Goodbye Email from Jax..

I love you all, thanks for the support over the years.  I report at 1:00 and I am so excited for my mission.  I look forward to hearing from all of you. If you know someone who does not receive my emails, but would like to, just let me know by sending me their email address and I can add them to this group!-Elder Jorgensen

Saying Goodbye...

Jaxon was very ready to serve his mission.  He was ordained a missionary Tuesday Aug. 25 at 4:45pm.  That evening we went to Chili's for one last good steak and then Mom and Jax went to the temple with Grandma and Grandpa.  The next morning we took the kids to Ihop for breakfast and then drove down to the Provo Temple grounds.  We were able to hug and say goodbye.  We got back in the car and headed over to the MTC.  When we pulled up Jax said, "I'm ready and I'm worthy." and then he opened his door.  We all got out of the car for one last hug. I made him promise to turn around, wave and smile as he walked away.  He did twice, and it was perfect.  He made a sweet video for me to watch the night he left.  It was also perfect.  I love this kid so much and I'm really going to miss him. 

The drop off...I got the turn and wave with a smile:)

Time to start waiting for the emails!

Missionary Farewell & Eagle Court of Honor

Jax was determined to get his Eagle Scout award.  I actually tried to talk him out of it because we had such a busy summer.  He worked very hard though and was able to finish his project.  It was just before his birthday that he finished.  They were able to pull a few strings and get his award the week before he left so they arranged to come during the farewell and give him his award.  So proud of his hard work and determination.  

 

I decorated the house in the Ukraine Flag colors and with sunflowers, Ukraine's flower.  It turned out great.  We had nearly 140 people over.  Jax did a great job on his talk.  

                                         

    

Jax let me make his binder for all his important information cute:)  I wrote letters on the back of both the cover and back page that I hope he will find when he needs to be uplifted.

Preparation...

 We spent the next 3 month preparing Jax physically and spiritually to serve a mission.  I made him help clean out his room for Josh.  I told him I didn't want to feel like I was kicking him out when he was gone.  He responded with, "Oh, so you want to kick me out while I'm still here instead?".  Yes.

Grandma found a Book of Mormon in Russian for Jax.

Jax was ordained an Elder on Aug. 16.  The blessing was given by Grandpa.  The spirit was very strong and Jax was blessed with a lot of great things.  Including the gift of tongues and also that the food would taste sweet to his mouth.  Jaxon received his endowment on Aug. 18.  Most of the family was able to join us in the temple.  We met up at training table after with everyone else.  

This is the Missionary tribute wall for Jax while he is gone.  It will grow as time goes on and he sends pictures.  Hopefully we will always have a missionary on this wall for the next several years.

Called To Serve...

Jaxon worked on his papers during March and April of 2015.  He planned to submit in mid April but a few different things came up that pushed it back a couple weeks.  His papers ended up being submitted on May 10, 2015.  It was Mother's Day.

Three days later on a Wednesday morning I received a call from the Stake President.  "Sister Toone, I have had a call from the mission office and they have assigned Jaxon's area that he will be serving in, but there is a problem.  You put Aug. 28 as Jax's availability date and they are wondering if it would be ok to have him go 2 days earlier on Aug. 26.  If not he would go 6 weeks later, but then be late for the fall semester of school in 2 years."  We talked about it and I told him that 2 days earlier would be fine, it wouldn't make any difference to us.  He then said, "It's really weird that they are even calling me to ask.  I've never had them do that and for just two days.  Usually they just submit the call and the families just make it work."  We finished our call and a few minutes later he called back.  He told me that he had talked with them and the date would be Aug. 26.  We talked about how odd it was to know WHEN he would be going before knowing WHERE.  

We waited anxiously for the letter to come in the mail.  Typically a mission call would come on a Wednesday but we had heard of them coming on other days too.  As the days passed with no call it came closer and closer to Daddy Jake's birthday, May 22.  It was a Friday.  When I realized it would be close to his birthday I began to hope that the call would come on Jake's birthday.  Wednesday the 20th of May passed with no letter.  Just as I had hoped on Friday afternoon May 22 the call came.  It was such a tender mercy for us and a great way for Daddy Jake to remind us that he is still around and in our lives.  We always do a family dinner for Jake on his birthday to remember him.  It was planned for Joe Morley's at 5:30, we would have everyone come back to our house to open his letter.  

Earlier that day I was added to a Missionary Mom Facebook group.  I saw in the comments of a random post.  It read, "My son is going to Ukraine on July 15".  When I saw that date I had this moment of panic.  I quickly pulled out my calendar to count 6 weeks from Aug. 26.   It was July 15.  I freaked out just a little bit.  At Jake's dinner I mentioned to my family that it could actually be Ukraine.  Allie said, "no, they wouldn't send missionaries to Ukraine they are in a war right now."  My mom then said, "yes they would, my good friend and her husband are going to be the new Mission Presidents in Ukraine."  Everyone agreed that was a scary thought!

We came home and all our family was here.  Jax opened his letter to read.  "Dear Elder Jaxon Jorgensen, you are here by called to labor in the Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk Mission.  You will prepare to teach the people in the Russian language."  We all screamed and cheered.  I didn't believe him at first because we had been talking about it.  When we opened the packet there was a picture of his Mission President and his wife.  President and Sister Sullivan, my mom's good friend.  One of many blessings we would see.

In my life I have noticed a pattern with Heavenly Father giving me small bits of information if it is something that may be hard to handle.  I worried that the reason I knew the day was this same thing.  Heavenly Father giving me a little information at a time.  Then Heavenly Father was able to plant the Ukraine seed so I wouldn't have a total melt down when he got the call.  I am grateful that Heavenly Father knows me so well and helped prepare me for that call, as well as having the call come on Jake's birthday.

A week after the call came Jax graduated from Seminary and then from High School.  We are so proud of him!