My Missionary

It's amazing how time can fly!  I've kept in contact with family via Facebook and have forgotten to update this blog.

The big news of this year - Jeremy submitted his papers (actually an online application) for his mission.

Then he received his mission call.  On July 3, 2013 he received that big white envelope from the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints.  He didn't open it until that evening when we were at his Grandma's house with cousins, aunts and uncles all together.

He is called to the Oregon Eugene Mission and is to report to the Missionary Training Center in Provo on September 11, 2013 - the same day, it turns out, as the other soon to be missionary from our ward - Brandon Morris (who is going to the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission).

His mission boundaries include a little bit of northern California and the corner tip of Nevada, but mostly the south west portion of Oregon. 

We have spent the last few months purchasing the things he needs for his mission, planning family get togethers, practicing a musical number for the farewell and packing up his room.  Hours and days go by in a seeming blink of an eye.

One of those days whizzing by was the very special day that Jeremy went through the temple for the first time on Saturday, August 31, 2013.  We invited family and friends from our ward to attend with us and we had quite the turnout - Pam & Troy, Jen & Neils, his Grandma & Grandpa, aunts Karen & Bebe, and from our Ward - Bishop and Sister Aubrey, Dale & Wendy Winger, Dennis & Katrina Webber, Rachel Tueller, Jess Desmond, Neil Jarman and Brandon Morris.  Melissa didn't want to be left out, so she came with us and did baptisms while we were there!  What a blessing to have so many people who care about and support Jeremy.  It was a very spiritual and peaceful time.

The following Tuesday was our youth night to do baptisms at the temple and Jeremy was able to come and perform some of the baptisms!

Now we look forward to his farewell on Sunday, September 8th.  I hope I can get through the song without crying!

Melissa's First Trip to the Temple

Melissa turned 12 in April and thus became eligible to enter Young Women and to go to the Temple.  Her first opportunity to do baptisms for the dead came this week when our Young Women's group went for our Tuesday activity.

We went to the Jordan River Temple.  When she was finished, I asked her how she felt.  She said, "When can we do it again?"

We only had two other girls come to do baptisms, but it was the first time for one of those girls too.  It was a special day for all of us.

I'm glad she has a desire to go back to the temple.  What a blessing to be able to go with her for her first time and watch see her doing baptisms in the temple.

Youth Night at the Temple

I haven't been to do baptisms at the temple since I was a kid.  So I was looking forward to our Young Men/Young Women combined activity tonight - we went to do baptisms for the dead at the Jordan River Temple.  Jeremy was one of four boys and two girls who came - this was a good turnout for our ward. 

We went early to try to beat the rush.  It started snowing just before we leftEvidently it gets very busy on Tuesday nights, but we got there about 6:30 p.m. and the kids hardly had to wait at all.  It was nice, too, that someone in our ward gave Jeremy some family names to bring for the young men to do.

It was amazing to me when the Bishop was able to perform the baptisms for our youth, and then one of the Young Men's leaders was able to do the confirmations.  Jeremy is about a half a foot taller than the Bishop who struggled just a bit to raise him up from the water.  One time the witnesses signaled that he didn't get completely immersed, I guess his hair stuck out (amazing when his hair is only about an inch long); so they he had to do it again.

After they were all finished, the Bishop offered to get them dessert in the temple cafeteria.  The kids were delighted!  It was a lovely end to a very special night.