August 13--And He's Off

From the Mom:

It takes a lot of effort to get a missionary ready to go for 2 years-and to fit it into 3 suitcases!  We did it and managed to pack it and be ready at least 6 hours before we left for the airport!

The evening before he left Monday August 12, President Kyle Christensen came to our house to set him apart (give him a special priesthood blessing) as a missionary. He shared a scripture about Elijah calling Elisha to his special calling. He was plowing in his field when the call came. Elijah asked to kiss his mother and father goodbye, then he killed his oxen and burned the plow, cooking the oxen and feeding it to his family. He used the story to talk about how Elisha didn't look back, he set his affairs in order, and gave a hundred percent to the Lord.  His focus from there out was on his calling as a prophet.  We all found the scripture instructional, inspiring and applicable.  After that I asked Collin if he would play the John Schmidtt arrangement of "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" on the piano.  I felt that it would set the tone before his blessing.  He did, and it was beautiful and very touching.  The blessing he received setting him apart as a full time missionary was wonderful.  We felt such peace and assurance that all was well, and that Collin will be a wonderful servant of the Lord.

The next morning began very early for Collin-at about 3:30 AM.  We got him to the airport around 5 for his 7:02 AM flight to Houston and then on to Mexico City.  Before we left we gathered in family prayer, and Quin expressed much gratitude for Collin and this wonderful opportunity he has to serve.  He asked for a blessing of protection, and for a keen mind to learn and study well at the MTC, and that he might be blessed with the gift of tongues.  The spirit we felt was very special, and though our hearts were aching, we felt peace that Heavenly Father was endorsing this decision, and he had truly called him to the work.

As we drove to the airport we asked him what scripture he had decided to have engraved on the plaque that will hang in the case at the church while he is gone.  That scripture I've included on this blog.  Quin gave him words of encouragement and I had a few thoughts that I will share here as if I was talking to him.

"I feel like a mission is the most significant 2 year period in a man's life.  As you leave, it's as if you are taking with you an empty suitcase.  Over the next 2 years you will stuff it full of experiences that will be significant your whole life.  These experiences you will share with your wife, your children and grandchildren, your priest quorum, teachers and deacons quorums that you lead, your ward, and your friends.  These experiences will define who you are, and will be a great strength to you in years to come.  This is so exciting."

I don't remember the other words we said exactly, but we also felt this sentiment:

The timing of this mission is significant too.  I'm sure that there are people in Arizona that are ready to hear the gospel from you.  You are significant in their lives, and you will be able to connect with them in a unique way suited to you. Forget your self, don't look back, obey all the mission rules, get lost in the work.  

We arrived at a busy airport, and per Collin's request we unloaded the bags from the car, and said our goodbyes on the curb.  He said he was ready to go, and honestly, none of us wanted to drag out the goodbyes anymore.  He had been saying good bye since Sunday, one or 2 siblings at a time, until it was just Anna and the parents. He had a big smile on his face, we said God speed, and he was off.

We saved most of our tears for the drive home, spent the day watching the clock and thinking about the different points of the journey.  At the end of the day we ate Mexican food and went to a movie to get our minds of things!  THEN when we got home we discovered an email from Collin.  We wept for joy.  All was well.  We were able to go to sleep knowing he had arrived, and not only had he arrived, but he had truly started his mission. 

Now it's time to post Collin's letters.

October 2012 Announcement

At the general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in October 2012, a historic announcement was made that lowered the minimum age of missionaries from age 19 to 18 for men and from age 21 to 19 for women.  Here is the announcement given by President Thomas S. Monson:

For some time the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have allowed young men from certain countries to serve at the age of 18 when they are worthy, able, have graduated from high school, and have expressed a sincere desire to serve. This has been a country-specific policy and has allowed thousands of young men to serve honorable missions and also fulfill required military obligations and educational opportunities.

Our experience with these 18-year-old missionaries has been positive. Their mission presidents report that they are obedient, faithful, mature, and serve just as competently as do the older missionaries who serve in the same missions. Their faithfulness, obedience, and maturity have caused us to desire the same option of earlier missionary service for all young men, regardless of the country from which they come.

I am pleased to announce that effective immediately all worthy and able young men who have graduated from high school or its equivalent, regardless of where they live, will have the option of being recommended for missionary service beginning at the age of 18, instead of age 19. I am not suggesting that all young men will—or should—serve at this earlier age. Rather, based on individual circumstances as well as upon a determination by priesthood leaders, this option is now available.

As we have prayerfully pondered the age at which young men may begin their missionary service, we have also given consideration to the age at which a young woman might serve. Today I am pleased to announce that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age 21.

We affirm that missionary work is a priesthood duty—and we encourage all young men who are worthy and who are physically able and mentally capable to respond to the call to serve. Many young women also serve, but they are not under the same mandate to serve as are the young men. We assure the young sisters of the Church, however, that they make a valuable contribution as missionaries, and we welcome their service.

When Collin heard about this change, he immediately began to contemplate how it affected him.  He had been planning most of his life to follow in the footsteps of his dad, and recently his brother Tayler in serving a 2 year mission.   This change effected his plan considerably, as he had thought he would attend BYU for a semester or year before his mission.  As the months wore on, and after he turned 18, his desire grew even stronger, and he decided he would serve as soon as possible.

He had many end of the school year and summer activities to accomplish such as graduation from high school, seminary graduation, his Eagle Court of Honor, his senior piano recital, a multi-stake dance festival, a high adventure replacement-Camp Helaman, and a family reunion.  He submitted his application papers in May, and 2 weeks later he received his call-just prior to his high school graduation.  We were all amazed at how fast the call came, and that his earliest availability date was chosen--August 14.

Collin's mission call letter.

His mission president and wife.

Since his determination to serve his mission early, Collin has been focused on preparing himself mentally and spiritually.  He attended months of missionary prep classes which were held at 7 AM Sunday mornings once a month.  He attended seminary daily before school and took every opportunity to help out our local ward missionaries, and he served as a youth ward missionary.  Of course he attended to his personal scripture study and study of the Preach My Gospel manual which is used in the mission field as well. After his call came, he began studying Spanish by reviewing lessons that he downloaded to his phone. 

As parents, it was hard to let him leave early because we will miss him so much.  However, we are so confident that is prepared and ready to serve.  He has a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he is a responsible person, and he's been doing his own laundry since he was about 10!  We know he can handle himself!  It will be a growing and defining 2 years for him, and it will be invaluable for his life.  That said, we are missing him already.  He has left an empty spot in our daily life, but not in our hearts. We know God will bless him and us as he serves his mission.  All will be well.

We are looking forward to those weekly emails, and we will be posting them here for you to read.