Big moment

 Last night we went to Provo to be there when Hyrum opened his mission call.  By opened, I mean read the email.  You used to open an envelope.

Things have changed.

He opened an email and about five phones were pointed at him, live-streaming the event.  I was there when Marianne opened her mission call.  She tore open the envelope and had a phone cradled by her ear and read it out loud for everyone in the room and our parents, on the phone.

Things have changed.

What hasn't changed is the excitement of the moment.  The room erupted when Hyrum read that he was called to serve in Ghana.  He staggered a little and went a little pale before he read the words.  It was surprising.  And exciting.  

I am thrilled for him and really for Ghana in general.

I have been thinking about that moment, the big moment in our culture where missionaries open their letters/emails.  It is life changing.

The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that it's way more than that moment.  For one thing, the location may change.  A lot of mission locations have changed in the last year.  It's not the exact location that changes lives.

And it's more than that moment.

The exciting cheers that went up when he read Ghana were the culmination of generations who worked hard and had faith and made brave choices.  It was the culmination of Hyrum working hard, having faith and making brave choices.  It was a reflection of him being taught by primary teachers and Sunday School teachers and seminary teachers and his good, good parents.

And now the life changing part is up to him.

I have a lot of confidence in him.  It is a wonderful thing!