It is here today!!

At about 5 pm this evening Steven went out to get the mail.  Our mailman was about 4 hours late today.  All of a sudden I heard a loud scream and "My call is here!!"  I think Steven flew across the street to get into the house!  We all gathered together in the living room and he anxiously opened the letter.  He read the first couple of lines, then broke down as he read....Japan Nagoya Mission.  He continued to read the entire letter.  Steven has been praying just to be called, but in his heart he has wanted to serve in Japan.  He will report to the MTC in Provo on December 11, 2013. I figure, one Christmas in the MTC, one Christmas in Japan, then the next Christmas at home!  I can handle that!  We are so proud of him.  He is so excited and ready to serve.  What a great example he is to me.  Next week will be full of haircut, passport, flu shot....  Steven keeps saying, "This feels so surreal". This is what he has been waiting for all of his life!  It is here.  Where has all the time gone?  But it is wonderful and he is ready and mom is happy.

Maybe today?

We are still awaiting Steven's call. Should be here this week! It is a great lesson in patience for him!  He keeps asking if we can't call the post office and tell them to hurry up the mail.  ;). It will come!  As I contemplate his service I would share with him what M. Russell Ballard has said, "Ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His children. Go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love. stay focused. Your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible. The Spirit will guide you, and you will be able to discern those in need of a particular service that only you may be able to give."  

410,974....

Steven received an email from the Missionary Department.  His missionary number is 410,974.  That number may mean absolutely nothing to anyone else in the world, but to Steven it is a very special number!  He had it memorized as soon as he read it. 

 He is lifting weights, running, and bicycling to be prepared for his mission.  He is a motivation to the whole family!  Today I watched him walk down the sidewalk at church and I felt the thrill of being a missionary mom.  It is a great feeling.  The gospel is true.  I am so grateful that we have children who want to serve their Heavenly Father and strive each day to be more like Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.  For Family Home Evenings (a night set aside for families to be together and learn about the gospel and have fun together) we are enjoying Steven and Sheri teaching missionary discussions to us.  We usually end up laughing hysterically for one reason or another, but it is great to watch them share their testimonies with us in their own ways.  

Answer the phone!

This morning I was doing house work and the phone rang.  I really didn't want to answer it because I was in the middle of something, but I felt, "Answer the phone now."  So I picked it up.  I heard, "This is Dr. Heron (sp?).  I am the doctor for the MTC.  I am calling in regards to Steven.  I said, "This is his mom!"  Then we preceded to talk about a health issue of Steven's.  I explained that it was all taken care of and he told me that he was so happy to hear that.  He told me that he would send Steven's papers right to the First Presidency at that moment.  Isn't technology amazing!! He said, "Congratulations, mom.  Your son will receive his mission call any day."  I ran outside, as Steven was out cutting down some trees for me. I told Steven who I had just talked to and what was said and he hooted and hollered. It is all beginning to feel real!  

Still waiting....

Steven received word today that his call should be here by the end of August!  He is thrilled. As he is waiting he loves to play with our Malamute, Mattie.  She loves him so much.  We got her two years ago.  She was raised with pugs, so she thinks she is a small dog. She will not jump over a fence that is 2 feet tall because she thinks she is too small....even though she could just walk over it.  She has a hard time jumping out of the van because she thinks it is such a far drop.  It is sometimes hilarious.  On very rare occasions she gets to come inside and will jump right up on Sheri's lap, just like a little dog, not realizing she is crushing Sheri!  To her, Steven is her big toy.  She sees him and she comes running ready to play!  She is only 125 pounds and stands 6' tall.  Every day Steven comes in from playing with her and says, "I sure am going to miss her."  I think she will miss him more!

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.