He's home....for now....

It has been a crazy five weeks since Richard's return with honor. He has spoken in two wards, been released by his Stake President, reported to the High Council, and all that in the first week.

We managed to steal him away for a couple of days in Carmel to let him unwind a bit. After we got back he quickly reconnected with old friends and is rapidly making new ones. Our home has been a steady stream of friends old and new and he has brought a lot of activity back into our lives.

He is caught up in the details of preparing to leave us again in September to attend BYUI.

He is making the transition back to civilian life. Although a bit difficult at first, I think he is doing much better. There are so many demands for his time and his attention that after he had been home for three weeks, he told me he wished he was still on his mission. He is trying to balance his new life with keeping the values and study habits of a missionary. It is difficult, but like everything else he does, he'll do great at it.

He has been called to a service position in the ward and goes on the occasional lesson with the missionaries. He just got back from one tonight and expressed how much he enjoys teaching.

He is really looking forward to going to school and getting a fresh start with his life. He will miss his family greatly, but knows he must get on with his career goals as the next phase of life. Knowing very few at BYUI will give him a much needed and much desired opportunity to make new connections and develop many new friendships.

This pretty much concludes our experiences of having a son on a mission. It has been a terrific two years plus. I have enjoyed communicating with you via this blog, sharing the fun and good times, and it has been very cathartic for me when I've felt especially far from Richard and missed him. It seems the light has returned to our house.

I conclude by letting those of you who may be thinking of going on a mission, that there is nothing more rewarding. Our Heavenly Father has given us so much, this is a great way to serve Him and in some small way, repay that debt. I would also suggest, nothing satisfies like serving others, and no other time is time better spent.

I would do it all over again and I'm sure Richard would too. Amen.

All good things....

.....must come to an end. In a little over 24 hours our missionary will be home. It is difficult to find words to express our feelings right now. Masked in the tedium and panic of preparing every needfull thing, we do find a moment here and there to reflect on the meaning of it all. We are fixing and cleaning and making the physical preparations for his homecoming. Finishing some home improvement projects we could have done a year ago, but waited 'till the last moment. Bordering on hysteria, but as we grow nearer the time of his return. things are falling into place and it looks like we made it.

As we look back to the day we left Richard at the MTC, you can't help feel some trepidation at "abandoning" your child like that. It takes a great leap of faith. But over the two years' you see the experiences, life lessons that cannot be taught, but only lived. That kind of growth can only come by living through the promptings of the spirit and by the tender mercies of the Lord.

With the exception of having a family, going on a mission is still the most noble thing I have ever done. I continually think about it, refer to it, talk about it, and remember those days. I have a great love for all things Italian and especially the Italian people. It's funny how a brief, two years out of ones life can not only set the template for future experience but be the defining moment as well.

I don't like the phrase "the best two years" because all the years since then have been the best two years, but they were certainly the most seminal two years, the greatest period of growth, the the most selfless two years, the most caring two years, the most spiritual two years, the most rewarding two years, and the briefest two years.

The beauty is that now Richard has had these same and similar experiences. Although he has a lot of living to do and will have many great, hard, rewarding, and incredible adventures on this crazy road of life, he will be firmly grounded and can remember these two years as an anchor during times of tumolt, he will look back on these two years as maybe not the best two years, but the period when he experienced the most growth, learned the most and came to the realization that by serving others, you find yourself.

Tick tock....tick tock...

Like the sands in the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. Can you believe it! Today was Elder Richards' last transfer before coming home. That's right, only 6 more weeks. It's as if Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow and there are six more weeks of winter. Or something.

Richard is doing great and will finish out the mission just as he had hoped, as a trainer with his new comp.

We are scrambling to get some things done around the house that we had hoped to do before he got home....nothing like waiting 'till the last minute.

Here is a pic of a p-day excursion to the Everglades and his current zone. It's not technically a boat....right?

That first pic is how Richard is feeling right now.

General Conference and more pix

Here's what Elder Richard had to say about conference.

Whoa. Whoa, yes, whoa. Was that a rockin' conference? Yes. Did I dig it? Absolutely. Last one in Florida? Maybe. What a sweet conference! The Saturday session was very good. It was a great conference.

So how'd you like Bednar's talk? "Don't pray for missionaries to find, that's our job!" So true. The best areas I've had have kept us busy just with member referrals.

Here are some more pix of his new zone and his new comp.

Tarzan and a new zone

Here are the latest pix from our Elder. Looks like he has managed to have a little fun along with all the work.

The Dought is Over!!!

Yes...that's right. Richard's dad has been a bit BUSY of late and has neglected keeping the blog updated. Here are a few new excerpts from his letters and a couple of recent photos.

Just to update you...Richard is still a Zone Leader in a suburb of Miami. He has about 90 days to go before he is on his way back home. Although he is getting near the end, he remains busy and engaged in the work.

Check this out:"I can't believe how fast time's flying. I think I've hit the point in my mission where every day is a sweet experience. It seems that near the end of any great thing there's a sweetness. Luckily I've still got 3 months left! "

It's hard to keep up with all his investigators. I think he averages about 5 a week and at least 15 lessons or something like that. He is still fired up about it. He is also excited to hear about the goings on in our singles ward. Many of his friends have either left or are getting ready to go on missions. Our ward is doing a great job with missionary work too!!

Here are a couple of pix.....Richard and his comp, Elder Carillo hunting wild alligators, or someone lost their car keys, and nap-time....er, I mean study time!!!!!

Christmas Call...wise men? and a new mission car!

We cannot describe to you how great it was to hear from Elder Richard. We were able to talk for quite a while. He is still doing great. He has been a zone leader now for 6 months and was hoping to become a trainer and work in Key West for the rest of his mission. I think he has resigned himself to the fact that will probably not happen. It was kind of serendipidous that Richards' older brother was visiting when he called and was able to speak to him. It was the first communication they have had since Richard left. It was good for both of them and the Brother of Richard committed to take home the "Testaments" and he promised to watch it. There is nothing quite like missionary service at Christmastime. Although he was a long way from family and friends, Richard was able to feel the comforting spirit of Christ and was pleased to be in His service as we celebrated His birth.

Here are a couple of recent photos from Richard. It looks like he and some comps participated in the ward Christmas party.

Christmas Cheer

Here is Elder Richard helping a family putt up their Christmas lights. I know, I know, I have tried to tell him not to climb around on housetops....maybe he's preparing the way for S. Claus!

Lest you think a mission is all fun and games, his latest letter had a very spiritual component. Here is some of Richard's testimony:

I'd like to bear my testimony, I know this church is true. I love my mom and dad. (classic) I know that Christ lives. We do have trials from season to season, but I'm willing to do anything to know and understand even a little more what he did for me. We have living prophets, seers, and revelators who are called of God to hold the keys of His kingdom here on earth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and it is primarily through that sacred book that I know that Christ lives. That in some corner of the universe he is living and breathing, and that He and our Father have a greater love and hope for us that we can even comprehend. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Here's another insight Richard has on the book of Jacob from the Book of Mormon.

Things are going great here and the harvest is nigh. I think my new fav. BOM chapter is Jacob 5. It's the one I always tried to avoid seeing that it's the longest! I really had a weak concept of the scattering and gathering of Israel so I wanted to brush up on it and attacked it for study last week. It's awesome! It's powerful when the Lord sees the vineyard producing bad fruit (apostasy) and weeps asking his servant what more he could have done. Then when he and his servants resolve to gather Israel and re-graft the branches, they all work together in the harvest. "And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things."

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, let your heart be light, from now on your troubles will be out of sight.