A counselor in the mission presidency welcomed us. He introduced all the missionaries by language. A few of the missionaries who thought they were going to learn one foreign language were informed that their assignment had changed slightly and they were now going to learn another. Some of the languages were ones I had never even heard of before. Then we watched a slide show of what to expect at the missionary training center. After that, we met President Joe J. Christensen, the mission president of the MTC and his wife Sister Christensen. They gave us some ideas of how to write to each other. Somehow I had a premonition that as soon as this meeting was over, it would be time to say good bye. My loving family. The people who meant more to me than anyone else on Earth. My parents who had been with me all my life. They had supported me through trials and accomplishments. They were with me when I began kindergarten and when I graduated high school and all the school activities in between. My brothers and sisters who had come along over the years. They were all my dearest friends. And now the time drew near to leave them.
Then President Christensen pointed to a door on his left. “The families will go out this door and the missionaries will go out that door,” and he pointed to a door on his right. Big tears gushed out of my eyes. I put my arm around Dad. We both stood and hugged even more. “Good bye,” I sobbed. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me!” I hugged Mom and said the same as best I could. The building up of emotion throughout that morning was unleashed as I hugged each of my sisters and brothers, Vera, Karen, Julie, Lisa, Christopher, Johnny, and Little Lori. “Good bye. I love you all!” And then all their teaching and all their training over the years kicked in and I walked out the door to my waiting mission for the Lord Jesus Christ.
The End
No comments:
Post a Comment