Passing On

12/22/2009 San Andres, Chile - At the entrance of a quiet little town not far from Santiago, Chile, I found myself once again waiting for the bus - hands full and thoughts an hour and a half away on the night's Christmas festivities in the Santiago North mission home. As I stood watching for the bus, a large gathering caught my attention: a hearse, surrounded by horse and rider, coming down the road. All the riders were dressed in the traditional Chilean attire of a cowboy hat, poncho, boots and over-sized spurs. Directly behind the hearse walked a horse - head drooping, the saddle's sole occupant a hat. The people at the bus stop next to me made the sign of the cross as the man on the nearest horse wiped away tears mingled with sweat from the hot sun. The faces of many riders spoke silently of hard times and difficult lives - of jobs lost and the ever-present struggle to put food on the table - wrinkled through the years by experiences both pleasant and painful. The loss of their fallen rider showed plainly in the eyes of all.

The solemn parade of horses passed by slowly, cars and finally the bus bringing up the tail end. I paid my respects silently as we followed the procession in the bus until we parted ways, thanking my Heavenly Father for the knowledge I have of His merciful plan and the comfort it brings when one comes to understand that this is not the end but merely a new beginning.