They say that the more you do something, the easier it gets, but I'm here to say that that is definitely not true when it comes to sending missionaries out into the world for 18-24 months! We are on our fourth time around and perhaps the actual process of getting them physically ready is a bit easier, but certainly not emotionally. And when I say, "emotionally," I'm not talking about her. This girl was as ready as they come. As with all of our other missionaries, she was very independent with the whole process of applying and submitting her papers. With her epilepsy, she had a lot more hiccups and hurdles along the way than our other missionaries, but she navigated them with poise, patience, and independence. By the time it was time to drop her off at the MTC (on New Year's Eve), she was excited and ready.
Me, not so much. With her being my baby AND having an ongoing health issue, it felt like an even bigger leap of faith to send her out into the world, than with her older siblings. Having said that though, we couldn't be prouder of her decision to serve a mission. We do not pressure our children to serve whatsoever. They grew up knowing that Glen's mission meant the world to him and they certainly know they come from a legacy of missionary service (5 of my siblings, 1 of Glen's, my parents, and many great-aunts, uncles, and great-grandparents), but we felt strongly that the decision to serve their own missions had to stem solely from them. It's been a beautiful thing for us, as parents, to watch them as they've prayed, pondered, and ultimately made the decision to step away from their schooling and social lives to serve the Lord completely on their own.
I'll be honest, it was a really hard goodbye for me, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm glad she is where she is and I know she's going to change lives! 💓
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