I’m Not In Kansas Anymore!!!!

Where do I begin?  I have been so many places these last six months and I am sitting here wondering, how the heck did I get here?  Where might you ask?  The Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.  Jerianne dropped us off this morning and we have now joined the ranks of 1900 other missionaries (in this center alone)  going worldwide to represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is a surreal experience but by the time I am finished, I hope my parents, my children, my grandchildren, and my Heavenly Father can say , “well done my good and faithful servant.”
I have been so anxious about this decision and it has weighed heavily on my mind for the last six months.  It was definitely much easier for Richard, but I have struggled.  My greatest concern was leaving my family.  I have shed untold tears and they still flow easily right now.  But with resolve I pledge to do my very best and express my gratitude through my service to a loving Heavenly  Father who has blessed our family with miracle after miracle these last three years.
My children all assure me that they will be just fine without me, ( that can surely be taken several ways!!!) and I know that is true.  Kelly sat us down last night and shared with  us  his heartfelt encouragement and testimony, Jonathan has supported me through many discussions, Janae and Jerianne have born their testimonies recently, and I am finding little notes in all of the pockets of my luggage. I have hanging up signs from the Conroys and visions of my grandchildren remain with me constantly.  Ryan and Jacqui are blissfully happy, which means I am as well..I received a fathers’ blessing from my Daddy and my Mother is my biggest cheerleader so forward I go.

You should be here and see all of these amazing young men and women, some old as well.  There were a hundred of us seniors going many places: Cove Fort, Utah, Connecticut, 20 of us to Nauvoo, Phillipines, Russia, Florida, Plamyra, Zimbabwa, Scotland, Ireland, Alpine Germany, Korea, New York, Cape Verde Africa in the Canary Islands, Manchaster England, Marshall Islands, Hong Kong, and the Cook Islands in New Zealand.
The MTC president assured us that faith brought us here and a witness of that faith would come forth from our works.  He said that our children and our grandchildren will be blessed beyond measure for our service.  I am counting on it. He said that this is a defining moment in my life. Other than gratitude, that is why I am here.
So I must go study, we do a mock discussion tomorrow!!!
Just so you know I have made some new friends already that will be in Nauvoo with us.  The piano player for one, Jean and Richard Openshaw, the horse driver , Jack and Leanne Johnson, and Pete and Sheryl Iluave, a math professor from BYU…….
 
View from our room of the “Y” on the mountain.

View of our room.