Saying goodbye to Michael at the Dayton airport

Wow! I’m a missionary mom again. I count it as one of my greatest privileges and blessings in life! There is nothing else like it! My heart swells with gratitude and love. This week has been an emotional roller coaster. I have such thanksgiving in my heart for Ryan finding Sarah (thank you Missy) and for the fulfillment of their anticipated engagement. I honestly couldn’t have hand picked anyone more wonderful than Sarah. I feel the same way about my son-in-law Marc. I never knew I could love others like I love my own children, but I do and it’s wonderful!

I am so grateful for Ryan and Jeffrey and Marc who have served a mission. I am so grateful for Michael who has made that decision and is just at the commencement of his mission. My life has been blessed in countless, amazing ways because of my son’s (including Marc) decisions to serve missions.

We dropped off Michael at the Dayton airport on Monday, October 20th 2008. We had a delicious breakfast beforehand (which is a tradition in the Davis family). I must say we all (Lynda, William, Michael and Tanner) cried many tears. It was so hard to say goodbye. (This was the downward spiral of the roller coaster.) Michael did not go to college before his mission so his leaving seemed very abrupt to us. Although it was difficult to say goodbye, our gratitude is so much greater than our sorrow and deep inside it feels so right. A missionary mom recently wrote to me about the idea that the Lord can do more with your son in 2 years than a mom can do in the first 19 years, it’s so true! I am so grateful he has the opportunity to serve the Lord (and others) and learn more lessons about humility, relying on the Holy Ghost, charity, and focusing on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful he can lead others to Christ. What more could a mother want for her child?

Michael was so ready to go on his mission and we have heard so many comments from others about how well prepared he is and about what a great missionary he will be. The woman who sat next to him on the airplane even called us and told us what a special missionary he was! It warms our hearts when we hear from others how special they think he is. Every mother joys in that. One of my favorite scriptures is found in 3 John, which says “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”.

My feelings have been especially sentimental lately. It has been such a privilege to be a mother of four sons and one daughter. “My cup runneth over”.