well last wednesday (August 3) we dropped off my mom and dad at the airport to begin their long trek to siberia!! it got me thinking about the amazing journey we've had so far...
*september 2010: we had no idea they met with Elder Dallin H. Oaks! good secret keepers :)
*november 2010: i was enlisted to go pick up my dad from work so he could get ready for a "dignitary meeting"...aka a meeting with President Henry B. Eyring where they were officially called as Mission President and companion. He told them they could share the news with us kids...mom said, "good because i already lied to my daughter (ME) this morning!" haha i had no idea.
*december 2010: after picking out a christmas tree, mom and dad got the bosters on skype because they had news for us. i, of course, was the immature one that said "mom isn't pregnant is she??" No Liz, they are going to go on a mission!! The emotions?? surprise, excitement, sadness, excitement, JEALOUSY :) More than anything, I was blown away by their willingness to give up everything, put their own needs aside to serve the Lord. Now that's faith. That's dedication. They must really believe in this to put their lives on hold and leave such great kids right? they do...and so do i :)
*january-february 2011 (yeah weird i can't remember exactly!): THE ENVELOPE ARRIVES WITH THE MISSION CALL!
and they are going to the Arkansas Little Rock Mission! And for the next few months, we're singing songs about Arkansas, memorizing all the missionaries pictures, planning Christmas in Little Rock, etc.
*Early June 2011: pops gets a phone call from Elder Hinckley of the Seventy informing them that they will no longer we going to Little Rock. I get a phone call from mom to see if I was available for a conference call with all the kids. talk about scaring me! Then when we were all on the phone, Pops tells us they'll now be going to preside over the Russia Novosibirsk Mission! i'll admit i was pretty shocked...but accompanying the shock was a great sense of peace and rightness. I remember going home the next night, and we all stayed up late listening to papa's journal entries from over the years. i was struck with how many times he had been prompted to prepare for this mission. the Lord had been preparing him his whole life. it made me stop and realize that the Lord is preparing all of us for certain things if we will just listen and follow those little promptings.
*June 12, 2011: Mom and Dad's farewell! It was so fun to hear mom and dad speak and have friends and family over. sadly the only picture i have is of me making the fruit trays for the event!
*June 16, 2011: Pops was honored by the City of Holladay for his service over the past 10-ish years. I'm so proud of him for giving up his judgeship to serve the Lord! ("and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days" - Helaman 5:4)
*June 17, 2011: We all got to go downtown to the church administration building for Dad to be set apart by Elder Russell M. Nelson and Mom by Elder Rasband of the Seventy. It was an amazing experience! more than anything, as Elder Nelson spoke of the history of the church in Russia, I was touched by the Spirit and reminded that this mission isn't about us, it's about the Russian people. Up to that point I'd only thought of our family...but after that I was so excited for my parents to go serve those beautiful people! I hope I can go and meet them too.
*June 22, 2010: this was a switch...we dropped my parents off at the MTC for the Mission Presidents Seminar! It was so fun to be back there and see them get their tags :)
*June 26, 2011: picked up mom and dad from the MTC and took them home for a few days
*July 4, 2011: got to run a half marathon with my dad! we didn't think we'd be able to because he was going to be in Little Rock by then...but with the switch to Russia, they were still waiting for visas! so fun!
*July 2011: Mom and Dad spend the whole month in the MTC learning Russian!! We sneaked them out every once in a while for a visit :) including another half marathon on July 30!
*August 3, 2011: after all the waiting for visas, it seemed this day would never come. but of course it did!! early in the morning we all headed off to the airport. it was really hard to say goodbye! secret confession: there were tears :) But i'm so grateful for modern technology, because I've already heard wonderful stories of my parents and the missionaries and the Russian saints!
*so it seems like the end of a lot of waiting...but now the good stuff has just begun :) i can't wait to hear more of their experiences! LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD!!
*september 2010: we had no idea they met with Elder Dallin H. Oaks! good secret keepers :)
*november 2010: i was enlisted to go pick up my dad from work so he could get ready for a "dignitary meeting"...aka a meeting with President Henry B. Eyring where they were officially called as Mission President and companion. He told them they could share the news with us kids...mom said, "good because i already lied to my daughter (ME) this morning!" haha i had no idea.
*december 2010: after picking out a christmas tree, mom and dad got the bosters on skype because they had news for us. i, of course, was the immature one that said "mom isn't pregnant is she??" No Liz, they are going to go on a mission!! The emotions?? surprise, excitement, sadness, excitement, JEALOUSY :) More than anything, I was blown away by their willingness to give up everything, put their own needs aside to serve the Lord. Now that's faith. That's dedication. They must really believe in this to put their lives on hold and leave such great kids right? they do...and so do i :)
*january-february 2011 (yeah weird i can't remember exactly!): THE ENVELOPE ARRIVES WITH THE MISSION CALL!
*Early June 2011: pops gets a phone call from Elder Hinckley of the Seventy informing them that they will no longer we going to Little Rock. I get a phone call from mom to see if I was available for a conference call with all the kids. talk about scaring me! Then when we were all on the phone, Pops tells us they'll now be going to preside over the Russia Novosibirsk Mission! i'll admit i was pretty shocked...but accompanying the shock was a great sense of peace and rightness. I remember going home the next night, and we all stayed up late listening to papa's journal entries from over the years. i was struck with how many times he had been prompted to prepare for this mission. the Lord had been preparing him his whole life. it made me stop and realize that the Lord is preparing all of us for certain things if we will just listen and follow those little promptings.
*June 12, 2011: Mom and Dad's farewell! It was so fun to hear mom and dad speak and have friends and family over. sadly the only picture i have is of me making the fruit trays for the event!
*June 16, 2011: Pops was honored by the City of Holladay for his service over the past 10-ish years. I'm so proud of him for giving up his judgeship to serve the Lord! ("and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days" - Helaman 5:4)
*June 17, 2011: We all got to go downtown to the church administration building for Dad to be set apart by Elder Russell M. Nelson and Mom by Elder Rasband of the Seventy. It was an amazing experience! more than anything, as Elder Nelson spoke of the history of the church in Russia, I was touched by the Spirit and reminded that this mission isn't about us, it's about the Russian people. Up to that point I'd only thought of our family...but after that I was so excited for my parents to go serve those beautiful people! I hope I can go and meet them too.
*June 22, 2010: this was a switch...we dropped my parents off at the MTC for the Mission Presidents Seminar! It was so fun to be back there and see them get their tags :)
*June 26, 2011: picked up mom and dad from the MTC and took them home for a few days
*July 4, 2011: got to run a half marathon with my dad! we didn't think we'd be able to because he was going to be in Little Rock by then...but with the switch to Russia, they were still waiting for visas! so fun!
*July 2011: Mom and Dad spend the whole month in the MTC learning Russian!! We sneaked them out every once in a while for a visit :) including another half marathon on July 30!
*August 3, 2011: after all the waiting for visas, it seemed this day would never come. but of course it did!! early in the morning we all headed off to the airport. it was really hard to say goodbye! secret confession: there were tears :) But i'm so grateful for modern technology, because I've already heard wonderful stories of my parents and the missionaries and the Russian saints!
*so it seems like the end of a lot of waiting...but now the good stuff has just begun :) i can't wait to hear more of their experiences! LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD!!
