In-between the MTC and the First Letter Home from the Field

Elder Rogers' trainer at the MTC--Sister Piton. She was Jake's favorite. She is a convert of four years and she is awesome! (Note that he can't really put his arm around her, so he is "pretending!")

July 1, 2013

The phone rings at 5:45 a.m. Monday morning and awakens us from a dead sleep. Mark answers: "Hello?" Voice on the other end of the phone: "Hello." Mark: "Hello?" Voice: "Hello." Mark: "Hello? Can you hear me?" Voice: "Hello, yes I can hear you!" Mark: "Who is this?" Voice: "It's Jake!"  Mark: "Oh....HELLO!!!"

We didn't know he was going to call from the airport! He was actually using quarters in a pay phone!! He was doing very well. There were 14 missionaries going with him to Colorado that morning. He was ready to go and really excited. We only got to talk for a few minutes, and then there was a warning, "You have only one minute left...deposit more quarters for more time." Jake said, "I don't have any more quarters, so..." We finished up very quickly and said our "I love yous." He said, "I'll talk to you at Christmas." And then he was gone! It was so good to hear from him. He is well prepared and ready to go!

July 2, 2013

Mark gets a call from Elder Peterson in Colorado. He told us that Jake arrived safe and sound, but that he lost his wallet. He was hoping he would find it, but wanted us to check his account for any suspicious activity. I went in to the bank and cancelled his Debit card (they said I could re-open it within 14 days). Glad to know he arrived safely. He is serving in the Ken Caryl Ward in Denver. Right now he has a car, but with more sisters arriving, the sisters will probably get the car and he will need a bike!

July 3, 2013

Elder Peterson called from the mission home again. Jake found his wallet. Yay! I called the bank and they reinstated his Debit card! Glad we don't have to replace everything in his wallet!

Later in the evening, I got a call on my cell phone from a number in Colorado. It was Sister Murdock, the mission president's wife! She just called to tell me that they were excited to have Jake in the mission, how much they loved him already (they met him in the MTC), that he was a great young man and was going to be a fantastic missionary. We talked for a little less than ten minutes. What an amazing thing for her to do. They had only been in Colorado as mission president for less than a week, and she called ME to talk about MY missionary! It was a blessing to me! I am so grateful that he is in Colorado. I know he is being taken care of by not only the Lord, but a loving mission president and his wife as well!