Waiting for my first letter...

What an incredible week we have had!!! As difficult as it has been saying goodbye, it has been a week I will always treasure in my heart. As you can see from they photo I was hanging on to Sean as long as I could!!

First off, I was really lucky to have an incredible week with Sean before the farewell. We were able to spend a lot of quantity and quality time together. Our week started out going to Temple Square and Joseph Smith memorial building to watch the Joseph Smith movie. It was a very sweet experience and something I would recommend to anyone who is getting ready to serve a mission and send a of a son (or daughter) for two years. The rest of the week was spent talking, going out to lunch, going to the temple, going to the U of U parade and finishing up missionary preparations etc. Thanks so much for all of you who helped so much with the open house I was able to really focus on time with Sean.

Next came the farewell. It was a wonderful day for our family. Thanks so much for all of the love and support!!! We were overwhelmed by your support and goodness. Sean did a wonderful job speaking and he sounded like a missionary. I was so grateful for the strong spirit felt in the meeting. Tim turned to me at the end of the meeting and asked me if we were prepared to feed half of the congregation. I said a prayer and mentioned the fishes and the loaves in hopes we had plenty of food. We are blessed to have such support. We are so blessed to both have big families that are so supportive and Sean is blessed with so many wonderful friends. We counted around 150 people that came to our home. That night we just enjoyed talking and watching family movies together. Carly Hirst was with us too. She is a wonderful girl and I love her. I couldn't ask for a more supportive girlfriend. She has been so sweet and sensitive not wanting to take Sean away from family time. She is great, and we love when she is with us.

On Tuesday night, Sean was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints!!! It was a powerful experience for me. Sean is the fifth missionary to be sent from the Pleasant View South Stake. Our new Stake was created last October. Our Stake President is a very wonderful man. He gave those that were there an opportunity to express their love for Sean. He said Sean was the first of those five missionaries that had both sets of grandparents there. Out of all the experiences I have had in my life, this experience was in the top five of tender experiences. The spirit was so strong in that meeting!!!! It was wonderful to hear from everyone in attendance express their love for Sean and share their testimony with him. Both Melissa and Megan bawled!!! President Keller told them that their crying was an indication of what kind of brother he had been. At the end of everyone expressing their feelings, Sean asked President Keller if he could say a few words. He then borrowed scriptures from President Ward and shared a scripture from 2 Nephi 8:12; I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you... It was beautiful and powerful. There was Sean teaching us about where to go for comfort. He is so prepared. It was 11:00 p.m. before the last person came over to say goodbye.

Then came the MTC. I have thought about this day for nineteen years. When we pulled up to the MTC, Melissa said, I guess you have now grown a foot or two. We had to drive two different cars to the MTC. Melissa did not want to miss out on any Sean time, so Adam had to drive down all by himself while Sean sat in the middle of his two sisters holding on to him in the back of the car and his mom turned sideways in the car with her hand on his knee. We were taking advantage of each moment. We ate at Cafe Rio in Provo before he had to report at 12:30 p.m. Sean had a hearty appetite. Me on the other hand had a hard time eating 1/2 of a salad!!

We arrived at the MTC and took pictures. His roommate Ben (who lives in Provo) was there too. We went into "the room" for the video and short meeting. The MTC handled everything with class and sensitivity. No bandage speeches were given. We had already said everything that needed to be said before that "moment". I got the first hug and the last hug from Sean. They were both wonderful hugs!! He walked away then just before he got to the door, he turned around and gave a big smile and a big wave. He was ready and prepared. Last night President Keller called to check up on us. He said we had been in his prayers all day. He said he had especially prayed for Melissa and Megan, and he wanted to know how everyone was doing. I testify I have felt all of those prayers. I am excited to have a missionary. I plan to enjoy this journey. And by the way, where did the years go, wasn't I the girlfriend sending Tim off just a few years ago?? Now I am the mom of a missionary and soon to be grandma!!