8/15/2011
I was working late at the school last night and couldn’t stop thinking about Conner. A friend of mine (P.E. teacher at Liberty), Kortney, had a little brother who entered the MTC on the same day as Conner. We were comparing our first letters from the boys. Ours was pretty uneventful and unemotional, but Kortney’s brother was certainly full of feeling. He sounded miserable and Kortney was a little bummed. This caused me to wonder about Conner. I knew the MTC would be challenging. President Wagner warned Conner that it would be difficult. But I sincerely wanted him to at least enjoy the journey… even if the best part of his days were breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Well, I was getting a little teary-eyed, so I decided to say a prayer. I asked Heavenly Father to help Conner have FUN and cherish his stay in the MTC. About 5 minutes after my prayer, I received a text message from my sister-in-law, Dayna. She said, “Hey there. You know my nanny, Emily? Well, she was driving by the MTC yesterday and she said she saw Conner walking to the temple with a bunch of other missionaries. He walked right in front of her car and she waved to him (he waved, but didn’t really recognize her). Anyway- she said he was laughing and it looked like he was really happy. Just thought you’d like to know.”
I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers my prayers… and I’m grateful for Dayna, who listened and heeded a prompting to share that message with me right when I needed to hear it!I was working late at the school last night and couldn’t stop thinking about Conner. A friend of mine (P.E. teacher at Liberty), Kortney, had a little brother who entered the MTC on the same day as Conner. We were comparing our first letters from the boys. Ours was pretty uneventful and unemotional, but Kortney’s brother was certainly full of feeling. He sounded miserable and Kortney was a little bummed. This caused me to wonder about Conner. I knew the MTC would be challenging. President Wagner warned Conner that it would be difficult. But I sincerely wanted him to at least enjoy the journey… even if the best part of his days were breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Well, I was getting a little teary-eyed, so I decided to say a prayer. I asked Heavenly Father to help Conner have FUN and cherish his stay in the MTC. About 5 minutes after my prayer, I received a text message from my sister-in-law, Dayna. She said, “Hey there. You know my nanny, Emily? Well, she was driving by the MTC yesterday and she said she saw Conner walking to the temple with a bunch of other missionaries. He walked right in front of her car and she waved to him (he waved, but didn’t really recognize her). Anyway- she said he was laughing and it looked like he was really happy. Just thought you’d like to know.”
8/25/2011
So… on Tuesday night… when Allan & I said our prayers, I could really sense Allan’s anxiety about Conner leaving for Peru the next morning. I decided to fast and pray on Wednesday. I prayed several times over the day. Asking Heavenly Father to protect him and comfort any of his anxieties (especially if he knew about the earthquake that day in Peru). I thought he would be nervous about leaving the country & embarking on his journey. Yesterday, Conner was allowed to call us when he was in the Atlanta airport. I was able to speak with him for about 3 minutes because his flight was leaving. So – we were brief. He said he needed another long-sleeved shirt & I told him we loved him… then – when I hung up, my heart ached a little… well, just enough to shed a few tears and wonder if he knew anything about the earthquake in Peru. (What are the odds? A 7.0 earthquake the day he lands.) I was at school when I got his call, so my students quickly interrupted my tears…
Anyway... Read the email that came the next morning... just a brief email to remind me that Heavenly Father hears our prayers! ENJOY!
8/28/2011: Part of a recent email to Conner:
… when I was at the temple, one of the gentlemen working was CLEARLY from South America… I suppose his brown hand should have clued me in… but I didn’t really pay attention until I heard him speak. His accent was SO challenging, so I had to pay strict attention. He stumbled a couple times (I’m sure as he translated Spanish into English). It was SO sweet and he had to be very slow and pay strict attention to his articulation. For instance, instead of ‘g’eneration… he said, ‘h’eneration… you get it. Anyway… my thoughts immediately turned to you and your service and I was so grateful for the missionary who converted this sweet temple worker. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that my son would be converting future temple workers like the gentleman who was working this morning. The spirit was so strong. I was crying… he was crying… it was amazing. So, Conner… work hard! WE need more temple workers!
… when I was at the temple, one of the gentlemen working was CLEARLY from South America… I suppose his brown hand should have clued me in… but I didn’t really pay attention until I heard him speak. His accent was SO challenging, so I had to pay strict attention. He stumbled a couple times (I’m sure as he translated Spanish into English). It was SO sweet and he had to be very slow and pay strict attention to his articulation. For instance, instead of ‘g’eneration… he said, ‘h’eneration… you get it. Anyway… my thoughts immediately turned to you and your service and I was so grateful for the missionary who converted this sweet temple worker. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that my son would be converting future temple workers like the gentleman who was working this morning. The spirit was so strong. I was crying… he was crying… it was amazing. So, Conner… work hard! WE need more temple workers!
10/4/2011:
For the past couple of days, I’ve been a little bummed out because we haven’t heard from Conner. Up until this point, every time Conner has traveled, we’ve heard from him. He wrote the day he entered the MTC and he emailed us on his first P-day. He called the day he left Provo & traveled to Peru and then, to our surprise, we received an email when he arrived the next day in Peru. He emailed us the day that he was leaving Peru and we completely expected an email telling us he was in Ecuador. Nothing. Every day, for more than a week, I logged into my computer at work, and every day… nothing. Well, today, without even knowing I needed a little pick-me-up, my friend, Kortney, sent me pictures of her brother & Conner in the MTC. Perfect timing!
12/19/2011
So, the week of Thanksgiving, I packaged up 3 Christmas envelopes for Conner and mailed them from 3 different post offices on different days. I learned my lesson when the Halloween package never made it to him. As I was sitting at my desk in my classroom, taping up the envelopes & writing the address on the front, I was cursing the Ecuadorian postal worker who was wearing Conner’s Liberty soccer jersey & eating his peanut butter that I sent in October. Cameron’s buddy was in my classroom working on the school computer, and commented on how I was sending 3 packages of Swedish fish over for the Ecuadorian postal workers’ enjoyment. As he was walking out the door, he popped his head back in and said, “If you really want him to get one of those packages, why don’t you just pray it there?” He was absolutely right. So today, as I was walking into the school, I was feeling a little mopey. It’s December 19th and I’ve done nothing to prepare for Christmas. I realized that I was bummed out because I missed Conner and Christmas wouldn’t be the same without him. Then, just to keep myself in my selfish funk, I started dwelling on the fact that Conner still hadn’t received any of the Christmas packages that I mailed. I decided I needed to put Tyler’s advice to the test, so when I got to my room, I said a little prayer, asking Heavenly Father to please allow Conner to get at least ONE package before Christmas. It would just make me feel better. Well… my prayers were answered. Read the email Conner sent home on 12/19… the exact day I prayed.
2/23/12
In his email two weeks ago, Conner admitted to being really discouraged (see 2/13). I don't always forward his emails to people, but I felt prompted to forward that particular email to Bishop King. Within minutes, Bishop emailed me back & asked permission to email Conner. I was hoping he would do that! All week, I was praying that Conner would figure out what his responsibilities were and also tap into some gifts of the spirit. Then, on Sunday... Sister Wagner spoke at our Oath and Covenant fireside, and she shared a little about her upcoming mission. I found myself wishing that Conner had a mission president as awesome as President Wagner will be. When we spoke with Conner on Christmas, he mentioned that he didn't really feel a connection with his mission president (he had nothing bad to say... he just said he was a nice guy). So, when I got home on Sunday night, I searched through the house, looking for the mission packet so I could look up Conner's mission president. I know when he respects an authority figure, Conner will do ANYTHING for that person and I really wanted to find out who his mission president really was. I found out on LDS.org that President Montalti would be Conner's mission president until the last month of Conner's mission. Well, read the 2/22 email - I didn't hear from Conner on Monday afternoon and I was even more worried about his emotional struggle in feeling inadequate. I got down on my knees and asked Heavenly Father to please bless Brother Montalti to give Conner the direction that he needed. I pretty much begged God to guide President Montalti to help Conner during this humbling time.
Well - read these paragraphs from Conner's email...
"We had zone conference this week also. I just have to say that our mission president is the Best mission president on the face of the earth. He also randomly showed up at our house on Monday. He came to ask us if we needed anything. He talked to my companion and i about what we can do to better our program that we have. He talked to my companion alone for a bit and then to me also. It was the best experience to get to sit down and talk to him and listen to what he has to say about everything. He just told me to always study and speak in Spanish. He left and me and my companion talked about what just happened. I told him how president just told me to speak Spanish. Elder Dahlin said, ¨i know. He talked to me about it too. Why do you think he keeps bugging you to speak Spanish?¨ I didn´t have an answer. ¨Because he wants you to be a leader. He doesn´t tell the other missionaries to better their Spanish because it doesn´t matter. He wants you to be a leader.¨ So i thought about that for a while.
Bishop sent me an email. He said something scarily similar to my patriarchal blessing. I will help people reach their potential. That is something that stuck out to me when i read it this week. Especially after what president and my companion said to me. So tell bishop thank you for his letter. It had a lot of great insight and helped a lot. Like he, and my mission president said, ¨It doesn´t matter what you were before the mission, It´s about submitting to the lord so he can make you what he wants you to be."
How can we deny the Lord's hand in all things? ... and that's just ONE example of many tender mercies extended to a missionary and a missionary mom. I’m so grateful for President Montalti! For his worthiness as a mission president, and for heeding a prompting immediately!
