“Sister Ashcroft,” President Greer turned to look at me, “would you like to bear your testimony for us this evening, before we set Stephen apart for his mission?”
I stood, looked around the room, at my parents, my husband, my children and grandchildren, the Stake President and his councilors, then back at Stephen.
“Thank you, President Greer,” I began, a lump already forming in my throat.
“Stephen, I've been thinking about you leaving all day, and wondering if I've taught you all the things I was supposed to? I'm so proud of you! I'm so proud of your desire to serve a mission for the Lord, for you willingness to give up two years of your life to teach the Gospel to the people in New Hampshire, and for your goodness and the love you have given me all of your life. You've always been my special little boy, and I'm going to miss you.”
I stopped, cleared my throat, then looked around at the people I loved again.
“This morning, when I was reading the scriptures, I came across a passage in the Book of Mormon quoting Isaiah in the Old Testament, where he laments that the people of Israel have not kept the commandments. He says, “if you had kept the commandments, then your peace would have been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea.” I love the imagery in that scripture. I can see in my mind a river, flowing continually towards the ocean. I would like to have peace like that, flowing on and on and never stopping. And I can see the waves of the ocean, like in Rocky Point, crashing on the beach or up against the rocks, one after another, unceasingly coming one after another forever. I bear you my testimony, that I know the Lord has given us his commandments, not because he likes telling us what to do, or because he enjoys seeing us obey, but because he loves us, and he knows what will make us happy and bring us peace. I want you to have the kind of unending peace and righteousness that Isaiah talks about. I hope I have taught you well enough. I pray every day that the Lord will teach you the things I've missed, and that you can learn to be obedient quickly enough to avoid heart ache and be happy now.”
“I love you, Stephen, and all of you, my family. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of us, too, and so does Jesus Christ. I know that He is my savior, my redeemer, and that this is His church. I know that through the atonement, and by living the gospel and following His commandments, we can learn how to become like Him and can come home to live with Him and Heavenly Father some day. That is what I want, more than anything else in the whole wide world. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Tears were streaming down my face as I found the handles on my chair and sat back down. How could such a happy, spiritual moment, also be so poignant and make me cry?
President Greer called Stephen to come up to the front of the room, then he invited the Moe and dad and the other members of the Priesthood to join him in laying their hands on Stephen's head to set him apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He blessed Stephen that if he would be obedient he would have a good mission and make a difference for the people in New Hampshire. He also reminded Stephen that he would be working for the Lord for the next two years, and he warned him that he would be discouraged at times because of the cold and his companions, but that he would be OK if he was obedient.
After being set apart, Stephen came home and finished packing his bags, then went to dinner with his cousin, Nathan, who just recently returned from his own mission. By the time he got home he was starting to feel sick, but hopefully it was just nerves.
The next morning we got up at 4:00 to take Stephen to the airport. We got ready, but Stephen was really feeling sick to his stomach. Moe and Grandpa gave him a blessing, and we packed the last of his stuff, then drove to the airport.
When we got there Stephen was really feeling miserable, but he looked excited and happy. Hopefully, if he had the flue, he wouldn't give it to all the rest of the new missionaries, but there was nothing gonna stop him from getting on that plane.
It was exciting and emotional at the airport. Kami cried, but the rest of us did pretty good until Stephen leaned down to give grandma a quick kiss goodbye. She grabbed hold of him, pulled him in tight, and made him give her a long hug.
“I'll be back before you know it, grandma,” he assured her with tears in his eyes, but I couldn't help wondering if mom was thinking this might be the last time she would see Stephen in this life? If only we had know what the next two years would bring, dad would have made him come back and give him an extra hug, too.
Then Stephen waved goodby, and he and another new missionary walked away through the security check points and headed off down the hall towards the gates and two years service in the New Hampshire Mission. I went home to paint a picture of a river, flowing to the ocean.
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