Dearest Elder Dudley,
My heart is full as I write this email to you. Yesterday felt like we were holding our breath for something…We’ve been hoping and praying that you’d be able to stay and serve the people you love in the country you love.
You know how routine we are about bedtime, but we all just stayed in the family room together last night, later than usual, not doing much. I was emailing the girls’ teachers when an email came into my inbox from President Miller. We read it out loud. I emailed it immediately to Dad. We read it again and again, trying to make sense of the words. And so, the moment has arrived for you to return home-to leave your beloved Brasil.
Interestingly, Jared Bennett’s plane full of missionaries returning from the Philippines touched down in Salt Lake City at about the same time. AND, there was an aftershock earthquake in SLC at that moment (there had been several moderate earthquakes in SLC about a week earlier-not much damage, thankfully).
Dad, Emma, Samantha, Parker, Spencer, and I knelt in prayer for you, and all missionaries and leaders. Dad said the most beautiful, heart-felt prayer. Our faith is strong in Heavenly Father and His perfect love for His children. We know He especially loves His missionaries. Although the circumstances of your mission are in the process of changing greatly, your call to serve as a missionary remains in force today and tomorrow as much as it ever has since you have been set apart. You were called to serve. You answered that call.The Lord is simply moving you around in His vineyard. You have been perfectly prepared for the time you have served in Brasil. And you are perfectly prepared for this newest chapter in your service.
The letter from President Miller stated that you will be “temporarily reassigned” some time after your 14-day at-home quarantine. Just as Heavenly Father perfectly directed your placement in Sao Paulo East, He will continue to direct your path. He will place you exactly where He wants you.
We will turn our home into a mission home for you. We will do our best to follow as many of your mission rules as possible while you are with us. We hope it will be a joyful time of healing and growth. You will have a huge influence on our family. You will be a huge blessing to us all. And we will to do our best to support you in every way that we can.
Leaving Brasil will surely be heart-breaking for you—and is for us, for you—but we hope you can feel the comfort and hope that can only come from on High that this is God’s will for you. He will direct your path. He is in the whole plan and in every single detail. We will welcome you home with open arms and joyful hearts. You are precious to us. We love you. Everything is going to be ok. We will help you. Heavenly Father will help you.
We pray that a powerful circle of safety and peace will envelope you as you prepare to leave Brasil and return home. We pray that you will have many precious and tender moments that will fill your heart with courage, comfort, peace, and hope.
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you. Dad loves you. I love you, Warren. Your brothers and sisters love you.
Love always,
Momma
xoxoxoxo
