Returned Home After 2 Years Umuwi Ako Pagkatapos ng Dalawang Taon

After two years serving in the Philippines—specifically the Urdaneta Mission—this moment felt unreal. Leaving home was hard… but in a way, coming home was even harder. For months I wondered what it would feel like to step back into “normal” life again—if my heart would still feel like it belonged in two places, and if I’d ever get the chance to return to the Philippines. I met people I’ll never forget, learned lessons that changed me, and found a love for the Filipino people that doesn’t shut off just because the mission tag comes off. This video is my first time seeing my family again after 2 years, right here at Los Angeles International Airport—the hugs, the tears, the smiles, and that moment when you realize: you’re home… but you’re also carrying a whole other home in your heart. If you’re Filipino—whether we met or we didn’t—thank you for the kindness, the jokes, the food, the faith, and the way you treated missionaries like family. And if you’re a missionary, a parent, a sibling, or someone counting down the days until your missionary comes home… I hope this brings you a little hope and a big smile. Comment below: Where in the Philippines are you from? If you served a mission, where did you serve? What’s the hardest part about coming home? Thank you for watching and sharing—let’s keep the Philippines close, even from far away.