Another Missionary!

Our 4th son left on his mission for the LDS church today. He got called to the Canada Edmonton mission, speaking Mandarin Chinese. He will spend 9 weeks at a training center for missionaries, learning Chinese, and then he will go up to Edmonton to receive his assigned area.

This preparation was a little different than for my older sons. Lincoln is just recently 18, just graduated from high school, and had less than two months to get ready. My older boys were a little older when they left--closer to 19--and had at least a year of college and living away from home behind them. So I think it might have been a little harder for Lincoln to say goodbye to his friends and family.

I definitely think he's ready though. I'm sure he'll do a great job. We'll miss him a lot but I absolutely know he's doing the right thing, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with other people.

There were lots of goodbyes. I forgot to get a picture of my daughter saying goodbye to her brother before she left for camp on Monday. But I got lots of other ones!

On Monday we visited my 94-year-old grandma who has pretty good health but is currently in a care center for a broken pelvis.

On Tuesday afternoon Lincoln got set apart and then we went out to eat to celebrate.

Next came saying goodbye to his older brother at college (and girlfriend)

Here's saying goodbye to the younger siblings and cousins who were visiting

This is at the curb of the training center where things tend to get a little emotional because you know this is really it for the next two years.

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