The letter was an e-mail from my son Elder Otis in Los Angeles. The big surprise was the Christmas photo's he sent. One of them was taken by his mission companion as he talked on the phone with us Christmas morning, and opened his Christmas gifts. He was smiling and tan and wearing summer clothes. Lucky him! His letter moved me as I felt the spirit comfort me as fresh waves of tears began to flow anew. I miss him so much.
I was sadened today when I read a note from a missionary mom who lost her daughter to a sledding accident not so long ago. She was missing her missionary son here in the midwest, in Wisconsin. She was going back to school for the first time tonight and she knew it would be difficult for her to do. My heart goes out to her in Utah. I prayed for her tonight. Please pray for Karen and her family if you can, she has been through so much.
Then I opened a long cylindar filled with artwork from Utah. Sister Veit, you have made my boys smile so big this week. Her son is a missionary in our ward and we love him like our own. He and his companion Elder Facer have taken our youngest sons under their wing and have been acting big brothers while our oldest sons are gone for two years. We find out tomorrow if Elder Veit is transferred to another town. We will miss his big smile and willing heart so much!
Another blessing came in the form of help his mom, Sister Veit gave our son in Russia. He was in need of medicine and she found a way to get it to him just in time. Nancy is a nurse in Utah. God Bless you dear friend.
I wrote a few pages on my novel today. It's about a woman who goes back to her ancestral home in Denmark for the reading of the will. It's a fiction novel based on the true life story of my ancestors. I'm determined to write every day until I force the writers block from my mind. Things aren't flowing as easily as they once did, but I'm getting there.
Hunter, our youngest is out with the missionaries tonight. They are knocking on doors. I pray that people are kind to them. You won't meet more polite young men. I was amazed at the contrast today. Someone from a church in town came to the door today. They were quite rude. My son was the one who answered the door. They tried to scare him with old testiment scriptures. But then I heard Ryan bear his testimony about the plan of happiness! He told them that he wasn't afraid because he knew that Jesus loved him. I listened as he told them how much he loved the Bible and read it daily, and again when he told them about how the Book of Mormon is a second witness of Jesus Christ! He was so kind to them and they didn't seem to like that very much. I wondered why later. It was kind of sad in one way and happy in another. I realized right then that my soon to be 19 year old was more prepared to be a missionary than I had ever imagined. It was very comforting to know.
That encounter made me smile later on and my thoughts drifted to our sons serving full time missions. I do miss them terribly sometimes. The joy far outweighs those emotions these days. I'm the mom grinning for no reason, to the outside world. I'm a missionary mom and it's a blessing.
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