Just Pictures

I finally had time to download all the pictures from my camera from this month. Here are some awesome ones from Dylan's mission call opening.

 

The final map of everyone's guesses.

Dylan with his much anticipated letter.

 The opening. 

And the reading starts.

 

I'm going to Brazil! (Grandma's face is priceless!)

 

Heck ya, so excited - oh, and I was right!

 

The official letter.

 

Three generations of Blake's

(plus on the phone with Uncle Jeff).

 

 Lyle, Dylan, & Maquel

 

So sweet!

 

Grandma & Grandpa Balch - Dylan

is the first missionary from their posterity.

 

And finally, me (thanks sis)!

 

I thought that Kevin and I got pictures with him, but I guess we didn't. I also didn't get pictures with Dylan and his brothers, or our whole family. Not as organized as I should have been, but then I think the nerves had something to do with it. As a family we are so excited and can't wait to see what the next two-and-a-half years bring!

Grandpa Blake

I am recording this so that it is not forgotten, because I think it's important to remember. And just a warning that this is pretty emotional - have the tissues ready.  

So, if you are following Dylan’s mission progress, you know that last Thursday he received his call. Here is what his official letter says:

 

Dear Elder Blake:

 

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Sao Paulo South Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months.

 

You should report to the Brazil Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, July 17, 2013. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Portuguese language . . .

 

The Lord will reward you for the goodness of your life. Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children.

 

Wow. What a great letter! And it is actually signed by President Thomas S. Monson. Not an ink stamp - an actual signature. I definitely have chills, and know that his call is from his Father in Heaven!

 

Now, the rest of the story. When the Church announced that the missionary age for boys was changing from 19 to 18, Dylan was so excited. He called his Grandpa Blake, who was battling cancer at the time, and told him all about it.  His Grandpa's statement was, "Now maybe I will be able to see you serve a mission." Well, that wasn't the Lord's plan. His Grandpa passed away on December 19th. But, during one of his Grandpa's last blessings that he received, he was promised that he would be there when Dylan opened his call. And he was - just not in person. His spirit was definitely felt.

 

After Dylan left from opening his call, he went and visited his Grandpa Blake's grave. He took his mission call and read it to him. If you have ever been to a recent grave, you know that there is no headstone, just a name plate stating who is buried there. After Dylan read his call, through his tears, he told his Grandpa how much he loved and missed him. Dylan looked up at the name plate and two water drops were running down each side, just like his Grandpa was crying too - and I'm sure he was.

 

With the freezing temperatures, I know it was no coincidence. I know that the tears that were shed were happy tears telling Dylan how proud his Grandpa Blake is of him and how much he loves him!  The Lord shows us so many tender mercies. We are definitely blessed!

Dylan's Mission Call

Wow.  So many emotions right now! 

I got a phone call this morning around 7:30. It was the post office saying that Dylan's call had arrived. Holy cow. I really wasn't expecting it until Friday or Saturday because of the holiday. Dylan was staying at Grandma Blake's house, so I called his cell phone. He answered on the last ring and was half asleep. I told him that his call was here - man did he wake up quick.  He said, "Oh my gosh!" and dropped his phone.

Kevin and the boys were extremely happy and excited. Then I called my mom and dad. They were way excited. I tried to call my sisters and neither one of them answered their cell phones. I was like, this is important and they aren't answering. Then I finally got ahold of them and told them what we were doing. They were so excited, too.

Dylan wanted his friends to be there when he opened his call, so we decided to open it at noon at my mom and dad's house. I couldn't believe I had to wait that long. My parents were nice enough to make sandwiches, cookies, and brownies for everyone, and there were probably like 50 people there! I was already anxious enough. I arrived at about 11:45 with the kids. Dylan was already there with Grandma Blake and my parents - plus tons of others. I was on pins and needles all morning. Kevin got tied up at work so he didn't arrive until about 5 after. Seriously by now I thought I was going to have a heart attack, my heart was racing so fast.

So, before Dylan opened his call he told me that he was going to say something different than was on his papers and then say, "Just kidding!" and then tell everyone where he was really going. Well when he read that he was going to Brazil Sao Paulo South Mission, speaking Portuguese, leaving July 17, I didn't believe him. I kept saying, "Really" and finally he shook his head. I can't believe it.

Then, Kevin asks me what MTC he was going to. I was thinking the Provo MTC, but I was wrong. He is going to the Brazil MTC. Oh my heck! We don't drop him off at the MTC in Provo, but at the airport! Wow. So excited!

"Where's He Going?" Party

So tonight we had dinner at my mom and dad's house. They have a big empty room downstairs where we are able to set up tables and chairs enough to fit all of us. We usually have dinner on Fast Sunday, but since last Sunday was the Superbowl, we changed it to today. And since Dylan just submitted his papers, I wanted everyone to decide where they thought Dylan would go on his mission.

My parents found this world map and we stuck it to a presentation board. Everyone put their initials on a push pin and stuck it in the Board. Here is Kolar guessing where he thought.

And a picture of my cute sister taking a picture of me. Usually I forget my camera and have to rely on her, but I remembered today. And most of the time she is not in pictures because she is always taking them.

Then after we all guessed, we stuck pins in for everyone who took a guess from Facebook. Here is the final product with the future missionary.

Here are everyone's guesses. The first part are from people on Facebook. Dylan was the first one that guessed at our party.

• Brooke Pehrson - Brazil
• Becky Hughes - Alaska (of course, since she moved there last year)
• Eric Balch - Argentina
• Silvia Stubbs - Argentina
• Tiffany Witte - Texas
• Don Johnson - Japan
• Jeremy J. Lyman - Spain
• Karyssa Balch - Brazil
• Simone Shumway - Peru
• Carol Richmond - Korea
• Kaylee Ann Star - Germany
• Jim Blake - Little Rock, Arkansas
• Jeff Blake - Brazil
• Heidi Bullard - Texas
• Laurie Hawkins Crook - New York
• Lynette Stevens - Brazil
• Callie Winters - Marshall Islands (this is where Dylan wants to go)
• Janet Wilcox - Scandinavia
• Jodilyn Blake - Mexico
• Dylan - Brazil
• Kolar - Russia
• Javin - Madagascar
• Jordan - Marshall Islands
• Carver - Hungary
• Kailey - Paris, France
• Keya - Equator
• Kylar - Rome, Italy
• Kamri - Stockholm, Sweden
• Niquee - Sweden
• Clint - Portugal, Spain
• Kristy - Hong Kong, China
• Jeff - Canary Islands
• Sheri - Denmark
• Maquel - Venezuala
• Lyle - Mexico
• Grandpa Balch - Ghana
• Grandma Balch - Ontario, Canada
• Grandma Blake - Hawaii
• Dad (Kevin) - Dallas, Texas (Gee could this be because he is a HUGE Cowboys fan!)
• Mom (Me) - Romania

From Dylan's Facebook:

• Lisa Sherman - Seattle
• Hayden Brown - Oregon
• Hannah Parker - Philippines
• Toniee Lewis - Italy
• Kellie Palmer - South Carolina
• Devin Lyman - Jamaica
• Chandler Billsie - Philadelphia
• Corey Blake - Guatemala
• Ryan Turk - Brazil
• Kesian Barton - Chicago
• Jenny Sherrow - Philippines
• Samantha Walker - Peru
• Joni McDonald - Canada
• Ashly Shumway - Mississippi
• Brielle Hawkins Carrick - Dallas, Texas
• Brett Laws - Washington DC
• Brynn Blake Steimle - Hong Kong
• Brittain Bowring - Boston
• Andrea Chapman - Japan
• Mikell Monson - Samoa
• Shelbi Black - New York
• Casey Blake - Mexico
• Landrey Hawkins - Sydney, Australia
• Brooke Lyman - Spain
• Rian Laws - Philippines
• Shadin Sherrow - Canada
• Carlos Bowring - California
• Marcia Hawkins - Italy
   

Wow, lots of guesses, huh? Can't wait until he gets his official call. The one thing I know is that not a one of us knows where he is going. The only one that knows is the Lord. And I know that his call will be from him. Now we wait for a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!

Glitch in the System

When Dylan submitted his papers on Monday, three of his friends submitted their papers as well. On Friday, everyone but Dylan received a text from the Stake President that said their call had been issued. Pretty fast, huh?! I was so excited. But, Dylan never received a text. So the next day, he sent a text to the Stake President and asked if there was an update on his papers. The Stake President said that when Dylan's papers were sent, there was a "glitch" in the system and they were never officially processed. They had to resubmit them on Friday. He also told him to be patient and it will all be worth it.

I believe that everything in life happens for a reason, and this is no exception. There was a reason that Dylan's papers weren't processed last week. The Lord has a greater plan for us than we know ourselves. It's just being patient and letting Him work His plan on His time. 

Mission Papers Are In!

On Tuesday, February 5th, Dylan's mission papers were completed and submitted to Church Headquarters. I honestly have a thousand different emotions running through me. I am so excited and can't wait to see where he is going. I am anxious because he may be going somewhere scary. The world is not always a safe place to live in. I am nervous - what if he doesn't like where he is going. His heart is set on a foreign mission. What if it's not? I am sad that I won't be able to see him for two whole years. I am proud of all the right decisions he has made in his life. Never once in his life did he say that he wasn't going on a mission. I am happy because I know he is doing the right thing. I know this will change who he is forever.

Sunday we are having dinner over at my mom and dad's and we are all guessing where he is going. We got a big world map and everyone will put a sticker on it with their name where they think he is going. It will be interesting to see where people think he will serve. I have my own guess and have for the last week or so. But, the most important thing is that we all know he will serve where the Lord wants him to be. The calling comes from the Lord through the General Authorities and to him. He will be wherever he is needed and I accept that.

Now the waiting game begins. Two to four weeks before we know for sure. Can't wait!