This is a hard thing thou has asked of us

It was difficult, it still is. This is difficult but as Lacy says you have to write things down to "make it better". First off, the MTC president kept saying in the meeting that this was a spiritual experience. Neither Pam or I felt the spirit. We couldn't through our tears. Also where did they get the idea to start off with singing "Called to Serve". You all have been through it so I won't rehash the proceedings, only to say we actually said goodbye quickly and had to ask other families to move so we could get out. Chad was in his element. He shed some tears saying goodbye, but he had a smile on face and was ready to go. He knew quite a few of his fellow elders going in. He was greeting them...sharing in all the excitement. When it was time to go into the "great hall" to say goodbye, he said "let's ride, Dad". Then when we had to say farewell we all three hugged and he said, "Game on, Dad". I was so proud of him. He was promised in his setting apart that angels will go before him and that Christ will be in front and on his right and left and that he will help many to realized the blessing of the gospel. I'm not tearful for him, but for us. One little incident you might apprecitate happened after we left the MTC. We needed gas so we stopped at a gas/food mart as Pam needed a newspaper also. Pam went in to get the newspaper and after I had gassed up I pulled up to the side of the food mart so Pam wouldn't have to get wet as it was pouring rain. Pam came out and proceded to get into another man's car. Through teary eyes, she thought it was me. In her defense, it was the same color Honda as ours. She got in and then realized it wasn't me. She screamed and then both she and the man laughed. Anyway, more musings on the day in a later post, but here are a few photos that will certainly make me and Pam cry and maybe you to. On second thought, I'll upload them later for some reason they won't load on this computer.