Nathan gave his farewell talk on Sunday, Dec. 17, and did an amazing job. He talked about always wanting to be a missionary and the examples the elders have been to him. He also talked about how when his friend passed away this past summer he had just finished AP camp with Josh and Crue and all he could think about was the Plan of Salvation and how he knew he would see him again. It was really cool. Josh and Sunni and kids came, we got to hang out with them that morning for a bit. And I went and met them at La Posta after I got off of work Saturday evening. Other people who came to the farewell were Steve (of course), Amy and Jimmy (Noah), Russell, Diana, Ryker, and Rush, Jaimi and her boyfriend Nick, Klynn, Karen H., Marshall and Heidie D., Mike J., the Mark, Sheri, Maya, Eva, and Sam H., and Ryan and Beverly H. - Ryan used to be one of Nathan’s YM leaders) and Kayla and Jared B. both happened to be there visiting family, which was really cool.
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| After the farewell talk. |
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| Ryker and Nathan |
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| About to be Elder Nathan! |
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| Some besties! |
He was set apart as a full time missionary right after sacrament meeting by President Hakes. Josh, Russell, and Mike J. also participated and the rest of the cousins and Sunni, Jake, Diana and Ryker were there with us. He was blessed with safety and was counseled to “follow the program” several times. Was also counseled to forget himself and love the people. And there was something about leadership, but I can’t remember what was said about that.
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| Russell, Diana, Ryker, Nathan, Becky, Jake |
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| Nathan with Sunni, Josh, Crue, Macie, Carson, Ty, and Reese |
Jake, Nathan and I stopped at Klynn’s on the way home from church because Nathan forgot his carry-on luggage there. Then we went home so he could finish packing. He didn’t start packing until about 10:30 Sunday morning! Crazy kid! But he did have most of his stuff gathered, so it was just a matter of getting it in the bags.
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| EMPTY BAGS until the day we left! |
Then we left Las Cruces at 5-ish PM and drove to Rio Rancho to Anika and Jesse’s house, where we spent the night Sunday night. Cliff and Lisa and the kids came over and visited. It was really nice to see them. It had been quite a while since I’d seen them - last time I saw Max, he was a newborn. Anika gave Jesse a haircut when we first got there and then the boys went over to Cliff and Lisa’s to hang out when the younger kids had to go to bed.
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| Wrestling cousins! |
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| Nathan, Aunt Anika, Jake |
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| Sybil and Jake |
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| Visiting cousins and uncle |
I got to see the kids the next morning while they were getting ready for school. They are just the cutest kids ever. Sweet Lucas called from the front door, “I love you Aunt Becky!” as he was leaving to catch the bus. Made my heart swell. Collin made me laugh because he asked Jesse why his head looked more square than it had before (haircut) and then later in the morning called him a blockhead. Ha!
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| Nathan with Sybbie |
The boys and I got to visit a little more with Anika and Sybil, then we left to drive the rest of the way to Pam’s at about 10 am. We stopped in Farmington, then Moab, then AF. It was a good drive - Nathan drove all but the last 2 hours. It was so wonderful to see Celeste - she hugged me and cried when we pulled in. It’s been 7 months since we’ve seen her. Too long! So we all stayed up and visited for a bit, then went to bed.
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| Singing along with Taylor Swift in the car. |
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| Granny and Nathan! |
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| Becky and Celeste |
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| Jake, Celeste, Nathan |
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| And now with their real personalities. |
Today was Nathan’s last day before he goes into the MTC. We went to the UPS store in Orem to pick up his shoulder bag that we ordered from LLBean, but I put the wrong address in the shipping info, so they tried to deliver a house that didn't exsit. So when we got here to Pam’s last night and his bag wasn’t here, I kinda freaked out a little. But I called LLBean and talked to a lady with a Maine accent (which was awesome!) and she arranged it so we could pick up the bag at the UPS place today. Phew. Then the kids and I went to Deseret Book in Orem and got Nathan a few more white shirts, a missionary handbook, a conference edition of the Ensign, and a couple Christmas presents. Then we ate lunch - Nathan and Celeste went to Sushi Burrito (burrito size sushi, not sushi in tortillas!) and Jake and I opted for In n Out Burger, across the parking lot. Then we stopped at Ross, where Celeste got some stuff for her new apartment, then we headed back to Pam’s.
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| Celeste seeing if she's taller than the tree at the UPS place - nope. |
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| Jake is. |
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| YAY! They found our mis-addressed package! |
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| Thank you UPS and LL Bean! |
Jake and Celeste went off to the mall and Nathan and I went to the Sprint store and Target. We got his phone paid off and his phone # reserved until after his mission (cool perk they offer for military and religious service), then got first aid kit supplies (bandaids, meds, etc.) and some hygiene items for him to take. Then back to Granny’s again. Nathan was going to take a nap, but more just chilled out and I went Christmas shopping for a few odds and ends. Went to several stores and ended up finding everything at Wal Mart, which is where I should have just started!
Got home from that, then Nathan, Pam, and I went to the Mt. Timpanogas temple. Nathan and I did an initiatory and endowment session each for family names that mom gave me last week when they met us in Albuquerque when he went through the temple. We sat in the celestial room for a bit talking about Satan’s tricks and names for Christ. I think that’s what I’ll use as the basis for my Christmas Eve talk - names of Christ, not Satan’s tricks. ;)
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| Becky, Pam, and Nathan at the Mt. Timpanogos temple. |
Then home again - Samia and Joe and the kids stopped by while we were cooking, visited for a bit, then they had to leave to get the kids to bed. Everyone pitched in and we made steak fajitas for dinner - delish! - and then cleaned up and Nathan talked to Klynn on the phone, then we opened presents. All my kids got their jammies. Jake got Nathan and him both matching tie tacks that say “Called to Serve” and Celeste got Nathan a designer tie. Celeste got the most presents tonight since Nathan got all of his mission stuff and Jake wants a Nintendo Switch, which is $300! Jake got me some cinnamon pecans (yum!) and Celeste got me some pretty earrings and a nice necklace that says, “A piece of my heart is serving the Lord.” It has a gold circle that says, “missionary mom” with a smaller silver circle over it that has a punched out heart.
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| London and Porter playing with the nativities. |
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| Joe, Nathan, Samia |
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| Celeste's Christmas jammies |
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| Jake and Nathan with their matching tie tacks. |
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| Mom with her Christmas earrings and missionary mom necklace |
Took a bunch of pictures, chatted a bit, the boys played basketball a bit, then off to bed for everyone, except me, since I wanted to write this all down. Hard to believe my baby boy is leaving on his mission tomorrow. I am so proud of him and amazed at the young man he has become. He is so strong and mature and just such a great person. I stand all amazed.
The plan for tomorrow is to get up and wrap up last minute things - Nathan needs to call to get his phone unlocked, then download the missionary app stuff, Pam is making him a denim patchwork laundry bag, re-pack his stuff, then report to the MTC at 12:45 for the drop off. Phew. My emotions are close to the surface again. But it’s for a good reason and that helps. I’m going to miss this boy. A lot.
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