Called To Serve

President and Sister Gilbert

______________ Mission

July 2011-July 2014

That's right people... My dad has been Called to Serve as a Mission President!

President Eyring and the Church Missionary Department asked that we don't say where he'll be serving until it's officially announced in the Church News... We're hoping that'll come out in the next couple weeks so we can actually talk about it!

It's been a crazy few weeks trying to figure out how in the world we're going to survive without my parents around- especially since I am having a baby in 10 weeks and am realizing I'm not going to have my mom around to teach me how to be a mom... that's been a rough one!

I was actually lucky enough to have a bit of "advanced knowledge" that something was up and that they may be getting called- because the "Office of the First Presidency" called for my dad when he was in China- and I happened to be the one to take the call! Just for the record, when you ask to take a message and they say it's the Office of the First Presidency- it gets your heart racing a little bit!

Anyway, Dad received the first phone call Oct 29th from Elder L. Tom Perry's office saying he would like to meet with Dad. After that interview Dad has heard from the Missionary Department of the Church a few times, and then when they called to office to get ahold of him, Dad knew something was really up. He told me not to tell anybody because he didn't want anybody making a big deal... that was a HARD secret to keep!

When they got back from China, they got the call the a member of the First Presidency would like to meet with them (at that point they couldn't tell me who it was). I rearranged Dad's crazy work schedule so he could squeeze it in- and was DYING to find out what the meeting was about... but they told me that they wouldn't tell me- but that we needed to have a family meeting.

The next night we all got together for a Family Meeting and my mom handed Erika a note and asked her to read it out loud... it said,

"Gramma and Bop are going on a mission in July!"

**Warning- tear jerker story**

Erika looked at my mom and said, "Gramma Cindy what does that mean?" My mom said, "It means Bop and I are going to go on a Mission right after you turn 6!" Erika said "How long will you be gone?" and my mom replied "Three years.".... at this point Erika hopped off my mom's lap and ran into the other room sobbing! Jen immediately went to take care of her and I tried to regain my composure for a minute, after a minute I went in to check on Erika and she gave me the biggest hug and was just sobbing so hard she couldn't breathe. It absolutely broke my heart!

Let's be honest- none of us were all that surprised at the cal... we've all seen it coming for a long time. But the shock was still there! Imagine me (pregnant) and Jen (postpartum) hearing that our parents are going to be gone for THREE years! (Needless to say- there were a lot of tears!) My poor husband has no idea what to do with me- I've had two minor breakdowns (and I NEVER cry) and he just has no idea what to even do. I'll be totally fine and then I'll think of having to say goodbye at the airport knowing I'll only see my parents maybe once or twice in the next three years, and then I start crying. Or I'll think about little things like when my baby learns to crawl, and my mom won't be there... and then I start to cry. Or if I am needing a blessing- knowing that I can't call my dad to come assist Dustin. Little things like that get me. Given, I know I have an amazing big brother and an amazing brother in law, and my Uncle James who are always willing to drop ANYTHING to help us out- but wow. These little things are killing me.

On a happier note, we have absolutely no doubt that we will be so blessed through their service. There is absolutely no question in any of our minds that they need to go serve with all their hearts for the next three years (but it still hurts)...

Anyway, there's the big news in the Gilbert family! I'll be posting as soon as I officially can where they're going!

PS Sorry for the long post