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Monday, May 12, 2014

Mother's Day SKYPE Session With Elder 9!

These may not be of as much interest to the viewer as they are to our family, nevertheless, they are still handsome men to behold, so enjoy! 

These are the photos I snapped while skyping with Elder Nine and his companion, Elder P. What lovely goofballs!


 Once I remembered to snap photos.... it began...





 "What? What did I do?"



 Telling us about chasing after the two guys at the abandoned home! Crazy boy!





 Yes, they had just gotten back from Church, and evidently were hungry. So thankful for great people in the ward that feed them, care for them, and open up their homes, ON MOTHER'S DAY no less!, to let them Skype home!! I pray God will bless them greatly!




 In the middle of the conversation, Elder Nine hops down onto the floor, disappears, and then next thing we see are two big soles staring us in the face. Meanwhile Elder P is like photo-bombing the picture with "Hello!" in the background!   

Now, Dr. Martens are known to last - These are wearing thin on the soles already after 9 1/2 months in the mission field. Partly from walking, running through abandoned homes, jumping over brick fences, and riding bicycles (the peddles tear up shoes).






He wouldn't smile naturally, always making joker faces. So I snapped this one real quick to catch his lovely NATURAL smile!  Silly boy of mine!  (That I love and miss SO SO much!)



 Trying to look at Emily's iPhone case... and all the stickers she has on it.





 Here, they had finished eating, and Elder Nine decided it'd be a great time to put a cube of ice in his mouth and then spit it out. Always the one to make goofy faces! :P




 Brother M came in to tell them the last 4 minutes were up. Time to hang up and then turn around and Skype Elder P's family! So they all said goodby and "I heart you".

THE. BEST. MOTHER'S DAY. GIFT. EVER.

I am so proud of our son - not just because of what he is doing. Anyone can do what he is doing. I am proud of him because of the WAY he is doing it. He chose, early on, and thanks to the influence of the Spirit, his parents, and some great friends who set a great example before him, to serve God with all his heart, might, mind, and strength. He chose it. Of his own free will. That is amazing to me. Amazing that someone of his age, who could easily be out there choosing "the world and its ways," instead chose to serve God, fully and completely, and devote two whole years of his life as "tithing" on his life, forgetting and sacrificing and leaving behind his entire life to become a disciple of Christ in the fullest sense and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who (majority) don't even care to listen, and to those who spit upon them, curse at them, chase them, throw things at them, and try to harm them, and let's not forget the ones that just slam the doors on them. 

Do you know what it's like to live with that 24/7 and still keep up your enthusiasm, your hope, your faith, and your desire to go out and serve more people and teach more people the truths of the Gospel?  It is HARD.  I've tasted that life, and it is HARD. 

What a testimony it is to me to see my son doing this. He could not and would not do it if the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not real and truly THE Gospel of Christ. That faith and testimony burn within Elder Nine's heart and soul. THAT is what makes him strong enough and capable of being able to do what he does day-in/day-out..... spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ to a world who needs those teachings above all else, yet a world who largely rejects the very Balm of Gilead that the Savior is offering them through His servants.

Yes, I am proud of our son. Truly no greater joy could come to a parent's heart than to see their child choose such a path, and to see the great knowledge and experience he is gaining, and to see the spiritual and mental maturity that is coming upon him. I stand all amazed at this miracle happening before our very eyes!  Oh how grateful I am for Elder Nine serving valiantly! How grateful I am for a God who watches over him, guides him, and blesses him. How grateful I am for his very existence and for "tithing" his two years! He fills our hearts with joy and thanksgiving!



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