Saying Goodbyes and Entering the MTC

After we landed in Utah late on Monday night, it quickly became a whirlwind of activity getting ready to drop Sister Goold off at the Missionary Training Center on Wednesday afternoon.

We had some shopping to do, some things to gather, etc.    But for as much as she tried to stay focused on actually getting ready, really at this point, she just wanted to eat up her last few hours being a semi-normal 19-year-old.     We (and I do mean she AND I, since she was already a set apart missionary) went out to lunch and met a friend at the temple for a session.  

Then we came back (later than we'd expected) to my parent's home to hang out with lots of relatives at the open house my mom and sisters planned.  

Cami's friends stayed later at the open house than everyone else and she enjoyed one more night of being social.  

She practiced her missionary safe goodbyes, but ended up laughing more than anything else.  

Wednesday morning dawned too early and eventually it was time to get in the car and head to Provo.

Cami randomly ran into one of her favorite babysitting families in the parking lot at BYU.   The Welch's hold a special place in Cami's heart and I think she was as excited to see them as they were to see her.   

We spent the last hour before I dropped her off at the MTC, at the Wilkinson Center, so she could say her last goodbyes for the next 18-months.   Sister Welch (the mom of the kids above) even ran from the class she was teaching, so she could join in on the fun! 

There were no tears here, just some great friends really happy to spend a few more minutes together.

Leaving time came all too soon though...

and Sister Goold and I reluctantly jumped in the car for the 2 minute drive to the Missionary Training Center.   She made a few phone calls (to Glen and her siblings) along the way...

and before I knew it I was leaving a piece of my heart behind there in the drop-off lane.  

Goodbyes are quick at the MTC, but that didn't stop the floodgates from opening.   I had to quickly pull over after leaving the MTC  and regain my composure before it was safe for me to drive again.  

I am thrilled beyond belief for Cami and know that great adventures lie ahead for her, but, man, we sure are going to miss her for the next year-and-a-half.  

********************************

Fun facts: 

*August 3rd was a big day at the Provo MTC and 819 other missionaries also started their missions that day.  

*Cami's first companion, Sister Jones,  is the niece of a good friend of ours.  They were in the same ward at BYU and are also both in the nursing program. They had connected beforehand and Cami was very excited about having her as a companion. 

*Sister Goold's P-Day (short for preparation day) while she is in the MTC is on Fridays.  Basically that means, that's the only day she'll have access to email, so make sure you send your emails before then.   

Sister Goold's address at the MTC (until Sept 13th) is: 

Sister Camille Rose Goold
SEP13 FRA-LYON
2005 N 900 E Unit 118
Provo UT 84602

Her email address is:  

camille.goold@myldsmail.net 

Leaving Home

The day has finally arrived!!   On Monday, August 1st, Sister Goold  and I hopped on a plane to Utah.  Our original flight had been delayed, which meant that our layover in Denver was down to less than 10-minutes long.   Since Cami has recently spent the night on the Denver airport floor and was not anxious to repeat the experience, we scrambled to find a new flight that would be less risky for getting stuck.   We ended up finding a great nonstop flight that got in a good two hours before the other one, however it left from BWI, rather than Dulles, which meant we had to leave IN A HURRY to drive the extra 40 miles!    With 15-minutes notice now, Cami had to scramble and pull  the last few things together.

We made it, even through rush hour traffic, just in time.   Everyone jumped out and said their goodbyes....

and waved as Cami went off on her 18-month adventure!   

Before she left, she met with as many friends and relatives as possible to say her "see ya laters"!   

We ate up our Cami time as much as we could and planned little else.

We did, however, throw in a family photo shoot...

as well as a trip to see Phantom of the Opera at the Kennedy Center.

We will miss our Cami Rose! 

Setting Apart Day

On Sunday, July 31st, Cami was officially  set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by our stake president, Scott Wheatley.   It was a beautiful blessing that brought us a lot of comfort as we get set to send her off into the world for the next 18-months.  I was an emotional mess that whole day,  especially during the setting apart meeting, but I was also so happy to see her happy and peaceful knowing that she is off to do a great work in France.    

After the blessing, she put her pin up on the Oakton Stake Missionary bulletin board and we gathered for some pictures.  

You can definitely see the red puffy eyes on a couple of us at least.  

After that, she was officially Sister Goold and one step closer to getting on that airplane.   We couldn't be prouder of Sister Goold and the choice she's made to go on a mission.   The people of France are in for a real treat when she arrives! 

Called to Serve.

Dear Sister Goold, 
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.   You are assigned to labor in the France Lyon Mission.   It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.   You should report to the Provo MTC on August 3, 2016....

Some girls know from the time that they’re little that they want to serve a mission. I was NOT one of those girls. I always thought that, like my mother before me, I would get married when I was twenty and be well on my way to having a family long before I reached the ripe old age of 21 to serve a mission. Then two things happened. 1) I turned 16, entered the world of dating, and quickly realized that I would not be ready to get married any time soon, and 2) they changed the mission age for girls from 21 to 19. For the first time in my life I began to consider the idea that I could serve a mission. I still wasn’t convinced, but the seed was planted. My decision to serve a mission after that point was so gradual I didn’t even realize it was happening. Over the next 2 years I thought about it more and more until one day I heard myself say “I think I’m going to do a year of school and then serve a mission.” As soon as the words left my mouth I thought “What did I just do? Is that real? Am I trapped now?” But I just rolled with it and kept telling people I MIGHT serve a mission and  figured there was always time to change my mind if I wanted.

It wasn’t until this fall at BYU when my mind was made up once and for all. I was sitting in Sunday school in a room filled with people with mission calls, or planning to go on missions. I don’t even remember what the lesson was about, but I remember so clearly what I felt.  Suddenly an overwhelming feeling of peace came over me and the words “you need to go” echoed in my mind. Over and over again the words repeated themselves “You need to go. You need to go.” In that moment my decision was officially made. I was going on a mission. Fast forward 6 months and I submitted my mission papers precisely 120 days before my nineteenth birthday, the absolute earliest that was allowed.

Fifteen days later I was holding a large white envelope in my hands, literally jumping with joy to find out where I would be going for eighteen months. When I read the words “you are hereby called to serve in the France Lyon mission” I felt nothing but pure joy and excitement, but ever since the intensity of that moment died down the strongest emotion I feel when I think about my mission is peace.

Even now, as I feel the very real task of leaving my family, friends, and school for a year and a half, I can’t find it in me to feel too stressed or nervous because feelings of peace always replace them. Logically I know I should be nervous and I know it will be hard, but I know whatever my mission has in store will help me grow as a person and come closer to the Savior.