Missionary Family Night

You know when you have a Family Home Evening lesson that makes you realize "this is why we are asked to have family night"? Well this lesson was one of those nights. While the kids were at school I hopped online and found a website where you can type in your name and they will give you a pretend mission call. I entered Ethan, Ella and Cannon's names. I looked up a little about each destination and wrote up a fake mission call for each child. I put the letter in a manilla envelope and put their picture on them. We talked to them about the process of receiving a mission call. We told them of making the right choices throughout their lives and being found worthy to be called of Heavenly Father to serve people and teach them about the gospel. We talked of the steps regarding Bishop and Stake President interviews and then the process of the prophet and his counselors praying about your missionary application and the destination the Lord wants us to serve. We talked about how exciting it is to check the mailbox each day to see if the envelope has arrived. We then pulled out each envelope and let the kids open their mission calls. I had a world map that they could find their location and highlight it on the map. I had badges made up and reminded them how important it is to serve Heavenly Father and Jesus in the right way because we have promised to represent his name. They really got excited.

When Kent pinned Cannon's missionary badge on him I was overwhelmed with the knowledge that this is the only physical missionary badge Cannon will get to wear in this life. As a parent, you look forward to the milestones you'll get to experience with your children; school, riding bikes, tying shoes, first dates, driver's licenses, graduations, missions, wedding, grandchildren. As we all know, Cannon will not experience those earthly milestones. My heart breaks, of course, with the reality that those are things lost. As I see this beautiful face, wearing this name badge printed boldly with the name of His Savior, my Savior, I realize that my Cannon does not need to go to a far away, speaking a foreign language, to bring the world the message that Heavenly Father lives, that He loves each and every one of us. Cannon already spreads the message to all that know him that Jesus Christ is real and that He died on the cross to conquer death to give each and every single person the peace and hope of Eternal Life and the truth that families can be together forever. I love each one of my little missionaries and I thank my loving Father in Heaven for reminding me of my purpose as a mother to teach my children to love and serve others in the best way they know how.