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Last Sunday night was one of those amazing “days to remember” at our house. A Red Letter Day, as my mother used to say. My boy Mark received his mission call in the mail over the winter break and we decided to open it up together with…
… a few good friends,
that we love…
our sweet extended family…
…and those we hold dear. It was a packed house, and I have to say that my heart was pretty near to bursting. It was so fun to have the people we love there for the opening!
I have to admit to feeling pretty nervous as well. When you apply to serve a mission for our church you agree to go anywhere they have a missionary program, world-wide. There are only a few places that don’t accept missionaries (the middle east and China, for example). Missions are assigned by the General Authorities of our church, missionaries don’t choose their own destination. So, there is definitely an element surprise when a missionary opens his or her call! Male missionaries serve for 2 years, without visiting home or having contact with family members other than a weekly email and 4 phone calls home. It’s a pretty big sacrifice for them.
Would you think poorly of me, if I told you I was secretly praying his call wouldn’t be to the Ukraine or that place in Africa where Ebola lives? Can you blame me, really? The world can be a scary place and there are definitely some missions that are harder on a mother’s heart than others, truly.
You will be happy to know, that we were all thrilled to see Mark open his call… and that this mother’s heart was so grateful to see that my boy will be heading to…
Nashville Tennessee! He will report to the Mission Training Center on February 10th. That feels pretty great. If you live in Tennessee keep an eye out for this handsome missionary, won’t you?
We are so grateful that he has been given the opportunity to serve and that he is ready and willing to go. I’m exceedingly proud of him.
Exceedingly. 🙂
I’ve always admired the selflessness of these young men and women (I’ve even told them and time or to). Prayers for a successful and safe mission trip.
Oh congratulations!! I was hoping it would be Northern Virginia so maybe he would be in my ward!! Fun times for you!!!
I’m curious how he feels about this assignment. I wonder if he was wanting somewhere overseas.
May God Bless You For your service. May his light shine bright in you. We will keep you in our Prayers.
My grandson, Elder Carter Crafts, also, went to Nashville, this last Nvember for his mission , he would be thrilled if someone said, ” Kathy says to say hi “.
Exceedingly Proud! Congratulations!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! As a former Sister Missionary, and mother of a Returned Missionary… I am so happy for all of you and the joys of learning experiences & testimony building blessings that await your young man, will bless his life and the lives of your family members as well. I’m so happy for all of you!
I am proud to call beautiful Tennessee my home and Nashville is one of the places I work. I hope he loves the South as much as I do 🙂
What a happy day for him! I live just outside of Chattanooga TN, which is actually part of the Knoxville Mission, but we lived in Murfreesboro (part of Nashville Mission) for several years. Your son will be in good hands here in TN! It is a beautiful place to live and serve and the people he meets will welcome him with open arms (and kitchens!). I will tell my family who still lives in Murfreesboro to be on the lookout for him!
Nashville! It’s on my list of places to visit and seems like an awesome town. I hope he loves it there, and you can rest easy that he’s not going to catch ebola.