Category: Missionary

Autumn display 2024

I read someplace that people who change their decor each season have a cleaner house because the process exposes dusty corners and reminds you of things you are storing. Thus, you are dusting and reevaluating your belongings often.

Hmmm. I usually associate redecorating with a big mess. It takes me all day to switch out decor in the kitchen with boxes and tissue papers strewn everywhere.

I redecorate for the seasons because I like the change. I am a little spare in my autumn decor this year because I need something simple to view.

Mark was sad to see the summer decor taken down. I reminded him that in a few years when he returns, I will still have the summer things that he has loved while growing up.

“You’re going to go, but you are also going to come back, and this will all be here waiting for you.”

I could say this about the objects, but not about his childhood. I think we both knew he wasn’t really mourning the loss of the little baseball players and ferris wheel. He knew that this was the last summer display of childhood, and he won’t be the same little boy who loved these things ever again.

Mark’s temple

2015
2024

On Mark’s ninth birthday I took him to the Payson temple open house. Later, this was the first temple that Mark entered to do baptisms for the dead. Through these experiences and more, this became his favorite temple, and recently, he received his endowment there.

In the Payson temple there is a fruit motif in the interior design, as it was built on land that was previously an apple orchard. As you ascend within building, the blossoms in the motif change to fruits.

As I reflect on raising Mark, I see that small, sacred things like attending a temple open house have yielded very sweet fruit.

In his life.

In mine.

And for our ancestors.

If you want to go to Denmark, you’re going to need to do some things.

Our experiences have been vastly different preparing for our sons’ mission assignments.

For Mark, there was an 18-page visa form, and recently, he had to appear at a visa processing center for the Danish embassy in San Francisco.

We assumed that he would be paired with another elder and be picked up at the airport by someone from the local mission in San Francisco. We were surprised when the church travel office instructed Mark to fly there alone and find his own way to the visa interview appointment and back again to the airport.

Traveling alone and ordering rides were new to Mark, but he did just fine.

The thought occurs to me, how long has my presence with Mark been obsolete? Years?

Still, I prayed all day. When each child flies out of reach or has a problem beyond my ability to help, my prayers become a testament that Heavenly Father has always been the primary caregiver.

Here was Mark’s text to let me know that he was boarding his return flight in San Francisco. 😂

I bought him a huge hamburger for dinner after I picked him up from the airport.

Discovery

A few weeks after Mark’s Prom, I discovered a backpack he had carried that evening in a corner of our mudroom. There were a few objects still inside, and I smiled to see some of what he had collected in order to be prepared: antacids, safety pins (only one remained when the evening was over), toys for entertainment if they had a long wait at the restaurant, snacks, a toothpick, a pencil, and dental flossers for braces. He also carried an umbrella and some other things.

I took a picture to remind myself that Mark knows how to prepare for a journey and that he knows how to take care of himself and others. This is a comfort to me.

Just a list today

Enjoyed: an evening at Young Women’s camp with the bishopric.

Finished: 18 pages of visa application forms and instructions with Mark.

Played: a piano and violin duet on Sunday with Mark at church.

Wrote: a song for Primary Day Camp for guitar, voices, and percussion.

Struggling with: sleep while Richard has been away at Young Men’s camp.

Looking forward to: Mark’s senior piano recital.

Preparing: pepperoni rolls for dinner.

Loving: strawberry season.

Reading: The Count of Monte Cristo.

Collecting: so many screenshots of our grandson during video calls. 😍

Procrastinating: weeding the back flower bed.

A current favorite Book of Mormon phrase: “Publish peace.”

And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.

Mosiah 27:37

That time when everything happened at once

In a period of two weeks, Mark received a mission call, turned 18, graduated from seminary, received his Patriarchal Blessing, and had his braces removed. High school graduation day has arrived.

Sometime I hope to detangle all of the new memories that have arrived in a heap of everythings and goodbyes, paperwork, and spiritual highs.

I have made the decision to be happy. I am sentimental, but I am not dwelling on feelings of loss. This time in Mark’s life is a triumph for him and for me as his mother. It has been a blessing to raise him!

Quorum

Here is a super short segment of Mark reading his mission call to his Priests Quorum and a friend. I actually like that mission call letters are long and don’t begin with the assignment, but focus the attention on the gospel of Jesus Christ and the purpose and blessings of missionary work. I have two full length videos of Mark reading his call that I will keep for our family history.

Of all of the art and objects in our house, what were these young men drawn to? The three missionary tags from Richard, Daniel, and Tim displayed on a magnet board in our kitchen.

Mark the Missionary

Mark opened his mission call by himself in the grove at the Weber cabin, then he came inside to read his call to Richard and me. His friends don’t know yet, and we will host a little gathering for Mark to announce it soon.

He is assigned to the Denmark Copenhagen Mission and will begin his service on October 7. 😃 🇩🇰

Work in progress

I am getting pretty close to finishing this little project, which is based on a very famous painting. I know what it will look like when it’s finished, but it’s still a mystery to me how this is all going to come together. What a metaphor for my life.

I planning for a few months of ward conferences, so despite winter telling me to rest, I have a very full season ahead. My first counselor, on whom I depend so much, is carefully watching over her husband in his final days on earth. These years of serving in our stake callings have not shielded us from life’s challenges. My second counselor Susan passed away suddenly in 2022. Among the women in my presidency, which have changed over time, we have faced milestones along with the challenges. We’ve sent 5 missionaries into the world, had 3 children get married, and had 1 grandchild and one great-grandchild born. We have led during a pandemic and experienced two major surgeries with long recoveries. And now, my counselor’s husband is in hospice care.

There are some challenging days ahead, but if I have learned anything through my service, it is that my Heavenly Father will give me the strength to do what he has called me to do. He is doing the same for my presidency and for you.