Sister Arndt's Italy, Milan Mission: 2017-03-01 Funeral

Funeral
So, last Thursday my eyes were swimming. It was the funeral of a
dearly loved member from a dearly loved family in the ward. They are
from Peru. Two parents, two kids. Kids aged 20-22ish. It was the
husband/father that passed away. He has been battling cancer for eight
years, had already almost died, and had had two operations over the
years where they took out much of what was inside of him. The thing
that touched me the most was on Sunday though, on a lesson about
prayer, the wife was there and she had a comment. We had known for
about three days beforehand that Hugo had been rushed into the
hospital and that it looked serious this time, that he had almost no
hope.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who wondered what those days were like.
What it must have been like when Carmen got the news that this time,
we wouldn't make it. The race against time for their son to come home
from the mission to say goodbye to his dad and then head back out. If
their daughter would be devastated when she got off the plane from
Peru and realized that it was already too late. And what those last
moments must have been like, a husband and a wife taking comfort in
the belief that there is a life after death.
Well, during church Carmen told us what it was like. She told us how
he would often keep her up at night while he was sick and would ask
her what heaven would be like and if he was going to make it. She said
that those last days in the hospital she saw serenity on his face. He
had done his best, he had supported his trials, and he felt the
reassurance of the Spirit that he did what he was supposed to do. At
the funeral they sang a song that was so touching I'm crying now just
thinking about it. They sang about how the fight is over now and he
could go home.
Man, it just makes me think about how hard life is. It is hard.
Whether it be because of someone else's fault or our own, life is
hard. Hugo's life was very hard. Carmen's life has been very hard.
But I have never met two jokesters like them. We were always over at
their house and they would always make us food and joke with us. Of
course, there's more to life than food and lightheartedness but they
were also a couple of faith and hope.
I trust in the Lord to give me the trials I can support and the trials
I need to learn during this life. I hope with all my heart that I can
support them well so I can have that peace at the end of my life and
in the next life with the people I love.

We also had scambi miracles that I could write three more paragraphs
like meeting up with a less-active member and her non-member husband
and son who LOVED us, getting several people's numbers, and even just
helping each other out as sisters. We also had an awesome lesson with
our italian investigator couple and we met with a couple recently RM
sisters. We also had multiple people not show up to appointments. Beh,
è la missione. It's the mission and I love it and I'm grateful every
day that I made the choice to go on a mission! I love you all and hope
you have a good week.