Quick Weekend Trip Home to Utah!

The Egan siblings at our home following our grandson's
graveside service in Sandy on Friday, April 3rd - Betsy
 and her husband Klint, Kelly and her husband Richard, 
Elder & Sister Egan, Christian, Emily, Ben, and Robby
and his wife Kelsey.    Erik was on a stake pioneer trek
with his family and ward family who he is bishop over.
 

We're still quite jet lagged from a long, but short, Easter weekend trip home to Sandy, reconnecting quite unexpectedly with our wonderful children and grandchildren.

We woke up Monday morning, March 30th, to the sad news that our little premature grandson, Leo Ezra Egan in New York City had lost his 4-week battle for his life and passed away peacefully in his mother Kelsey's arms. He was a fighter, but weighed barely one pound, and his under-developed  organs finally gave out, ending a roller coaster month for Robby and Kelsey and everyone who loves them.

 

On Tuesday, when we were able to work out the arrangements to bury Leo in the same grave as his grandma, Bob's late wife Kathy, we both knew we had to be in Utah for the graveside services and to host a family luncheon at our home in Sandy. Luckily, it was a 4-day holiday weekend in South Africa and our offices were closed both Friday and Monday. 

 

We got approval from our Area Presidency, who were already in Utah for General Conference, booked our flights, and were in the air Wednesday night, April 1st, arriving Thursday the 2nd after a nearly 24-hour journey. 

 

Despite the sad circumstances, we had a wonderful day Friday with family, both the Egans and the Nixons. The graveside service was a beautiful tribute to little Leo and his parents, and our Sandy home proved to be a perfect venue for a solemn yet precious family gathering, catered by Olive Garden. 

 

We enjoyed a peaceful, although certainly surreal, weekend at home watching all the General Conference sessions, sleeping in our own lovely bed four nights and showering in our incredible shower each morning. Then we were back in the air for the 24-hour trip back to Johannesburg Monday/Tuesday after saying goodbye to our family... again!

 

We were reminded yet again of the tremendous healing power of a loving family unit and the sacred, spiritual blessings of eternal families. 

 

Just before we left for the Johannesburg Airport on April 1st, we were able to meet one of our returned sister missionaries from Madagascar, Sister Ranjaliva Ramananihanitramalala and her husband in the Johannesburg Temple, where they were performing ordinances for family names. We shared a tender moment as they told us about their three children and the blessings they are enjoying in Madagascar as an eternal family. 

 

While we were visiting, the temple president, Robert Eppel, came out of his office and showed us a letter he had just opened from President Monson authorizing Bob to be a sealer in the Johannesburg Temple. 

 

We agreed to work weekly in the temple on Friday afternoons, when we're available, and we started yesterday. Bob is the only sealer on Fridays, and Martha was set apart by President Eppel as an ordinance worker. 

 

We've both had a busy three days back in Joburg, and we're trying our best to get over the jet lag and get back to our normal missionary routine here in Africa, which we have come to love so much!