Missionaries

Within the last few months I have had to say many goodbyes to many of my close friends. One of the hardest parts of college, I believe, is the constant changing; nothing is very permanent. For the most part I will see many of them in 4 months when we all come back for school or I can talk to them on the phone, text, or email. But being at the age I am almost half of my friends are leaving for two years. Some are easier than others to say goodbye to. Some I was kind of good friends with, some I was very close to, and some I was close to but then let our friendship slip and was sad when I realized it was too late to change that. I am also a total bawl-baby. So a few had to witness my crying. A few I will probably see when they come back, many I will not just because in two years things change and grow apart. That's the hardest part but I believe that I have gotten a little better at goodbyes... or so I thought. This last Wednesday I had to say a hard goodbye. My cousin Andrew Redd left for the MTC where he will prepare to serve in the Ecuador Quito mission. This goodbye I think was the hardest because I am very close to him and he always makes family functions worth going to because I know he will be there and for two years he won't be there. So much will change in two years and thinking of him not being there for the big ones is hard to imagine. The comfort I get from this boy leaving is that he is my family and I am stuck with him for forever! I don't get a choice so that's comforting but I will miss him. But through the hard goodbyes and sadness I'm grateful for these wonderful and brave men who go out on their own to strange places to tell our brothers and sisters about the gospel. I'm thankful for this gospel and that these boys get this opportunity. I know these boys will have the experience of a lifetime doing a service for our Heavenly Father and I know that while they may be out of my life for two years and I will greatly miss them, Heavenly Father will protect them and bless them and will gain experiences that they couldn't get by hanging out with goofy old me. So it's all bittersweet but I'm glad I get to be a part of these boys experience through letters and emails to see these boys turn into men and grow in ways that wouldn't be possible without this experience! So although I will miss them, I am even more proud, happy, and glad they are doing what they are doing!

"May all of us rise up as men of God and bless the nations of the earth with greater testimony and spiritual power than we ever have before." David A. Bednar


 Me and Andrew before he entered the MTC. He was worried that he might be breaking some rule by being that close to me hahaha I love that kid!!