I wasn't really thinking much about scheduling Hannie's farewell until she asked me the date. Turns out, the Mechams wanted to come see her off, if possible, and they needed to buy plane tickets.
I pause here again (as always) to comment on the amazing friends we have. We have been so blessed as a family to have friends who care about our kids as if they are family. It means so much to me especially.
So, we set the date for January 22.
Two weeks before the farewell, one of the members of the bishopric approached me about "all the friends and family we would have in attendance" and wondered if there was one of them that I wanted to speak. I wasn't sure why I was asked (and not Hannah), and I thought farewells weren't really encouraged anymore--you know, the kind where the entire family of the missionary speaks. Not to discourage my girl getting the attention I felt she deserved though, I asked Hannie who she would like, and she picked Aunt Beth.
Then, Hannah was told that there wouldn't be a youth speaker since Hannah and Beth were speaking. This didn't really make sense to me, because that meant at least 20 minutes for each of them, and if you've ever sat through a 20 minute talk, it's long. Plus, asking a future missionary to speak for that length of time? That seemed difficult.
So, I suggested Grammy. She was already coming with Beth, and John has spoken about her so many times in his talks that I figured people would basically already know her. I thought it would be nice if she bore her testimony about the influence of the gospel in her life, and how her listening to the missionaries 40+ years ago changed her family's stars.
As it turned out, it was one of the most beautiful and spiritual sacrament meetings I've ever attended. Grammy did indeed speak about the blessings the gospel brought into her life. Beth spoke about the power of prayer and having faith (always good things for a missionary), and Johannah spoke about the Savior.
You know, for the past year or two, I've been thinking how good it would be for Johannah to serve a mission. The fact that she suffers from symptoms of Tourette's syndrome affects her interactions with other people. As much as she has tried to change her ways, there's something pretty powerful about neurons in the brain and how they are wired.
So, I've thought that a mission could really help her. It would force her into a million different social situations.
Funny how we try and force God's hand though sometimes, and how he doesn't allow it.
As the time got nearer for her to go on her mission, Nature kicked in. Since Johannah was diagnosed with Tourette's, we've known that at some point (probably as a young adult), the symptoms of Tourette's would vanish. It happens usually at the end of puberty. And so it has been over the last six months. Many of the social problems have vanished, and she is as happy and friendly and funny as my other kids.
And as I had a moment to think about her leaving on her mission, I realized that she didn't need to leave on a mission anymore. At least, she doesn't need to leave for any reason that I could come up with.
And yet, as she was speaking on that Sunday, and I was hearing her bear witness of her Savior and His love for us, I knew that she needed to leave for God's purpose.
As I listened to her, I had an overpowering feeling that she will be a force for good for a lot of people (both companions and Ecuadorians), and that she will be a strength to others. I think some missionaries go out, needing help to grow and become whom they should be, and others go out to be a light. She has it all together. She's organized, she's spiritual, she's humble, she's obedient, and she's loving. I have no doubt that she will be that light.
And as I listened to her share the story of us trying to catch a sheep in Ireland, versus the Savior who leads the sheep, I could see that she will be a reflection of all that is good about Jesus Christ.
It was such a beautiful farewell. As John said, he hears a lot of missionaries give reports when they return from their missions, and her talk was better than most of them...and she hasn't even left yet.
How thankful I felt, sitting in that congregation that day, and how blessed I felt, being her mother.
I pause here again (as always) to comment on the amazing friends we have. We have been so blessed as a family to have friends who care about our kids as if they are family. It means so much to me especially.
So, we set the date for January 22.
Two weeks before the farewell, one of the members of the bishopric approached me about "all the friends and family we would have in attendance" and wondered if there was one of them that I wanted to speak. I wasn't sure why I was asked (and not Hannah), and I thought farewells weren't really encouraged anymore--you know, the kind where the entire family of the missionary speaks. Not to discourage my girl getting the attention I felt she deserved though, I asked Hannie who she would like, and she picked Aunt Beth.
Then, Hannah was told that there wouldn't be a youth speaker since Hannah and Beth were speaking. This didn't really make sense to me, because that meant at least 20 minutes for each of them, and if you've ever sat through a 20 minute talk, it's long. Plus, asking a future missionary to speak for that length of time? That seemed difficult.
So, I suggested Grammy. She was already coming with Beth, and John has spoken about her so many times in his talks that I figured people would basically already know her. I thought it would be nice if she bore her testimony about the influence of the gospel in her life, and how her listening to the missionaries 40+ years ago changed her family's stars.
As it turned out, it was one of the most beautiful and spiritual sacrament meetings I've ever attended. Grammy did indeed speak about the blessings the gospel brought into her life. Beth spoke about the power of prayer and having faith (always good things for a missionary), and Johannah spoke about the Savior.
You know, for the past year or two, I've been thinking how good it would be for Johannah to serve a mission. The fact that she suffers from symptoms of Tourette's syndrome affects her interactions with other people. As much as she has tried to change her ways, there's something pretty powerful about neurons in the brain and how they are wired.
So, I've thought that a mission could really help her. It would force her into a million different social situations.
Funny how we try and force God's hand though sometimes, and how he doesn't allow it.
As the time got nearer for her to go on her mission, Nature kicked in. Since Johannah was diagnosed with Tourette's, we've known that at some point (probably as a young adult), the symptoms of Tourette's would vanish. It happens usually at the end of puberty. And so it has been over the last six months. Many of the social problems have vanished, and she is as happy and friendly and funny as my other kids.
And as I had a moment to think about her leaving on her mission, I realized that she didn't need to leave on a mission anymore. At least, she doesn't need to leave for any reason that I could come up with.
And yet, as she was speaking on that Sunday, and I was hearing her bear witness of her Savior and His love for us, I knew that she needed to leave for God's purpose.
As I listened to her, I had an overpowering feeling that she will be a force for good for a lot of people (both companions and Ecuadorians), and that she will be a strength to others. I think some missionaries go out, needing help to grow and become whom they should be, and others go out to be a light. She has it all together. She's organized, she's spiritual, she's humble, she's obedient, and she's loving. I have no doubt that she will be that light.
And as I listened to her share the story of us trying to catch a sheep in Ireland, versus the Savior who leads the sheep, I could see that she will be a reflection of all that is good about Jesus Christ.
It was such a beautiful farewell. As John said, he hears a lot of missionaries give reports when they return from their missions, and her talk was better than most of them...and she hasn't even left yet.
How thankful I felt, sitting in that congregation that day, and how blessed I felt, being her mother.
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