesting place in our mission. We only have 4 1/2 months left and I'm starting to panic. I can hardly wait to meet our new littles, Skyler and Seth, and hug all our precious family. But when I think of leaving our kids here my eyes automatically fill up with tears. I can hardly bear to think of leaving them. So many of our dearest kids are Chinese, most I will never see again in mortality. Talk about heartache. But that's what comes with being fully committed. It's what it's all about. 

Char you and Mike will be in our prayers that your visa will be issued and you'll be able to leave on time. (I so relate to NEEDING to just go. I don't know if you remember Jim getting so sick before we were to go for TWO WEEKS!!!! I was dying by time we finally got to get on that plane and just get started so I totally relate to getting the goodbyes done and getting out and going to work!) I can testify to you both that you will look back at this time of serving together as a precious gift from the Lord, one you will cherish forever.

Know we love you both and are cheering you on!  You will be MARVELOUS!!! Look out Africa... the Fords are on their way!!!!

LOVE ALWAYS
Sister Phillips (your sister and friend forever!)

4 comments:

  1. I love both the writer and receiver of this sweet email. Both women have had a profound influence on the woman I am today. Love you both. The Lord is lucky to have such refined tools to do his work!

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  2. This is a testimony that I will tell to every one to hear. I have been married four 4years and on the fifth year of my marriage, another woman had a spell to take my lover away from me and my husband left me and the kids and we have suffered for 2years until I met a post where this man DR MARVIN have helped someone and I decided to give him a try to help me bring my lover back home and believe me I just send my picture to him and that of my husband and after 48hours as he have told me, I saw a car drove into the house and behold it was my husband and he have come to me and the kids and that is why I am happy to make every one of you in similar to met with this man and have your lover back to your self. His email:MARVINLOVESPELL011@GMAIL.COM

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  3. My Name is Lisa, From AUSTRALIA. I wish to share my testimonies with the general public about what this man called DR. LUKAS, For what he has just done for me , this man has just brought back my lost Ex Husband to me with his great spell, I was married to my husband and we were together for a long time and we loved ourselves but when I was unable to give him a child, he left me for 1 year and told me he can’t continue anymore then I was now looking for ways to get him back until a friend of mine told me about this man and gave me his contact email(LUKASMORALOVESPELL@GMAIL.COM) then you won't believe this when I contacted this man on my problems he prepared this spell cast and bring my lost hsband back to me, you can also contact him via email: LUKASMORALOVESPELL@GMAIL.COM

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  4. OMG!! This is certainly a shocking and a genuine Testimony..I visited a forum here on the internet on the 20TH OF July 2016, And I saw a marvelous testimony of this powerful and great spell caster called DR Papa on the forum..I never believed it, because I never heard nor learnt anything about magic before.. Not a soul would have been able to influence me about magical spells, not until DR Papa did it for me and restored my marriage of 8 years back to me and brought my spouse back to me in the same 48hours just as I have read on the internet..I was truly astonished and shocked when my husband knelt down begging for forgiveness and for me to accept him back.. I am really short of expressions, and I don't know how much to convey my appreciation to you DR Papa, you are a God sent to me and my entire family.. Here is his website: www.supremetemple.com. His Email: supremetemple@hotmail.com

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