With the new lower missionary age, there has been a fever of missionary excitement around these parts (and everywhere there are LDS teenagers, I am sure). Since Cole was already into his freshman year at BYU when the announcement came to lower the age when young men and women could serve missions, we decided to just stick with the plan, and he would do two semesters at school, then leave shortly after his 19th birthday. When school was out for the semester, we used that time to get everything ready to submit his papers. My goal was to have everything in by mid January. With scheduling being what it is, and the Stake President is surely busy with all kinds of kids submitting their mission papers, Cole didn’t have his interview until almost the end of January.
Tuesday he had an interview with the Stake President. Because of some last minute changes and a reschedule, Ryan and I also had our temple recommend interview with the Stake on Tuesday night. So, Cole braved the huge amounts of snow (that we had been shoveling ALL day, by the way) and drove to Highland. We had dinner together, and then the three of us dropped the girls off at the church for YW, and went over to the Stake Center. It was cool to all go together. I went with our old bishop, Ryan went with the other counselor, and Cole spoke with the Stake President. When we were all done, the Stake President shook our hands, and said he would submit the papers and we would hear something within a few weeks.
Yes, I am FREAKING OUT, just a little bit.
We’re in kind of a state of limbo right now. I know there will be SO MUCH to do once he gets the call, but we can’t really do any of that yet. So, we’ll just wait.
So many of Cole’s friends are getting their calls right now, every week more and more calls go out. He told me that in one BYU ward a couple of weeks ago, there were 40 something mission calls that week. I love to read the letters and experiences from other missionaries and their testimonies and love for the gospel. Wow! Talk about flooding the earth with the gospel, these are the young people who are going to do that. It’s such an exciting time!
I love this Called to Serve video, and yes, it’s a bit dated (back when families could still go to the airport with their missionaries), but it shares the feeling of excitement that these missionaries have.
I love that whole video as well the one where there is speaking in it. As a side note, when parents were allowed at the airport, my parents were late and didn’t make it there. I walked off without anyone and started walking up the concourse. About two minutes later, my parents came frantically running towards me. It was very funny.
Congratulations! Life changes with a missionary. It will be wonderful to hear from him and the improving of his testimony.
There is nothing like being a missionary mom. And you don’t get until you are one. Tuck will be home before Cole leaves–weird. I’ll be waiting!
That video said “this video is private”, so I couldn’t see it.
When the call comes, please let us be hanging on the phone so we’ll get first hand word. Even if we’re out of town, call our cell phone.
FYI: your bishop can tell you the Sunday before if the status of the call is “Call Issued” and then you can expect it the next Wednesday to be in the mail.