I am a Missionary :-)

:-) Well, it is official.  I am now a set apart missionary.  The Stake Presidency, my bishop, and Brother Bill Daily set me apart as a missionary after sacrament meeting.

:-( I received some sad news yesterday.  My mission companion has not received her visa yet and on top of that she has broken her arm.  She will not be able to travel for another four to six weeks.  Missionaries always go out in pairs (sometimes there are three somes, but never alone).  I will temporarily get another companion at the Missionary Training Center and in Logan.  

#-) Sunday night there was an Open House for me.  It was a wonderful opportunity to say good bye to friends and receive well wishes.  Thank you to everyone who came.  I appreciate your support, love, and enthusiasm for me.
 
B:-) Saturday Carolyn and I head for Utah.  Next week at this time I will be in the Provo Missionary Training Center.  I am excited!  
 

Happy Mother's Day :-)

Next Sunday is coming fast.  The closer it gets the more butterflies I get in my stomach.  After my talk, I sing with the choir.  I am glad we have a lot of altos, because I'm not sure how well I'll do.  The butterflies may be gone, but my knees may still be weak.

When I tell friends at church from Utah that I am going to Logan for my mission, the first thing they say is “It is cold there!” I've also heard that the Cache Valley is breathtakingly beautiful especially in the fall.   I'll be sure to take pictures and post them.   
 

Giving a Talk

Now that I have a mission call and assignment, I get to talk in church on Sunday, May 20th, my last Sunday in Livermore.  Actually everyone has an opportunity to give a talk every couple years; however, for me it has been much longer than a couple years.  The idea of standing in front of the congregation even when I know everyone is not like teaching in a classroom; it can be intimidating.

I've known since January when I put in my mission papers I would be asked to give a talk.  After things settled down with packing and selling the house, I started jotting down random thoughts that came to me.  I am working on pulling them all together into some coherent order.  Of course what I write and what I end up saying may not be quite the same.