Just the Beginning: A Mother's Note

Yesterday we dropped Elder Gannon Hess off at the airport. It was 5:00am. We all arose at 4:00, dressed, gathered for family prayer and a father's blessing for our oldest son and brother. Then it was off to catch a 6:00am flight to Salt Lake City.

We knew we would be meeting friends at the airport. Actually, a young man who has become one of Gannon's very best friends would be flying out too.

It just so happens that these two had met a number of months back. They, and a small group of others, had become Gannon's social life as he prepared to turn in his mission papers.

Gannon and this other young man turned in their mission papers close to the same time; although, if my memory serves me correctly, the friend, Tristin, turned his in just a bit sooner.

Now, you have to understand, there are more than 400 missions throughout the world where a missionary can serve. Gannon's dad served in Paraguay, I served in Japan, his older sister just returned from her mission in the Philippines (in the Philippines alone, there are 21 different missions one can serve in), so you really could be called to serve pretty much ANYWHERE in the world.

It just so happens that Gannon opened his call and found that he would be serving in the Texas McAllen Mission, and he would be speaking Spanish.

Tristin opened had opened his call close to the same time. His call?….The Texas Houston Mission; speaking Spanish.

Their date of departure? February 25, 2015. Needless to say, these two are great friends. This forged that friendship even more.

It was nice to watch two friends depart yesterday morning…..for six weeks in the MTC.