A MOTHER'S THOUGHTS

It takes a tremendous leap of faith for a mother (forever the advocate and protector) to consider having a son or daughter (whom we have cherished and loved profoundly since before their conception) leave home and family to serve as a full-time missionary. They will put aside comforts, relationships, schooling, employment, dating, cell phones, music, recreation, athletic or other personal pursuits, all but the most limited contact with family and many of the familiarities and daily components they have used for coping with the stress and uncertainty of their young lives. They will be "set-apart" and put on the "uniform" which will identify them immediately wherever they go as ambassadors and representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church. They will be subjected to ridicule, scorn, hatred, discouragement, loneliness, boredom, fatigue and sometimes even primitive living conditions, violence, danger and illness. They will travel through places and neighborhoods we never would venture ourselves. They will be beyond our reach. We cannot protect, comfort, help or rescue them. We will be denied the pleasure of their company, the spark and joy they bring to our lives. How could we permit, let alone encourage this? A loving, gracious Heavenly Father hears our prayers, understands our fears and knows the desires of our hearts. He gives us courage and comfort. He confirms our faith in powerful ways. We feel honored that our children are willing and qualified to serve; humbled and thrilled about the sacred task entrusted to them. We trust in the wisdom of our Lord. We are profoundly grateful for their opportunity to learn personal discipline, to work hard, to love others more than self, to be immersed in other cultures, learn to get along and live with all types of people, to witness and participate in miracles, to experience first hand how the gospel of Jesus Christ changes and profoundly blesses lives and to rely not on their own understanding but to seek, obtain and act upon personal revelation and direction from the Lord through the spirit of the Holy Ghost. We know our Savior is our partner in raising our (His) children. They will return to us grown and improved. Some of their "rough spots" will become smooth. They will learn things during their brief missions that it might take a lifetime to learn otherwise. They will become schooled in the scriptures and things of the spirit; their testimonies will be magnified, they will experience and understand true charity. They will become personally acquainted with the Savior of mankind. What a wonderful Church we belong to; what a wonderful plan Heavenly Father in his infinite wisdom created. Like most things in life, those things which are the hardest for us to do, those things which require sacrifice and putting it all on the altar, which require us to take that leap of faith into the unknown are also the things which become the most sweet, most treasured, most sacred to us. It is with tears of humble, sweet joy that I join again that vast group of faithful, strong women and call myself a Missionary Mom.