Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Two weeks and a day

They say that if you live in Utah, it takes two weeks to receive your mission call and it always arrives on Wednesday. What a disappointment it was when the mail never showed up yesterday.

But today; it came!

It was perfect timing too, because Daniel had already planned on attending a "cousin get-together" this evening with his sibs and cousins from both sides of the family. Mom and Dad were skyped in on one computer while Uncle Craig and Aunt Carolyn were skyped in on another. Grandparents were conferenced in. (It's kind of a big deal.)

When everyone was ready and all was silent, he opened the letter and read aloud:

"Dear Elder Drake, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Texas Houston South Mission....You will prepare to teach the gospel in the Spanish language."

Daniel reports to the Mission Training Center on May 25th, so there is much to do in six weeks.

More information was sent including a bio on his mission president, a map of the mission, a list of items to purchase/pack and a check list of what he needs to get done in the next six weeks as he prepares to report.

This is his young mission president and wife. They are parents of six children (she's expecting number seven) and are from North Salt Lake. Their current home and the mission office are both in Craig and Carolyn's ward (my brother and sister-in-law) in Sugarland, Texas. President and Sister Saylin are native Californians--my kind of people!

Gregory Mark Saylin, 40, and Jennifer Ashleigh Hilbig Saylin, six children, Texas Houston South Mission; Woodbriar Ward, North Salt Lake Utah Stake. Brother Saylin is a counselor in the stake presidency and a former high councilor, elders quorum president, ward executive secretary, ward mission leader and missionary in the Argentina Rosario Mission. Partner, Double G Development, Inc. Born in Torrance, Calif., to Brian Geoffrey and Rose Marie Saylin. Sister Saylin is a ward Young Women adviser and a former ward Relief Society president and teacher, counselor in ward Young Women presidencies, Primary music leader and missionary in the England Bristol Mission. Born in Duarte, Calif., to Keith Karlton and Susan Rae Hilbig.

CONGRATULATIONS, Daniel!

We love you!!!

Left to right: (Back row) Chris Drake, Rachel Drake, Rebecca Ricks, David Drake, Jonathan Cheney, Daniel Drake; (middle row) Jen Drake, Kristi Cheney Teshima, Lisa Cheney, Dana & Colleen Drake on Skype, Ashley Cheney, Jessie Cheney Smith; (front row) Jessie Drake, Kelly Cheney, Evan Teshima, Carolyn & Craig Cheney on Skype.