You may notice that if you forget to key in the jr after stevenwilliams or if you use another search engine than Google, you come up with someone other than our missionary to be!  It is Steve Williams, AKA Dr. Death.  He is a wrestler from years back.  We were laughing about that and Steven was a bit concerned that that definition would come up under his name.  I think at first he thought it was a little cool though! :)  We decided that Steven could be the opposite....Dr. Life....After all, he will be sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He will be sharing about eternal life and families being together forever!  Also, if you don't already know of his plans for his future, after his mission he plans on studying to be a heart surgeon.  That is indeed synonymous with LIFE!  I am reading the book "House of Learning" by M. Richard and Kathleen H. Walker. In it they quote Elder Gerald Lund...."the condition of our hearts directly affects our sensitivity to spiritual things. Let us make it a part of our everyday striving to open our hearts to the Spirit. Since we are the guardians of our hearts, we can choose to do so".  Steven is a great example of that, opening his heart to the Spirit.  There was some misunderstanding and he was told that his papers could not be sent in until his 18th birthday, Nov. 8.  He said that when he was told that he wanted to cry.  He had planned for this time....120 days before his birthday to submit his papers since the announcement in General Conference last October.  But, he said that after he sat there for a minute the Spirit touched him and he knew that he would be serving a mission and that it was in the Lord's hands and only He knew when and where he needed to be called.  So, he felt peace after the initial shock.  But, it has all been resolved and his papers have been submitted.  May we open our hearts and allow them to be touched by the precious things of life, even by the Spirit!

Papers on the way!!

Steven's papers are on their way!  He had to change his availability date to November 26 so there would be time for him to be ordained an Elder and receive his endowments.  He was excited about that because that is my and Steve's 30th wedding anniversary.  We may be spending our 30th in Provo, Utah!  We may know where he is called to very shortly!  Steven is on cloud nine!  Mom is weepy, but excited.

Steven is in with the Stake President right now. He is so happy and excited. I thought I would share the photo of him and Grandma Fox because he often stops in his tracks and says, " I sure wish Grandma was here to participate in all of this too."  I assure him that she is. She was so excited for him to choose to serve a mission. She didn't put up any Christmas decorations last year because she knew it would be Steven's last Christmas before he was gone. She didn't want to think about him being away. She said she would put her tree up in June and we would celebrate up till he left. Little did we know it would be her last Christmas with us too. We have put up a Christmas tree in honor and remembrance of Grandma Fox and it will be up until Steven returns home from his mission. Grandma is pleased and excited for Steven, I know. I am sure she is hoping he goes to Scotland!  :) 

Steven and Grandma Fox in front of the Salt Lake Temple

Today is just a regular day....cleaning house, doing laundry, etc.  Steven is very excited to see the Stake President on Sunday afternoon.  His papers are all complete, ready to go.  Last night we went and saw Pacific Rim.  Steven said, "Hey, if I am called to Tokyo, maybe I will see some of those buildings!"  Tokyo!?!  That seems so very far away.  He has the "I'll go where you want me to go" attitude though.  It's great!

Love you Steven! and Sheri, too!
Mom

Well, here we are!  Just days before Steven turns in his mission papers to the Stake President.  He is so very excited!  He asked the other day if it was o.k. for him to pray that his papers come back in a week.  I told him that he could, but that mom might not.  I am very excited for him, just very nervous to have him go out into the world.  His excitement is contagious though.  I see it in his smile every time he mentions his mission.

Today he was watching for the mailman.  He said, "O.k. mom.  The mailman shows up at 10:30.  I will be waiting by the window every day at 10:30 watching for him, then run out to get the mail".  He says that he will run in and open his call as soon as he gets it.  I told him, "Oh no you won't.  You need to call dad and wait for him to come home first."  He wasn't very excited about that.  He has a list of people he will be visiting, calling or emailing to tell them about his call.

I have been reflecting on his younger years as all of this excitement is unfolding.  What a wonderful little boy he was.  I remember sitting in his room with him while he played and watching how he took such great care in stacking his blocks, or racing his cars.  He was always very focused on what he was doing.  Then when his sister came along he focused on her and he always took great care of her.  Often at church, or at school he would be given a treat.  He would always ask for another for his sister.  If he couldn't get another, he would save HIS treat and give it to his sister when he got home.  To this day he still does that.  He came home from the trek the other day.  His sister had to come home early because of heat stroke.  As I walked into the living room he was taking out of his pocket a baggie of cookies.  He handed them to his sister and said, "I saved these for you."  He is a great big brother.  He is a great son.  Not a day has gone by that he hasn't told his sister that he loves her.  He also tells her often that she is a great little sister.  One day I hope Sheri realizes how much her big brother loves her.

Our exciting journey into "a son serving a mission" is beginning.  I am grateful for the Spirit touching our hearts knowing that this is the right thing.  There are so very many people that ask about Steven's mission.  We go to the grocery store and they ask if her has received his call, to the doctor, to school, to church, to Kuk Sool Won.  Everywhere we go we are asked about his mission.  What a great way to start....sharing the Gospel with everyone around you BEFORE you leave!

I love you, Steven.
Mom