Called to Serve

What a great day last Wednesday was. Michael, Annie and I were up way before the crack of dawn to get the final packing done and get to Long Beach in time to catch the 6:45 AM flight to SLC. Michael met his first MTC elder on the Flight. Elder Lopez from Cerritos was scheduled to check into the MTC at 12:30 - 30 minutes after Michael's noon check in. Elder Lopez is on his way to the Philippines. We arrived in Salt Lake on time, picked up a rental car then were off to Cafe Rio to meet up with John, Beth and Jack, the Springville Emmett's and the older half of the Lundberg crew. I understand that not a Wednesday goes by without a missionary or two coming into Cafe Rio as the last stop on the way to the MTC. Because of Mission President's training going on, Michael checked into the Stadium Chapel - the church house just west of the football stadium. Elder Whitney and Sister Kathy Clayton stopped by on their lunch break from the missionary training to say goodbye and to give Michael a gift of personalized Denver South stationary. We were among the last ones into the meeting and missed almost all of "Called to Serve." After the final tearful video, Michael stepped up, gave us all a hung and a kiss and was among the first missionaries out the side door. We all had a few tears in our eyes, especially John, who lost it during the video when one of the Elders talked about how his little brother cried when he left and John pictured Michael as a 10 year old giving his brother John a final tearful hug before he left for Denmark. Outside, I tried in vain to keep my commitment to Michael that I wouldn't cry, instead I would do black flips down the street. Oh well, I did cry and I couldn't do a back flip. Godspeed to Elder Emmett.