Preparing to Serve

For a long time, Gene and I have planned to serve as full time missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Together we have discussed just what that would entail. It would mean leaving our home and our wonderful family for eighteen months. That would be a challenge. How could I get by missing our annual trip to Island Park? And all the other times we get together just to visit and play games.

But it's something we feel strongly about.We know it's what the Lord would have us do and as the time seems right for us, we are excited. Memorial Day weekend we went camping with most of our family and we talked about our going. The family was supportive and we felt good about things.

That night, Bishop Pitcher, who lives across the street, was out in his yard and Gene and I went over to talk with him. We expressed to him that we were thinking about serving as full time missionaries. He wasn't surprised. We had looked at the church website and the online recommendation process. Before you can actually start anything, the Bishop has to authorize an account for you. Our Bishop had never had the opportunity to send a missionary and said this was a new experience for him. He said he would get it going.

It was Friday, June 25th, when Bishop Pitcher came over to our home and said he had set up a missionary account for us and we could begin our papers. Now days, everything is done online. We were soon setting up doctor and dentist appointments and filling out the paper work

We had wondered when to put for our availability date. Jason and Tiffany are having a baby in mid November and we had thought we would like to be here for that and to help them out by being there to help tend Hagen and Ainsley. Talking with Jason, he said we didn't need to put off the mission for them, they could work things out. We felt like there is always something coming up and there is never a perfect time to go - so perhaps we should just go when and where the Lord needs us.

We both sailed right through the physicals and the dental work. I did have a couple of cavities that needed to be taken care of but other than that, we were given a green light. That's another testimony to me that this is something we need to do. There are so many things that could have prevented us going - and there were none.

Today the Bishop said that he had everything he needed. We each had a good interview with him a couple of weeks ago to renew our temple recommends and he said that was sufficient. Now he will talk with President Poulsen and then I guess we wait for a call to have an interview with him before our papers are submitted to Salt Lake. I suppose it won't be long before a white envelope from Church headquarters arrives here and we will be called to serve.

Where might that be? We are leaving that open and are willing to go wherever the Lord want us. Our children think we should request someplace. The only thing we did say is that we aren't interested in learning a language. But there are lots of places you can do and speak English. Now that we are getting along in this process, I'm finding that I'm a little nervous about the whole thing. But I know we have been given much and we too must give. I also know the Lord will bless us.

I find comfort in the scripture in D & C 84:88. It says," And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mind angels round about you to bear you up."

Again, we know this is the right thing for us at this time and we are anxious to go and to serve.