The Big White Envelope Has Arrived

For the past few weeks we have been expecting the arrival of a Big White Envelope in our mailbox. Our Stake President, President Horsley, called us into his office some time ago  and announced to us that he had had a revelation from the Lord concerning us.  The Lord wanted us to serve a full-time mission.  We had often thought of it after retirement, but were called to serve in the Logan Temple as officiators.  This was to be a two year assignment.  We were expected to work two shifts per week for between seven and eight hours each day.  We accepted this calling gladly and soon found ourselves immersed in one of the most spiritually energizing and fascinating works imaginable.  We loved the work.  We loved the Temple.  We loved the people who came to the Temple as officiators or as patrons, both young and old.  They were all such wonderful examples of faith and desire to assist the Lord in his work and utter selflessness. We loved the Temple Presidency, the Matron and her assistants, who so devotedly administered the marvelous work that goes in in the Temples.  It was an honor to serve under their direction.  We loved feeling the presence of those who had departed this life, but who now look to us for assistance.  In no small way we owe all that we are or ever hope to be to them.  What a marvelous experience it is to be able to reach through the veil of time and show our love for them and for our Savior, who died for all mankind, those who live, those who have lived, and those who will yet live in this mortal existence.  We were very happy doing what we were doing and felt it was a very important work.  When our two years were up we were asked to serve for another two years.  There was never a question about what we would say to that request.  Along with our regular service we were also often called upon to sub for some other officiator who was ill or had other issues requiring them to miss their normal shifts.  We gladly accepted as often as we could and so our service as officiators often extended to three or four or on occasions as many ans six shifts per week.  We met many, many wonderful people and learned to appreciate all of them.  When our second two year stint had been completed, we were asked to continue on for another two years.  Gladly, we accepted.  We had been blessed in so many ways, spiritually, physically, as had seen our beloved family, also receiving blessing in such rich abundance.  The idea of serving a full-time mission more or less, was replaced by the thought that Temple Work and family history work is also a mission.  We did as much family history work as time allowed  and also attended the Temple to do work for our own kindred dead often.  This was a rewarding experience, which we were able to share with our own children and grandchildren and other extended family members as well as Young Men and Young Women groups and YSA wards.  One young couple even credited us for helping them find one another and to be married in the Temple.  They met while doing baptisms for the dead for some of our ancestors whose names we had provided.  All in all, it was just a wonderful, productive, feel good, experience for both of us.  Occasionally, however, I would wake during the night with flashes of us doing missionary work, so I guess it was not a total surprise when President Horsely had some of those same flashes.  He explained a new pilot program in the Church for senior missionaries and said we were the ones the Lord wanted at this time to serve in this capacity from our stake.  What do you say?  Our only objective in life at this point is to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.  My response to President Horsely was this:  "If the Lord wants me to go to Antarctica and preach to the the penguins, I will do it."  I was serious.  All I want to do is what the Lord wants me to do.  I don't always measure up to all that I should, but it's not for lack of wanting to.  Accordingly we filled out the regular missionary "papers" and forwarded them to the bishop. After he reviewed them they were forwarded to the Stake President, then on to the First Presidency.  Then the real wait began.  After our discussion with the Stake President we kind of "knew" what our mission would be, but one line in our application  stated that we would be willing to serve wherever the Lord called us to serve.  Anyway,  last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, the Big White Envelope arrived.  We are excited and happy with our call.  It's not the Hawaii Visitors Center,  It's not Ouagadougou, or Sweden or Brazil or Germany.  The Utah Ogden Mission might not be at the top of very many people's list of places to serve a mission, but it is one of the highest baptizing missions in the Church and there is much work yet to be done.  We are anxious to "put our shoulder to the wheel."  I am reminded as I write this of President Uchtdorf's talk from a few conferences ago where he asked us to "stand where we are, and lift where we stand."  We plan on doing just that.

The unopened Big White Envelope

The Call to Elder Eborn

The Call to Sister Eborn

We will enter the MTC on January 6th, 2014.  This will give us some time to attend Tanner's graduation from Marine Corps Boot Camp in California and to spend a little time with some of the family members whom we do not see quite so much of.  After our training we will return to Logan and begin our missionary service.  We are grateful for this opportunity in our lives, an opportunity to pay back just a little to the Lord for all the many, many blessings that have been poured out upon us and our family.  We know that prayers are heard and answered.  We know what a great blessing it is to serve in the restored Church of Jesus Christ.  We love the Lord and His gospel, all that it does for us now and all that is promised.  We love our family and are so grateful for Temple covenants which help us to know that families can be together forever.  We are grateful to know that we will be strengthened and made equal to the task before us.  I personally am glad to know that I will have the best companion possible and that we will be together through every transfer.  We are grateful for the experiences and blessings of a lifetime which have helped us to prepare for this assignment.   We pray that we will have wisdom and health sufficient to be tools in the hands of the Lord. There is a song by Alex Boye', I Want Jesus to Walk with Me", which expresses the feelings we have right now.  We both want to live close to the Lord together so that Jesus will truly walk with us, not just during this mission, but forever and ever.  Your thoughts and prayers will be appreciated by us just as they are by all missionaries serving everywhere in the world.

http://youtu.be/IP7UHGgAKao