Letter to President Chacon, Ecuador Quito North

5-1-2020

Presidente,

I think I waited so long to write this because it makes me very emotional, so please forgive me. I can't find the words to tell you how grateful I am for you and your sweet family, and the impact that you've had on my life, even in what felt like a very short six months. You taught me to become the missionary that I wanted to be, and reading through the notes that I took during conferences or after interviews has been a strength like no other to me in this time. On the really hard days I imagine you singing, "I'm dancing in the rain..." or pretending to do a hip bump with Elder Holland. :) This is the hardest thing that has ever happened to me; some days it's like a physical ache in my chest. I guess that means I lead a pretty easy and blessed life, but really, I've never faced something that has broken my heart like leaving behind the country and the people that I'd come to love so much on such a whim. I can't imagine the stress and pressure you must have been under those last few weeks. But all you had for us at the airport was smiles and positivity, and even though I didn't feeling like a photo-shoot at the time haha, some pictures I'm very grateful to have now. Thank you for taking such good care of all of us. I always felt safe and looked after and I knew that you were always going to do what was best for me. I can imagine that it's been its own unique trial of faith to lose so much of the mission, and I hope you know you and the mission are in my every prayer. They've said it to me time and time again since I've been home, that the Lord knew who His missionaries would be when this pandemic would change the world and change missionary work, and that He knew, as President Eyring so eloquently said in conference, that we were the ones who "could do hard things well". Well, I'm sure that that must be doubly true of mission presidents. Please also thank sweet Mama Chacon, she's such a light, and I love her. Also Esther, she was a blessing to me from the start, and one of my very first friends, and I wish her all the best. I received my new temporary reassignment just days ago and I leave early tomorrow. I'll be serving in the Arizona Mesa Mission. And while it isn't Ecuador Quito Norte, I'm going to try to learn to love it like I loved Ecuador, although that's quite the challenge. And while I'm sure my next mission president will be fantastic, it'll also be a challenge to learn to love him like I loved you. Thank you for being such a role model and strength for me always, you'll never know in this life, I think, the lasting impact that you've had on us missionaries. It's pretty incredible. So, I have eleven months left on my mission. I don't know if you'll see me back in Ecuador as one of your missionaries, but look for me, because if the opportunity is ever extended to me, I'll be on a flight to Quito ASAP. :) Meanwhile, I'm off to Mesa, telling myself over and over again, "Miedo no."  Thank you for your service to me, to all of us missionaries, and to the Lord.  

Love, Hermana Sadie Miller

HIS RESPONSE:

From: Jorge A Chacon <jchacon@churchofjesuschrist.org>
Date: Tue, May 5, 2020, 6:42 AM
Subject: RE: Le extraño Presidente!
To: Sadie Miller <miller.sadie@missionary.org>

Nuestra muy querida Hermana Miller,

Nos ha llenado de gran felicidad saber de usted – también la extrañamos y muchooooo!!!. He intentado llamarla al teléfono que tengo en el sistema pero siempre cae en la contestadora. Quiero que sepa que la amamos y estamos muy felices de saber que continuará sirviendo al Señor. Yo no tenía la menor duda que usted seguiría sirviendo y sé que lo hará con todo su corazón, alma mente y fuerza, de la misma manera como sirvió en su misión Ecuador Quito Norte.

Le escribo en Español porque quiero que siga practicando para cuando regrese a Ecuador. Sepa que el Señor le acompañará y también estará cada día nuestras oraciones por usted. Nunca olvide que usted está Viviendo su Sueño y gracias a eso usted está dando la oportunidad que otros vivan su sueño también.

Cuando tenga un tiempo por favor lea en la biblia Joshua capitulo 1. Josué iba a comenzar su ministerio como líder del pueblo de Israel después de la partida de Moisés y se sentía incapaz de lograrlo. El Señor le da a Josué la misma instrucción 4 veces. Lea con detenimiento cual es esa instrucción y haga lo mismo. Sé que usted tendrá gran éxito en todo lo que haga en su vida. Usted es una princesa hija de nuestro Padre Celestial, y aún mejor, es una princesa valiente.

La amamos y estaremos orando por usted siempre. Usted es nuestra hija y nunca lo dejará de ser. En nuestros corazones quedará siempre las hermosas impresiones que aprendimos de usted, su buen ánimo, su esfuerzo por aprender, su determinación de servir al Señor, su compromiso como mujer virtuosa, su generosidad con sus compañeras y las personas que enseñaba, su sonrisa que testifica del gozo que tiene por vivir el evangelio, su conversión que nos mueve a todos a ser mejores personas. Gracias por haber servido en Ecuador, por haber atesorado las enseñanzas que le dimos, gracias por sus oraciones y por su amor autentico y gracias por ser una misionera EXTRAORDINARIA.

Esta es su misión y siempre será así.

Hasta que nos veamos otra vez, con todo nuestro amor.

Presidente y Hermana Chacon

Jorge A Chacon
President
Ecuador Quito North Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Cel: +593-98-481-2371

jchacon@ChurchOfJesusChrist.org