The Non-Homecoming

Yesterday Grandma and Grandpa Ross reported on their mission to their ward during sacrament meeting.

(That sentence sounds impossibly stifled and complex. How much easier was it when you could just say, "Yesterday was Grandma and Grandpa's missionary homecoming"? Sigh.)

To make it to 9am sacrament meeting in South Jordan, we left the house just after eight. The kids didn't behave quite as well as I would have liked behaved just like angels, all lined up on the pew, arms folded, and sweet, upturned faces gazing at the speaker. (What? Isn't this how your kids act?) (And you should have seen them at our sacrament meeting two hours later. Yes, we made our kids go to two sacrament meetings in one day. Abuse, I tell you.)

Children aside, I was actually able to listen to most of Eva's and George's talks. I very much appreciated how Eva spoke of the many blessings we here at home received while they were on their mission. There were a few family troubles that I know Eva found it hard to be away during, but all the siblings were able to pull together and help each other out. Having been witness to at least one of the situations to which she referred, it was pretty inspiring to see every single one of the brothers and sisters offer to help out in any way possible. It's a darn good family I married into.

(And I have to say: the chapel we were meeting in is decorated in sea-green and white, with the carpet a darker green. Eva wore a pretty green jacket that was just a shade different than the wall behind her, and it made such a gorgeous picture with all the colors complementing each other and Grandma's beautiful light hair shining...I'm pretty sure that is the first time I've ever wished to take a picture of a sacrament meeting speaker!)

George is such an amazing speaker--it's always fun to listen to him, and he always has such a great message to think about. Yesterday he spoke about how it is the Spirit that does the converting. Using the story of Jonah and the whale, he emphasized the importance of remembering that this is God's work we are doing. I loved the analogies he used to remind us how vital it is that we place the will of God first.

(At one point in his talk, Grandpa said, "Now he was in the belly of the whale for three days..." Em looked up at me and said, "That is just like Jonah!" At least she was listening a little bit.)

I'm so glad Grandma and Grandpa went on a mission, and I'm so glad they are home again. It's lovely to be able to see them so often, and I'm grateful my kids get to hear about the things they did on their mission. Thank you!