prologue

We went to Shane's mission reunion last night and people kept asking us about our family. We were so excited to tell everyone, "Luke turns his papers in exactly one month from today!" I know he's excited to get to the one-month mark and will be even more excited to get his call, then enter the MTC, and finally leave.

He has been counting down the days for over a year now.

Elder Neuenschwander spoke at Shane's reunion. One of the things he said really struck me. He talked about how his wife always said to him he never came home from his mission (I could see all the former Finnish missionaries (Finland somehow gets under your skin)--and their spouses--nodding their heads in agreement). He tried for years to come up with a good response for that. Finally it came to him. The next time she said it his response was, "I brought my mission home with me."

I guess we all do that in one way or another, but I think watching someone you love prepare to go out and serve is an interesting reminder of what it is like to be called to serve.

We'll keep you posted.