Elder Garbett, along with other Netherlands missionaries received word on September 16, 1939 that they would be going back to the United States due to the possibility of war. They were moved to Rotterdam, where they spent three weeks waiting for a ship from the United States. They finally set sail on September 26th on the S.S Pennland. They were on the water thirteen days, traveling only during daylight hours and dropping anchor at night. Coming through the English Channel, they were escorted by planes in the air, and an English Skipper in the water, because the channel was planted with mines. While waiting in Rotterdam, Elder Garbett had met two boys from the United States. These boys were sailing back to the U.S. at the same time that the missionaries were, but they were sailing on a freighter which struck a mine, and was blown up. Luckily, a life boat broke loose from their ship before it went down, and twenty-four of the forty-eight passengers survived. These two boys were rescued by the ship that Elder Garbett was on, and the only thing they saved was the clothes on their backs. In his own words, Elder Garbett said, "We are sailing back to the United States with faith in God that we might be spared from striking a mine or an enemy submarine or something." "Finally, with the help of the Lord, we made it back to the New York Harbor." He spent three days in New York, and from there was assigned to the East Central States Mission, under President William T. Tew.
