Still Holding Fast

It's now Monday, October 10, and we're still holding.  An automated email confirmed our application was received at Church headquarters. We replied by completing the short on-line surveys that supplemented our application and were reminded that the call may take 4-6 weeks. So, we remain patient, and busy. We're a bit more anxious as each day passes because the reality of a major change ahead is sinking in. We've been cleaning closets, servicing vehicles, prepping our yard, organizing business information, and tending to a myriad other things that need to be wrapped up so we can leave our home and affairs behind and move - possibly on short notice.

We also met last week with Lilla and Nephi Szvoboda, a young couple who are interested in staying in our home while he studies at LDS Business College prior to transferring to BYU in about two years. We're now in the deciding stage. We met them a few weeks ago when serving in the Bountiful Temple. Lilla was receiving her endowment for their marriage the next day, and Linda was her attendant. She is from Hungary; her new husband, Nephi is from Switzerland. Nephi's father is native Hungarian, and the two spent some time in elementary school together when Nephi's family moved back to Hungary for a time. Nephi helped with Lilla's conversion when he served his mission in Hungary. He is studying at LDS Business College. On the day we met in the temple, we discovered they both are well-acquainted (through time spent in Vietnam) with Billy and Karleen Jackson, a former member of our Stake Presidency and his wife, who served a mission in Vietnam and another sister in our stake. Nephi's father's business has a production facility in Vietnam. Linda felt a special bond with Lilla that day, even dropping off a wedding gift that night. Are these all coincidences? No. We feel the Lord's hand has connected us.

On Saturday, our grandson, Noah, was baptized.  It was a happy and traditional Wasatch Front stake baptism day, with Noah and Nefi being the two boys baptized from the Centerville Porter Lane 1st Ward.  Linda gave a message about the Gift of the Holy Ghost - good practice. The flashlights she used were a good object lesson to add to our missionary toolbox.

Stay tuned!

And so we begin...

We set a goal many years ago to serve a senior couple mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when we retired. Linda's parents passed away within four months of each other in October 2001 and January 2002. Ray's father passed away in May of 2008, leaving his mom a widow.  We both retired in 2009, Ray earlier in the year and Linda in September. We took a nice driving vacation along the California and Oregon coastlines to celebrate and then settled into a routine that included a daily visit to his mom. We felt we could not leave on a mission while she was still living alone. So we began serving as ordinance workers in the Bountiful Temple. We arose before 4 a.m. on Thursdays for the early shift and filled a second shift on Fridays. We treasured our time as ordinance workers and developed many wonderful friendships while serving there.

Ray's mom passed away in September 2010.  This was a turning point in our lives, and thoughts for change included serious consideration about a mission. At the time we were enjoying our temple service so much we decided to wait one more year before departing. That would give us time to complete the temple work for Ray's parents before leaving in the fall (what we felt would be the optimum timing for us).  The time has passed quickly!

On Tuesday, September 6, 2011, we clicked the button on our online application to officially begin the process. This morning we met with our Stake President, and in the next day or two, our application will move on to Church Headquarters for review.  Now we wait for the call - when and where.

More to come!