Happy Halloween from Elder "Chick Magnet" Lynam!
Friday, October 29, 2010
October 29, 2010
Happy 19th birthday Jake!
He started out his birthday in a great way by going to a session at the Manti temple with his dad. Jake said it's his favorite so far and he loved the different rooms.
It really is a beautiful temple and it's so fun for him to be able to visit such a wonderful landmark.
Happy 19th birthday Jake!
He started out his birthday in a great way by going to a session at the Manti temple with his dad. Jake said it's his favorite so far and he loved the different rooms.
It really is a beautiful temple and it's so fun for him to be able to visit such a wonderful landmark.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
October 27, 2010
We're checking off the "to do's" for sure now! Yesterday was full of dentist appts, Dr. appts, a trip to the DMV for a drving record and a renewal of the passport. Whew! (Cha-Ching)
It's been fun to spend time with Jake doing all of this, but I really can't believe how much has to go into it!
Today I'm getting some rest by being at work!
I had to put this picture in here because I made up a medicine information sheet for him. It's kind of lame, but it shows what to take for what and how much. He just never gets sick, or has a headache... so hopefully he doesn't over-dose on Tylenol or something while he's out there! Actually, I'm sure the mission mom will help him with stuff like that, but I'm hoping he is able to do alot of stuff on his own. (With a bit of "mom training"!)
We're checking off the "to do's" for sure now! Yesterday was full of dentist appts, Dr. appts, a trip to the DMV for a drving record and a renewal of the passport. Whew! (Cha-Ching)
It's been fun to spend time with Jake doing all of this, but I really can't believe how much has to go into it!
Today I'm getting some rest by being at work!
I had to put this picture in here because I made up a medicine information sheet for him. It's kind of lame, but it shows what to take for what and how much. He just never gets sick, or has a headache... so hopefully he doesn't over-dose on Tylenol or something while he's out there! Actually, I'm sure the mission mom will help him with stuff like that, but I'm hoping he is able to do alot of stuff on his own. (With a bit of "mom training"!)
Friday, October 22, 2010
October 22, 2010
Jake and I have decided to visit every temple in the State of Utah before he leaves! We thought it sounded fun and I didn't think much of it until we found this "temple passport" at Deseret Book. I picked one up and we started looking through it. WOW! We've got some trips ahead of us! Jake thinks Bob might want to visit a couple of them with him and maybe Ryley and him can visit a couple as well!
By the way... Ryley got his call! He's going to Brisbane Australia! We're so excited for him. Jake and I got to be there when he opened his call! He was so cute... I'll miss my Elder Ry Ry.
The temple of the day was Jordan River! We ran down there after work and when we got into the temple we were one of the very few people who weren't Tongan. We got to sit in the chapel and listen to Tongan hymns and then we did the session with head phones in English. It was so cool. Jake and I talked in the Celestial room about the Church being so diverse and world-wide even in our own area. It was great for Jake to be able to see how other languages are offered in the temple. It was a "very awesome adventure"!
Jake and I have decided to visit every temple in the State of Utah before he leaves! We thought it sounded fun and I didn't think much of it until we found this "temple passport" at Deseret Book. I picked one up and we started looking through it. WOW! We've got some trips ahead of us! Jake thinks Bob might want to visit a couple of them with him and maybe Ryley and him can visit a couple as well!
By the way... Ryley got his call! He's going to Brisbane Australia! We're so excited for him. Jake and I got to be there when he opened his call! He was so cute... I'll miss my Elder Ry Ry.
Jordan River temple! October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
October 19, 2010
Our checklist continues... today was immunizations! WOW! What a slacker mom I am in the immunization department. After a multitude of shots, he is now free to jump around on rusty nails, breathe deeply in the faces of runny nosed children and other free-coughing individuals.
The pediatrician was great about telling Jake how to take good care of himself and to begin his life as an adult. It was a great discussion and I was very impressed. I have a "first aid" kit in mind, but I think I'll throw in a little tutorial about what to take for the stuff like, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fever.
I think the best thing about the day for Jake was that this was the LAST day he would ever have to have medical care in a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs room!
We actually started the day really great. Jake and I got up and did a session at the OMT. We were the witness couple and it was so nice. Jake was a little worried that people would think he was married to an old lady, but I think he managed OK. He did really good having it be only the second time he has been to the temple and we ran into the lady that helped me with initiatories as well as quite a few people who found out he was going to Everett Washington. Claudia Lignell was there and I talked to her for awhile about working once a week after I lose a couple of kid this fall. We're looking into Kayci being able to volunteer there as well.
Here's a couple more of Jake in front of "His" temple. The view is beautiful and we're super spoiled with having a temple closer than our Stake Center and the fact that we can see 3 others from the front of this one!
Our checklist continues... today was immunizations! WOW! What a slacker mom I am in the immunization department. After a multitude of shots, he is now free to jump around on rusty nails, breathe deeply in the faces of runny nosed children and other free-coughing individuals.
The pediatrician was great about telling Jake how to take good care of himself and to begin his life as an adult. It was a great discussion and I was very impressed. I have a "first aid" kit in mind, but I think I'll throw in a little tutorial about what to take for the stuff like, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fever.
I think the best thing about the day for Jake was that this was the LAST day he would ever have to have medical care in a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs room!
We actually started the day really great. Jake and I got up and did a session at the OMT. We were the witness couple and it was so nice. Jake was a little worried that people would think he was married to an old lady, but I think he managed OK. He did really good having it be only the second time he has been to the temple and we ran into the lady that helped me with initiatories as well as quite a few people who found out he was going to Everett Washington. Claudia Lignell was there and I talked to her for awhile about working once a week after I lose a couple of kid this fall. We're looking into Kayci being able to volunteer there as well.
Monday, October 18, 2010
October 16, 2010
Today Jake took out his endowments at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Bob was Jake's escort and we got there at 5:45p.m. I did initiatories while Bob and Jake met with the temple president, President Christiansen. It was a wonderful meeting. Pres. Christiansen pulled Jake up to him and sat knee to knee. He told Jake that he had been a mission president before and had a true gift of discernment. He said he felt inspired to tell Jake that he very rarely meets an Elder who is as pure as Jake, with a heart of goodness. He promised Jake that if he would obey the rules, that he would return home safely. He told Jake that if he were to have come to his mission, that he would have made him an Assistant to the President right then.
Bob told him later thanks for the kind words, and President Christiansen said, "Those weren't kind words." He had told Jake some very inspired truths.
Today Jake took out his endowments at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Bob was Jake's escort and we got there at 5:45p.m. I did initiatories while Bob and Jake met with the temple president, President Christiansen. It was a wonderful meeting. Pres. Christiansen pulled Jake up to him and sat knee to knee. He told Jake that he had been a mission president before and had a true gift of discernment. He said he felt inspired to tell Jake that he very rarely meets an Elder who is as pure as Jake, with a heart of goodness. He promised Jake that if he would obey the rules, that he would return home safely. He told Jake that if he were to have come to his mission, that he would have made him an Assistant to the President right then.
Bob told him later thanks for the kind words, and President Christiansen said, "Those weren't kind words." He had told Jake some very inspired truths.
October 18, 2010
Well here we go... it's official! Jake was called to serve in the Washington Everett Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! He got his call on the 13th and we went to the temple on the 16th. It's been a whirlwind week, but we're all very excited.
The day that he got his call, we knew he would probably be getting it. The Bishop had e-mailed us and let us know that it was on it's way and "the word on the street" is that calls come on Wednesdays. So, Wednesday morning we called the post office. Sure enough, it was there. We drove down there and they had held it for us. I swear that thing was burning a hole in our pockets until we could meet at Robert's office to open it.
So, we all meet at the office... Robert, me, Bob, Jessi, Alan, Kayci and Jake. After a quick lesson on letter openers... EVERETT WASHINGTON... GET A MAP!
The rest of the day was really fun. Jake and I got in the car and drove to Provo... thinking we were going to go the the "Missionary Emporium". (I guess they don't have those anymore.) We went to The Missionary Mall and our sales guy had gone to Ireland on his mission. Jake told him that was where he wanted to go. The guy told Jake that he didn't get to teach even one discussion on his mission. That really changed Jake's mind about Europe. He started thinking that Washington wasn't that bad after all. (Not that he ever thought it was bad... the first thing he said to me was, "I want to go wherever the Lord needs me to serve." ... he's such a stud!)
Well here we go... it's official! Jake was called to serve in the Washington Everett Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! He got his call on the 13th and we went to the temple on the 16th. It's been a whirlwind week, but we're all very excited.
The day that he got his call, we knew he would probably be getting it. The Bishop had e-mailed us and let us know that it was on it's way and "the word on the street" is that calls come on Wednesdays. So, Wednesday morning we called the post office. Sure enough, it was there. We drove down there and they had held it for us. I swear that thing was burning a hole in our pockets until we could meet at Robert's office to open it.
The rest of the day was really fun. Jake and I got in the car and drove to Provo... thinking we were going to go the the "Missionary Emporium". (I guess they don't have those anymore.) We went to The Missionary Mall and our sales guy had gone to Ireland on his mission. Jake told him that was where he wanted to go. The guy told Jake that he didn't get to teach even one discussion on his mission. That really changed Jake's mind about Europe. He started thinking that Washington wasn't that bad after all. (Not that he ever thought it was bad... the first thing he said to me was, "I want to go wherever the Lord needs me to serve." ... he's such a stud!)
The next thing we did was drive to the MTC. Since the whole H1N1 thing, missionaries familes aren't allowed in the MTC to drop them off. They just kind of "tuck and roll" at the curb while you slow down. We had a chance to go into the reception area and we talked about where you eat and where the dorms are. I told him which building I was in and where the lessons are taught and stuff like that. We saw some missionaries walking by and we had a chance to talk about districts and how that works. It was a great time at the MTC!
I'm not sure how I'm feeling right now. It's kind of a mixture of excitement, sadness, happiness, worry and proudness... all at the same time. I find myself crying at little things while laughing and smiling at others. My heart is so full that words really aren't working very well for me.
We talked for a long time about testimonies and teaching the gospel. I told him how I felt like an Amway saleman on some sick Ground Hog Day while I was on my mission at times. We talked about mission rules and obedience with exactness. I told him that I felt so lost and alone at times on my mission... times when I had my companion right there with me, but still felt alone. Although my heart aches to think of him going through those experiences, I know that he will be a better man because of them.
My mind kept going to the floor in front of the refrigerator in the "pink house" in Layton. I would have a picture of a Book of Mormon person on the fridge. I would try to talk about that person as much as I could for a month. I'm not even sure if the kids remember that, but I thought about sitting on the floor and talking to Jake about the Stripling Warriors. As a mother, I feel those women are kindred spirits, sending out your son with only the knowledge of what they have been taught by you. Have I done enough? Was I the type of mother that I should have been? Can my son truly say that he was "taught by his mother"?
What I can say with all of my heart is that my children know they were loved. I know with a surety that Jake can say that he was loved... always. Since he was old enough to walk, he would take me by the hand in the morning and, without saying a word, he would walk me into his room and to the rocking chair. And we would rock... When he came home from school, he would find me and then go out and play. He did that every day until he graduated from high school.
I'm so grateful for that time. It just seems such a small moment in time, and I suppose in the great realm of things, it is.
For now, we're preparing for him to greet the people of Washington state. There are shots to get and things to buy, but there is a new spirit in our home... and the promise I have that wherever he goes, we will always be looking at the same moon.
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