About 5 1/2 years ago we were ready to submit our applications to become a senior missionary couple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. At that time it was not to be.
Tony was called to serve in the Provo Missionary Training Center and I was to accompany him as he became first a councilor in a branch presidency and eventually a branch president to missionaries going to the Philippines. We weren't in the least bit sad! We LOVED serving in the MTC and were sad when we were released.
Since this is a 4 year calling, we had to put our mission plans on hold.
At the end of 4 years we were released but so much was happening with our company, it still wasn't a good time to go. I'm sure we could have kept having that happen but finally after another year we just said, "Let's GO!" There will never be a "Good time to go." There will always be things happening at work, babies being born, family members with special needs and the list goes on. We just needed to bite the bullet, exercise faith and submit our applications.
In the meantime, our dear friend who was our first branch president at the MTC, Ron Gubler, was called to be the mission president of the England London South mission.
For many years I have been saying and wishing aloud, that if I could pick the perfect mission to go to it would be the London South mission. After all, what could be better than going to a foreign mission and still be able to visit with some of your family. Eric and his family have lived in England, just 5 minutes away from the mission office for about 10 years.
To make a long story short, President Gubler requested us, we were more than willing to accept that call (although we did put on our papers that we were willing to serve wherever Heavenly Father wanted us to go). When the call came, it was indeed to the England London South mission to serve as MSL missionaries, or Member Leadership Support missionaries. We will be helping out the leaders of the local unit where we are assigned in whatever capacity they need us to. We will also be finding service projects to participate in, driving young missionaries around and even do some sight seeing.
We feel like we have been blessed so abundantly and love the Gospel of Jesus Christ so much that it's the least we can do to go for 18 months to serve.
The rules for senior couples are different than for young missionaries. We will get to Skype with our grandkids and kids, make phone calls home whenever we need to. We don't have to keep the same long hours that young missionaries do because after all, we ARE seniors! Another difference is that we don't get moved around to different areas like the young missionaries do and we get to keep the same companion for our entire mission! That's a bonus!
We report to the Provo Missionary Training Center, the same one we served in for 4 years, only this time as missionaries ourselves, on August 7th 2017. We will give our farewell talks in Sacrament meeting on July 30th.
I'm so thankful to be able to have a good part of the summer to hang out with our family before we go. The past 2 1/2 months since we got our call has flown by and I'm starting to get a bit anxious about getting everything done that needs to be done before we leave and also getting some butterflies in my tummy about the whole prospect!
Emily, Luis and Olivia will be living here, as well as Bryan and Andie and her current roommate.
What an exciting time of our lives!
