Savannah Guthrie kicked off her Today With Jenna & Sheinelle guest-hosting gig on an emotional note.

Guthrie filled in for Sheinelle Jones during the Monday, June 8, episode, as Jones had the day off. Guthrie’s appearance alongside Jenna Bush Hager was fitting as Monday marked National Best Friends Day.

“You know how much I adore you, and I know all of us feel that way. When you walked in the makeup room earlier, there were claps and hugs because you are beloved. And we love you here,” Bush Hager gushed. She began to choke up as she continued praising Savannah’s strength on and off the small screen.

“I’m just marveled, as somebody who knows you and loves you, at your strength. You coming back here and leading this ship, which I know has not been easy,” Bush Hager stated. “And yet, here you are, morning after morning, getting out of bed, spending the mornings with us. And I know so many of you at home feel the same way about you.”

Savannah previously took two months off from Today after her mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona, home in February. Authorities are continuing to investigate Nancy’s disappearance, while Savannah and her family have offered a reward of up to $1 million in exchange for information about Nancy’s whereabouts. Savannah returned to the Today anchor desk on April 6.

“First of all, I can’t really look at you every day without crying. You are my best friend. And, you know, it’s really hard to come back, and I’ve been trying so hard to hold it together, and I promise I will. This show and this hour, especially, is about joy,” Savannah told Bush Hager. “But having you and everyone, people behind the scenes, people in my ear, the producers, our castmates — when I see you in the morning, I know that you see me, no matter what is going on. And sometimes, that’s almost too much because I feel like to do the job, I gotta keep it together, pull it together.”

She continued, “I’m happy to be back, and it’s like the two hours of my day that — it’s not that I’m not thinking about it, because I am. But it’s something to do, and it brings me a lot of joy to be with everybody. But no, it’s not easy.”

Both Bush Hager and Savannah described the Today cast and crew as a “family,” and Savannah noted that she may not have come back if not for how close the Today set is. “I know maybe people wonder, like, ‘What’s going on? How is she able to do that job? Is she not thinking about it? Did she forget?’ No. Never,” she declared.

Bush Hager said, “We’ll have your back. We’ll be with you forever with this, and never forget.” Savannah added, “And we still need everybody’s prayers and still wish someone would call and say what they know.”

Savannah went on to describe her mindset by sharing a sermon she recently read. “There’s a time in life when just walking and not growing faint is about as good as it can get. And that’s what I feel like I’m doing, I’m trying to walk and not grow faint, and it’s a gift from God that I’m able to do so. But it’s always with me,” she stated. “I cry every morning on the way to work, and I cry every morning on the way home. And I’m grateful to have good friends and to be able to come to such a beautiful and joyous and supportive place.”

NBC

Savannah wrapped up the emotional discussion by stating that she and others going through hard times can “hold all of these things together.” She explained, “I try to tell my kids that, too. We can hold our sadness and we can hold our joy, and if you don’t believe it, just watch me. I’m gonna show you.” (Savannah shares her daughter, Vale, and son, Charley, with her husband, Michael Feldman.)

Today With Jenna & Sheinelle, Weekdays, 10 am, NBC