A Few Words Before Leaving

Missionary “Farewell” Talk

We appreciate the bishopric giving us this opportunity to tell all of you “Heyda, ha det bra,” which literally means “good-bye, have it good” in Swedish but which really means “until we meet again.” Brother Lundell has asked that I share with you a little of what I have learned in the process of preparation for this event. What is there to learn? You get your call, buy some new clothes, and head out to preach. What is there in that to learn? I submit that the list of what I have learned is too long to even attempt. So I have picked 3 items that I hope will be of interest and may be a help to each of you as you prepare to serve a mission.

The first lesson I learned during this process is the application of Eienstein’s theory of relativity to my life. President Laker forwarded our papers to Salt Lake about January 22. What seemed like 2 months later, on February 10, our call arrived in the mail. Those 3 weeks were the longest 3 weeks of my life, next to waiting for an overdue baby to decide on his arrival day. By week 2, I was certain the Lord didn’t want us and that the missionary committee was trying to figure out a gentle way to say “thanks, but no thanks.” In fact, I gave up waiting and flew to St. Louis to visit Robby and his family. Of course the day after I left town the letter arrived. We opened it over the phone. When Robert said Stockholm, Sweden, I almost said “OK, stop kidding around, where are we really going?” When he read that we enter the MTC on May 17, I said, “what are we supposed to do for 3 months?” Well, 2 weeks later, May 17 is here. Those were the fastest 3 months ever. I don’t know if that is what Eienstein had in mind when he talked about time moving fast or slow depending on where you’re standing, but it sure happened in my life.

The second lesson I learned is you sure can collect a lot of stuff in 40 years of family life. We’ve been getting our home ready for Katie and her family to live in while we’re gone. I’ve made trips to DI and have filled over a dozen of those big plastic containers, not counting boxes and the closet. Of course its all good stuff and can’t be thrown away. My advice would be – start sorting through stuff a couple of years before you think you might be going, and don’t get really attached to anything. 3 months has not been long enough to get everything done. If Katie has a yard sale and tries to sell my stuff, please don’t buy anything. I may need it someday.

The 3^rd lesson I learned was the hardest one of all. One day several weeks ago as I was filling boxes it suddenly hit me – what in the world am I doing? Why am I going off to some foreign country where they speak a language I don’t understand and cannot speak? This is absolutely the craziest thing I have ever done in my entire life. Do you know that Sweden is in the same latitudes as Alaska? In the winter they only have 4 hours of sunlight a day, and in the summer it never gets dark! And I’ve been told they eat pickled fish. I started right then to make a list of all the reasons I absolutely could not go. Topping the list was 18 grandchildren. How can I possibly leave them with their parents and no grandma? Then came 7 children. How can I leave trusting they will raise those 18 grand children correctly, without me to help? Then of course my parents need me. And all my wonderful friends. And this great ward. And what about my rock garden, and all those books I want to read? Oh, my list went on and on. For days I cried every time I even thought of leaving. I was getting so miserable I realized something had to be done. I decided to look at the missionaries in the scriptures – Ammon and his brothers, Alma the Younger, Paul. But I’m certain none of them left their grand children. And they enjoyed all the adventures every young boy dreams of – camping in the wilderness, playing with Indians, sailing ships and ship wrecks, traipsing all over the known world, riding horses and hiking. It was better than an outing to the Havisupi! But I can’t think about Paul without remembering his words to Timothy as he faced the end of his mortal ministry. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Brothers and Sisters, I want to be able to say that. I want to be like Ammon and his brothers when they met Alma on their way back to Zarahemla. “They had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God… they had given themselves to much prayer and fasting… and when they taught they taught with power….” And I want to be like Alma the Younger, never tiring of preaching the gospel for he knew that nothing save the preaching of the word of God and pure testimony could turn men from their evil ways.

Brothers and Sisters, I say to you as Paul said to the Romans: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” The spirit has made me fully aware that my list of reasons for not going was in fact a partial list of the reasons I have to go. Because of the gospel of Christ, my life is full of more blessings – more exceedingly wonderful blessings – than I ever thought possible: 18 beautiful grandchildren, 7 wonderful children and their loving spouses, my totally supportive parents, great friends, a fantastic ward, plus a marvelous world full of wonders and the senses to enjoy it. But if I were bereaved of all those blessings, I would still have the most wonderful blessing of all – a sure testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ; a testimony of Christ as my savior and redeemer; of His amazing and incomprehensible atonement for each of us and for everyone, everywhere; a testimony that I am a daughter of God and the sure knowledge that I love Him and desire to serve Him with my every breath. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission in Sweden with my best friend and eternal companion. I feel I must stand before you as Brigham Young and Heber Kimball stood in the back of the wagon that was taking them from their families to serve missions in England. In their weakness they stood, facing their families, and shouted “Hoorah for Israel! Hoorah for Israel!” Heyda, ha det bra.