How sweet it is to see a young man with whom I worked going on a mission in a few weeks.  He’s headed to the Charlotte, North Carolina mission on Dec 31 (what a cool date to enter the MTC, IMO).  I take no credit for his decision.  I’m grateful that he’s a great guy, has concerned and involved parents, is a great example to his siblings, and that he has sought the Lord diligently in his life.  I’m honored to know him.  Best wishes for a safe, successful mission!

It’s funny… when the Game Farm Ward Bishop (Auburn, WA) asked me to be the Young Men’s President, I literally laughed out loud.  “Me, YM President?  I know the scriptures say that ‘Vengeance is [His] and [He] will repay’ and it’s time for payback.”  I was… how can I say this… a difficult youth, at times (most times, perhaps).  I’d served in many callings but none of them interacted with the youth since before my mission.  Naturally I agreed to the calling, but I felt overwhelmingly inadequate and ill-prepared for the responsibility (which feeling other perhaps shared!).

Nonetheless, I learned a lot from the boys and other leaders.  I had great times.  And, hopefully, I fulfilled whatever the Lord had in mind when I was called.  We moved to UT about a year later, so it wasn’t a lot of time to develop super-strong relationships with all the boys, but I’m grateful for the opportunity I had, short as it was.  I remember their individual names, faces, and think of them.  May the Lord continue to bless them.