Start at the Very Beginning ... the Phone Call

Start at the very beginning .... We knew we were going to serve a mission. We had been encouraged all our married life in meetings, especially Stake Conference to prepare to serve a mission and to set a date when you would serve. We have talked about it for many years in our South African study group and in other forums. We weren't sure when retirement would be as we had not figured out the financial, health logistics etc., but we knew we would go. In late August or late September 2015  I received a  phone call from a former roommate of mine who was serving a mission in England London  South. It was a Saturday morning and quite surprise to hear from here as we only talk every ten years or so. She told me why she was serving a mission, and asked if we had considered serving a mission. They had been talking as an office about future missionaries and she thought of us. I told her we had thought about serving a mission, but we were both working and didn't know when we would retire. We talked for a few moments as she told me about her mission and then we hung up. Shortly after that I just  had the feeling that we should prepare to accept this invitation. The next day I emailed her back. Email dated October 25, 2015

Dear Lana,

First of all, I was so excited to read your email and I am so proud of your decision to serve a mission. I remember many talks before you went to the temple and now you are serving in an area where you are so close to the temple....

Secondly your invitation to serve has put me into spiritual and emotional "chaos" but not really. Steve and I have been talking about a mission for years, but I had told him it is not just about retiring it is about seriously preparing to serve. He was released as Bishop in the spring and we still feel like we have meaningful opportunities to serve, but I found myself saying things like, "If we work a few more years we can have more money saved and maybe I could live in France for six months after I retire. I really didn't think I would work beyond this year, but I hadn't shared that with anyone. I have so much I want to do, especially in regards to Family History.

So, if there is still a need in the London South Mission we have decided we should serve. I would quit work in December and spend the following months getting ready. I really don't need to have my other knee replaced. I was doing knees as a proactive approach, knowing that we are double covered right now, but I don't have pain in either knee and I will start walking long distances in preparation.

Elder Anderson lives in our ward and in Conference he spoke of faith being a choice and it is time to make that choice. I have been brought to tears a number of times, the last being as we were traveling to Farmington for our grandchildren's Primary Program this morning and on the radio was playing, "I Will Go Where You Want Me To Go."  If we can still serve I will share some experiences of the past two weeks, but your call and the faith you exercised calling is one of the primary reasons we have come to this point. If you think we can be of service that we will go. Let me know. Have a wonderful week. I will enjoy your weekly reports. Thank you.

Love Sharon

Well as it turned out I couldn't quit work in December, as there were too many things to work out. I might have been able to retire at the end of they year, but I missed notification deadlines that I never knew existed and would loose a significant amount of money.  So, the next date to turn in my letter of retirement was December 1, 2016 and by Thanksgiving I knew it was time to write the letters. Steve retired mid-December 2016 and I  retired mid February 2017 at the end of the first semester. Between finishing school, handing all the information over to a new counselor and doing all that needed to be done to retire and fill  in  missionary papers it was all a blur for a number of months. So many details and the District and URS did not make it easy, making a number of mistakes, missing information etc.



Left to Right: Maddie, Kyler, Sadie, Cole, Lillie   
 and Hallie submitting our mission papers

So we filled out our mission papers the end of November/beginning of December, had all the interviews, completed all the necessary tests etc. and had our grandchildren submit them for us. Our formal call came, I made copies of it for each grandchild and they were the ones who read it out loud.

And then there were the details of what to do with the home ... SOLVED a number of our children would  have been more than willing to occupy it. Anthony and Taylor and Sadie are now living there, but it has been a huge project to get ready;  complete mission papers and medical appointments, buy clothes,  keep up with at first work and then daily routines, and clean out enough of the house for them to live in. It wasn't even  finished when we left, but leave we DID!