Missionaries

source: lds.org

Whenever I spend time around LDS (Mormon) missionaries it always hits me how dang young they are.  Maybe that's a sign of me getting old?  When I was growing up we'd see the missionaries around town and I'd think of them as so grown up... but they're just kids.  We hear stories about missionaries coming home early and it's this big "shame on them" thing, but they're boys, most of them away from home for the first time living a life completely different from what they've ever known.  

It's amazing to me that these teenagers are willing to give up tv, movies, video games, dating, living with their parents and basically their normal lives for two whole years to serve the Lord.  They live and work with a companion they may or may not get along with.  They talk to adults and teach them even though they're just babies in the gospel themselves.  They have to get past their own insecurities and fears and be confident in what they are teaching.  It's an incredible thing to see what someone can accomplish they're on the Lord's errand.

We had the missionaries over this week and these boys are barely older than Nina.  One has been in Utah from Texas for 3 months and the other has been here from Germany for only a month... Just teenage boys far from home, but giving great service.  It touches my heart.  In a few short years Caleb is planning to join the ranks of the missionaries.  It will be amazing to see a little boy leave and a man return!  I once had a friend with teenagers say that God knew what he was doing by sending these boys out on missions at the age he does... That's the age where their mother's are ready to strangle them!  I don't know if that's true or not, but I know that going on a mission gives great blessings to the young men and women who serve and those blessings follow them throughout their lives.  If you've never met with the LDS missionaries, I'd be glad to send some your way... The spirit they bring with them is something you won't forget!

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
-Mosiah 2:17

Happy Sunday!