Two Words.

I saw Gary’s number on my phone. He spoke two words.

“They called.”

We had an appointment to meet in person with President Henry B. Eyring in his office two days later.

We both dressed in our Sunday best and snuck out of the house without the kids seeing us. We drove slowly towards downtown and tried to process and prepare and wrap our heads around what this interview could mean for us.  We arrived at the church office building and parked underneath. We walked to a specific entrance and checked in with a nice person there. We were a little early so we waited and pretended to read the Ensign Magazine before they directed us down a very long hallway. It felt like we were walking the plank. We rode the elevator up a floor and waited in a beautiful lobby. It was very quiet.  

At 1 o’clock sharp a door opened and a secretary invited us in. We walked into his beautiful office where he was standing behind his desk. He smiled warmly and invited us to sit down across from him. He was very tall and thin, and full of a gentle energy. He laughed as he spoke and I remember thinking he seemed younger in person.

For the next 75 minutes, we had the uninterrupted attention of a special witness of Jesus Christ. He started with me and asked us to tell him our life stories. I was not prepared for that. I felt very exposed and vulnerable, like he could see right through me. But his eyes were so kind, that I eventually remembered my name. Gary was next, then together we answered his questions about our courtship and marriage and family. President Eyring was intentional in tying it all together, teaching us how the Lord has prepared us for this experience. 

He then extended a call to Gary to serve as a mission president and to me as a full time missionary. 

President Eyring spent the next 30 minutes teaching us. We were shell-shocked, so I know we’ve already forgotten many of the things he said. What we do remember is how much he kept returning to the principle and promise of personal revelation. He was emotional, and so were we.

He told us we would likely serve in an English speaking mission, and that hopefully we would receive our mission call before Christmas. He counseled us to be prudent in who we shared the news with.

As we concluded he stood and wished us well and sent us on our way. We walked to our car without saying anything. We drove slowly down state street towards home. We were very thirsty since we’d been fasting, but we weren’t that hungry. Then the questions started pouring out of us. What in the world do we do now? How do we tell the kids? What about work? How can we ever leave Henry, Quincy, Beck and Frankie - not to mention the two babies still arriving in the next few weeks?

When we arrived home it was late in the day, and the dark was comforting. We pulled the covers over our heads and prayed for peace. Heaven help us. 

'And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.' - D&C 84:88

We've shared this scripture with more missionaries at the MTC than we can count. In fact, it's printed on flags they passed every day on their way to class, to strengthen them and remind them whose work this is. We've always loved it. We are clinging to it now. We don't feel confident in our capacity to fulfill this assignment, but we trust God, and will try to be as brave as our MTC missionaries.