Elder Shaw's Mission to Madagascar: Reporting to the MTC (4/6/2011)

My Missionary Commission

MY MISSIONARY COMMISSION

I am Called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth. By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Master and he has chosen me to represent him. To stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would say and do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts; my words are his words, and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done. To say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work.
-Elder Bruce R McConkie

Well today is the day. The day Dylan has been waiting four months for. I can't believe it is here. It has been a whirlwind over the last eight months and a tornado over the last two weeks getting his ready to go.

So we wake up and had a great breakfast for the first time. The previous hotel did not offer breakfast. This hotel made up for the last one. Dylan double checks his bags. I ironed a few of his shirts as we didn't know when he would get a chance. Dylan made last minute phone calls. Which interestingly enough Dylan left his phone at home instead of bringing it and leaving it with us. We were trying to call the Bishop and his Grandmother in New Hampshire and none of knew the numbers as Dylan had them in his phone and not mine. It was too funny. You don't realize how much you rely on things until they are gone. We then load up the car and check out of the hotel. We again headed to Walmart to get a few different luggage tags and luggage locks, he forgot his hangers and needed some. It was an interesting feeling in the car. Time was slowly slipping away and sooner or later we were going to have to say goodbye. We headed to the MTC and took a drive around it and then headed to the Kiss and Cry area, which was the parking lot across the street from the MTC. We took some fun pictures in front of the Provo Temple, especially the ones where dylan and chase are jumping into each others arms. We started walking down to the crosswalk and talked with the security guy there who told us they took down the MTC plaque because it was causing too much traffic problems with all the family waiting to have their photos taken there. They also put up a security booth with an arm. The man said there were 250 missionaries reporting in 1 1/2 hours time. It is amazing how smoothly things ran. We then got a few more pictures and then headed back to the car as you can't cross the street and report with just your luggage, you actually have to drive in a car. Amazing. So we say our goodbyes by the car. Yes I cried. What mom wouldn't. Although Dylan put a 20 second time limit on me hugging him as apparently he really needed to go to the bathroom and he was nervous and excited to get going. He didn't want to be late for his 1:15 appt time. Interestingly, we ran into Saul Marquez who is a boy that goes to the ward right after us. He is going to France. There were so many people reporting today that are going to Madagascar. Four of them from Arizona alone. Well we get into the car after Richard and Chase said there goodbyes. I was impressed that Chase didn't cry....or at least he hid it really good. So we drove across the street. The security guy asked us if we had a missionary in the car.(I should have said no and see what he said) and I said of course, we are ready to kick him to the curb. The man was really funny. So we proceeded down to post 24. Dylan got out- Richard got his luggage out, Chase was video taping and I, of course, was talking with the host missionary. The guy who took Dylan's luggage and escorted him inside. Then we gave another quick good bye and off he went. He did look back and waved and then walked on. We then drove of towards the exit sign. That was it, like dropping your child of at school. The only reason Dylan looked back was because I called his name. He was so ready to go. I'm glad Chase was there as I would have been bawling like a baby. But it wasn't too bad as I did all my crying on Tuesday at the temple. I was happy for him. Heavenly Father has given us so much and all he asks for is 2 years out of what 70 years worth of living, to help bring people unto Christ, to give them an opportunity to live a different life knowing that you are a child of God and that there is more after this life. Dylan was happy and wanted to go and I am thankful for his desire and for all the people who helped encourage and loved and supported him along this last year. Old friends, new friends, you never know who will make a difference in your life until you let them in.