This means many things, but in the end it basically means that I am home. I am no longer in Honduras, and I am now in my own house, with my own family.
When I was in my final interview, my mission President told me that my transition home would be harder than my transition to the mission. For me, part of that meant saying goodbye to many friends and adopted family in Honduras. It was difficult knowing that it is very difficult for me to see them again.
The last few days in the mission and the first few days home I passed in a daze. After so much time telling everyone that I only had "a little more than a year" in the mission, and trying with all my heart to be "baggy", it had finally arrived. That strange day when you go to changes, and yet you don't leave. You stay until everyone else has left, and then it is only you and your group. It all felt surreal to me, like a dream.
We were able to go to the temple as a group, and some last moments in the most sacred ground in Honduras. I was able to feel the comfort of the Lord, giving me peace when my soul was troubled.
We had one final dinner with President Bowler and his wife, and then it was off to bed, in preparation to arrive to the airport the next morning.
We almost didn't return to Utah due to heavy fog and rain in Tegucigalpa. That airport is dangerous anyway, but the pilot wasn't sure he was going to be able to land. When he finally came in, everyone in the airport headed for Atlanta cheered loudly.
After more than a 12 hour journey, we arrived at Salt Lake City. We collected our bags and we finally arrived to see our families. There was lots of cheering and crying. It still felt surreal to me. I wasn't quite sure how to react. But one fact settled in...I was home.
