18 - The Mission

In the summer of 1987, I was 18, I turned in my papers to serve a mission. I was sure that I wanted to go and was preparing. I knew the schedule of when the Brethren in SLC reviewed the applications and made the assignments and I knew when the call should arrive. Sure enough it came on the day it was suppose to. It was in the fall sometime. Shannon was with me at the time and I hurried and opened it, read where I was going and swore her to secrecy to not spill the beans (she could be trusted with a secret by then). Later on that evening when everyone was gathered around the diner table I brought it out. Everyone was very excited but Mom and Dad were disappointed that I had opened it before hand. That is another one of those experience that I wish I could do over. It made me sad to see that I had disappointed them. Never the less everyone was excited and I prepared myself to go to Recife Brazil. I was to enter the MTC on February 10th 1988. I was ordained an Elder by my father on November 29th, 1987 and was able to attend the Provo temple for the first time on December 9th, 1987. These were exxciteing times. Many of my friends were going to the temple and getting their mission calls. We went to the temple as a group of friends every Wednesday, early in the morning before class every week from the time I was endowed to the time I went into the MTC. Mom and Dad were also working on a sealing team and went every week. I was able to go with them a few times as well. Finally the day arrived for me to go. I had been working and attending school, had finally tuned 19 and I was ready. It was very exciting and I was scared and nervous as well. I will reserve writing about my mission for another occasion since I have a detailed journal of everything I did. Suffice it to say that I was in the MTC for three months. I was only supposed to be in for 2 months but my visa did not clear for Brazil so they sent me to Anaheim California for a month. Anaheim was nice and I learned a lot there but I was anxious to get to Brazil. Finally my visa cleared and they put me on the next available plane the following day. It was a 747 and I flew first class (which I did not know at the time, I just knew that the waitresses were very nice and that I had a great seat). I spent the next 20 months serving the Lord in Brazil, which set the tone of service for the rest of my life.