:: Blessings ::

What great blessings have came to my missionary and my family as he diligently serves the Lord. I am very cognizant that sending Cody off on his mission is the right thing to do.  The MTC is a blessed, emotional wonderful time. It is awespiring for him to be tutored by the lord and have this great, "crash course on life" experience of a mission. He told me in one of his emails that he had great experiences while in the MTC. You could feel the spirit in the MTC. This has helped the missionaries learn what they need to and the missionaries enter in the MTC with great anticipation of the preparation they need to serve out in the field. Their learning is prompted by the Lord. It continues in the mission field. They are so wonderful and have such good hearts. When they are out tracting, it's as if their spirits are glowing. Missionaries have the true spirit of Christ and at such a great magnitude.

While inside the MTC the spirit of God helps these young missionaries learn what they need to for their mission out in the field. Cody has so much faith and love for Christ and many other people. It's just amazing to watch the interactions that he has with everyone he comes in contact with. When he was set apart as a missionary, he was so happy and invigorated. Cody has no doubts about the Priesthood of the church. When you are set apart, the spirit helps guide those setting you apart. That blessing is so special, He was told that he is of great worth and the Lord is proud of the choice he has made. From that time forward his testimony has grown by leaps and bounds.
It was devistating for me when he left. It had felt as if my life had been shattered.  It's so hard for me to not have him right here with me. But I know it's better for him and our family and friends to comply with his wishes. He has been out in the field and is currently having a hard time finding investigators. So he is putting himself in Gods hands and wishes to have no correspondence until he gets past this hard part of his mission. It's hard on us because all we want to do is support him. But we don't need to worry about him being taken care of. For he has God, his companion and President and Sister Weaver.  Lorenzo Snow said "There is no mortal man that is so much interested in the success of an elder when he is preaching the gospel as the Lord that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord's children." I knew at that point that I needed to turn him over to the Lord, and He could make so much more of him than I could as a parent at that time. So I did, and it made all the difference in my sons life and my life. The Lord listens to our prayers and is always with those missionaries through the good days and bad days I then knew what I needed to do. I told him I  have great faith in him and the Lord with my son and would support him and pray for him in his calling. And I do.

When Cody received his calling to go to a special mission area. I knew without a doubt in my heart that the Lord knows what he is doing. Cody has been sent out into the world to help people who need it so much. It was not by accident that he has great work to do in Tacoma, Washington.  Ever since then I have come to realize that there were others who needed my son so much more than I needed him right then, so it helped me gain the perspective that I needed. As Cody was leaving, I felt the virtue and goodness leaving home, but it was okay since he would go on to bless so many other's homes with that same goodness and virtue.

I needed to have the same faith that our missionaries do. I need to trust the Lord and the mission president to do what is best for my son. And not drive myself crazy when I can't do anything from so far away besides pray and have faith. "Be still and know that I am God", and know that He loves him even more than I do. And the mission presidents do love and care for our children like they are their own.

Another thought that helped me so much more as a parent, sending my child to serve the Lord, I just couldn't help to know the Lord is just grinning from ear to ear as He contemplates getting your child all to Himself, away from all of his normal support systems so that he will have to learn to depend on Him. Only in this situation will he develop the relationship with his Father in Heaven and Christ that is essential in order to succeed as a missionary, and it will help him his whole life. Cody always likes to make others happy. He loves doing service, so as he accomplishes this stregnth that he has and use it in a positive manner to share the gospel with people that God has reserved for him to teach. In every email I get from him, he reminds me to be happy.

Section 84 in the D&C has become one of my favorite chapters of scripture, especially verse 88 where it talks about the Lord being on the right hand and left and angels around our missionaries.

Those wonderful mission emails are a great compensation that will forever be in my heart while he is gone. These emails bring such a wonderful spirit into my home. That is what keeps me going and little by little my faith increases.  But I also have a hole in my heart because I can't see him or talk to him.  I've lost so much of my testimony, faith and love for others, because of other experiences that have happened to me in the not so long ago. But just like all the other missionary moms, we are glued to the computer waiting with great anticipation for those emails that become treasures to us.  They fill that void that we have. 

Have a great day!!