September 15,  2024 

We had a busy week up in Salt Lake City! This week was my training to be the Mission Health Advisor, and Allen hung around to learn most of the information with me. There was great training on using the website the Church uses for the missionaries’ health, and a lot of medical reviews of body systems. I enjoyed the systems reviews while Allen ducked out on that part, but we both enjoyed learning how to support the young missionaries when they feel stressed or overwhelmed or anxious. Can’t imagine any missionary feeling stressed!!?!?  Oh, wait… now that we’re leaving in the morning I can sort of imagine that! 😆



We enjoyed getting to know the other missionary couples who were there for training; at the end of the week it was sad to see everyone scatter to the four winds for their own missions, from North Dakota to Texas to Guatemala and Japan and Mexico. And now there’s nothing standing between us and a 34 hour trek to Vietnam!!

We have planned for this moment since May 28 when we opened our call and read when we would begin, and time has seemed to drag, then rush by, then drag some more, and now that the day is upon us, it seems to have rushed past again. NOW we’re telling our kids a final goodbye, and yet reminding them—and us—that we will still get to call and text daily, whenever we please! Thank goodness senior missionaries are encouraged to stay in close contact with their families! That makes all of this much more doable .

Allen and I are ready to put all the preparations behind us and just dive into the unknown! I can’t look too far forward without some trepidation, and don’t want to look too far back with longing, but if I take this a day at a time (or even an hour at a time on a looooong flight path), then I’m just fine, and ready for the ADVENTURE.

Tomorrow morning, September 16, will find us at the SLC Airport, ready to continue our 18 months of serving our Father in Heaven and the people of Vietnam. We are excited, nervous, tired—you name it, we’re feeling it.

It’s my goal to write a blog at least every Sunday. Time will tell if I reach that goal.

Thanks for your love and support and interest!

Chúc ngủ ngon

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