Farewell Gathering in Utah

Brady and I flew to Utah on Tuesday, November 16th to spend the last night, and next morning together before he entered the MTC. When we arrived at the Salt Lake Airport, our good friends, Russ and Pam Alston, met us as the airport to offer us their car to drive as we had plans to go to Temple Square. The Alston's are Brady's second family in UT, as their son Travis, is one Brady's best friends. They both attended Bingham High School as new students together and were in the band. They had many great times together.  I enjoyed getting to know the Alston family when we lived in UT and feel so blessed to be able to maintain that relationship even after we've moved. Bishop Alston and his wife Pam have been a blessing in our lives. (Travis and Brady have been able to spend one month together in the MTC. Elder Alston leaves Dec. 20th for Portugal).

Brady and I went to Temple Square and we met Brad for dinner at the Garden Restaurant inside the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

 Afterwards, we walked around Temple Square and went inside the Visitor's Center.

After we left Temple Square we went to the Alston's home, who offered to let us stay at their home and hosted a Farewell Gathering for Brady.  I am so grateful to them and their sweet family for inviting us into their home, taking care of us, and for providing Brady with the time to say goodbye to dear friends.

I had invited Brady's friends who are mostly attending BYU, and others from our ward.

From top left:  Sanford Family, Megan, Becky, Cody and Rachel, (this is some of our Bishop's family, Bishop Sanford was out of town for work, Emily, Natalie and Sydney were home), Kyle Sanford, Jeppson Family - Melissa and Alma with their four darling boys, Mark Scanlon and Ashlee, Alston family, Hill Cumorah Work Crew friends (Trevor Lott, and the second is Elder Alder, I don't know the other's names :( ), Trevor Uptain, Blair Janis, Trevor and Josh, Day family - Tanner, Sister's Day and Corrinn, Troy Jolley, and Richard and Karla Parkinson.

 Brady talking with one of his best buddies - Mark

The sweetest moment was when four of Brady's buddies from the Hill Cumorah Work Crew drove from BYU to see Brady off. You could instantly see the love these young men have for each other. That's what serving a mission does. These young men served together on a mini mission as part of the work crew for the Hill Cumorah Pageant. They have remained close. 

Trevor Lott, Preston Alder, Mike Heath and Jody Hirschi

It was nice visiting with friends from the ward, but even better, was seeing Brady light up from visits from these special friends. Thank you all for being in Brady's life.

Mexico!

Brady arrived home from his service at The Hill Cumorah on July 23rd. He served from June 22 - July 23, 2010. This was his second summer serving at The Hill, and his arrival home this summer was so exciting for us because after receiving His Call and knowing he would be serving in Mexico, the family found Mexico t-shirts to wear to greet him at the airport.

 We went to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate his arrival home.

 At home we gave Brady a new set of Spanish Scriptures.

 His name was engraved on the front - Elder Brady Lester

Called to Serve - Mexico Puebla Mission

The Envelope

(Brady reading the call to Mom and siblings, gathered by the Hill Cumorah Work Crew at the top of the Hill Cumorah in Palmyra, New York)

Brady was serving with the Hill Cumorah Work crew this summer for the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra, New York. He had the great opportunity to serve there last summer as well. Some of the boys serving last year recieved their mission calls during their service at The Hill. Brady said that was a neat experience and wondered if the same thing would happen to him given the time he submitted his papers the first part of June. We knew that his Mission Call would probably arrive while he was in Palmyra because he was serving from June 24th until July 23rd. I did receive the package on July 1st and went straight to the post office where I sent it overnight mail. Brady's leaders, Brother and Sister Krebs, were expecting the package the next day, July 2nd, and so the plan was after the work crew attended the Palmyra Temple, they would stop back by the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center, so Brady could receive the "surprise" of his Mission Call. Brady and the work crew then went to the top of the Hill Cumorah so he could read his Mission Call from the Prophet of the Lord, President Thomas S. Monson. He called me on my cell phone, and the kids and I gathered around the phone and listened as Brady read his call. It was so exciting! The funny thing was that when he read the part of where he was going, we couldn't hear him, so as he kept reading the letter, we were wondering where he had been Called to Serve. It's on the video here, and on the sidebar. It was really special to be able to have this video taken of Brady and to hear him get emotional as he read the anticipated letter of Missionary Call. What a treasure!

Brady was called to serve in the Mexico Puebla Mission, reporting to the Provo MTC on November 17, 2010.