MISSION CALL

It’s now or never!!.....time to serve a senior mission together!!  Jim and I have wanted to serve a mission for quite awhile, but the timing with work and family has not lined up until now.  (And that said, it is still a big step forward of faith in a lot of loose ends!)  Such a big defining time of our lives!!

On Sunday, June 1st, Pres. Peters informed us that our papers were officially submitted.  After knowing our papers were in, an incredible peace came over both of us.  It was an instant deepening of faith to know that it was totally in the Lord’s hands and a trust in His servants following inspired revelation.  We truly felt at peace that anywhere we were assigned would be just right for us!  I had some very heartfelt desires in my personal prayers:  first, that it might be somewhere we could serve the poor and the needy (I had strong impressions over and over in that area during my scripture study time); second, that we might be in a place where both of our strengths could be shared and have an impactful influence with others; third, that the situation would be right for Jim’s work - either someplace he could manage loose ends easily, still communicate, and keep things going OR someplace that would be remote enough he would have to cut off and be more “all in” - both scenarios were valid; and fourth, that it might be an opportunity to fulfill a line in my patriarchal blessing about serving newly converted young mothers in the church and help them find joy in their responsibilities (kind of hard to do in Utah!).   

On Friday, June 13th, at 5:28 p.m., a quick 12 days after submitting our papers, we received a message that we could check our missionary portal for our assignment!!  We were shocked how fast it came since the application said to expect 3 to 6 weeks for senior missionary calls.  Jim and I decided to open it up together just by ourselves.  We drove up to Red Pines in Little Cottonwood Canyon and found a spot close to where we were when we got engaged nearly 40 years ago!   We wanted the personal moment to just absorb it together. There we discovered the call that is changing our lives……MLS Missionaries (Member Leader Support) in the Cambodia Phnom Phen West Mission starting Sept. 8th!!!!!!   What a flood of happy and humbling emotions!!!!!!  Here a week later, we are still in quite a daze…..is this really happening?!?!?!  

On our application, we listed 8 different preferences and 4 types of missions.  We did half international and half state-side.  And the church makes it very clear on the forms to not necessarily expect any of those places listed!  It could be anywhere. Honestly, we felt very content with wherever the call would take us!  Cambodia was one of many but was definitely my biggest desire and hope.   We have a couple of Cambodian connections but were still happily surprised. Kyla (daughter-in-law) is half Cambodian (would share a legacy), and on my mission as a 21-year-old in Hong Kong, I served 3 months in a Cambodian refugee camp.  But there were several things that we thought would keep us from going there, especially a medical issue Jim has with a damaged kidney. The doctor said that would most likely keep us state-side, close to a more major facility.  In fact, the very next day after submitting the papers, the missionary medical department contacted Jim for a more detailed report.  Jim had also talked with a main missionary director who said there were really no openings there and that visas needed to be processed months before.  He was not encouraging at all. Odds against us. After opening our call, Jim said in a very sweet tone, “The Lord certainly knows and loves you, Cathy.”  It is an overwhelming feeling of humility and gratitude.

Jim and I decided to not tell a single person that we had received our call (let alone “where”) until Sunday, on Fathers Day, when we were getting together with our children.  Near the end of dinner, we said that it had been about 2 weeks now since submitting papers - what are some of the guesses??  How would you like to see “the opening” play out?  People were saying this, that, and the other, and suddenly Logan asked in a somewhat hesitant voice, “Wait.  Have you received your call?”  He was putting it together!  “YES!!”  Wow, were they shocked!!!  We pulled off the surprise!!!  (Yes, ME, who does not have a poker-face at all!)  Mary and Spencer were able to Facetime in then, and we read the call out loud and shared the moment of absolute joy together!!! Lots of questions, lots of exclamations, lots of on-the-spot internet learning.  It was the perfect family time - such love, such happiness, such testimony!!!