A Young Man Goes Forth

It starts as soon as you arrive at the MTC. After dropping the luggage off you're greeted with this sign. Families enter by a different door. The separation is temporary, however. After the missionary checks in and receives his or her name tag, you reunite for last minute pictures and hugs and tears.


Before entering the MTC, you join other families and missionaries as cars are unloaded of all the missionary's luggage. Doesn't Elder Schmutz look handsome?

One of the first thoughts that comes to mind when a son is born to LDS parents is that a future missionary has arrived. As the young man grows he sings "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" and he watches as older brothers and friends prepare to go, and then leave on their own missions. He might hear stories from dad, uncles, aunts, and others that have answered the call. And of course, he is told of the great missions of the early saints. And then, the day comes. The call has been received and accepted. The suits bought, the farewell spoken, the hair cut, and the good-byes said. The missionary has been set apart and ordained to the gathering of the wheat from the tares.

Parents are filled with conflicting emotions. Sorrow at the thought of parting, anxiety at the prospect of not being there to put a band-aid on a scrape, gratitude that their son is willing and worthy to serve, prayerful that God will watch over their son or daughter.

A mother's hands adds the finishing touch: The name tag that proclaims to the world that the bearer is an official, ordained representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and by extension, of the Lord himself. God bless you, Elder Schmutz, and all those who serve with you.