"There's Just A Lot of Love Goin' On Here"

....said the former Elder Jones, aka Eli's "mom."

Let me explain.

In the mission field, there is a genealogy. I'm not sure exactly how it works for the sisters, but for the elders, it's like this: When you enter the mission field, you are "born." Your trainer and first companion is your "dad." Your follow-up trainer and second companion is your "mom" and you are the "daughter." Your trainer's "dad" is your "grandpa." Any greenies (new missionaries) you train are your "sons." Greenies your sons train in the future become your "grandsons." When you complete your mission and return home, you "die." True story.

Elder Jones was Eli's follow-up trainer, therefore his "mom." We saw him Sunday, along with roughly 100 other returned missionaries from the Arkansas Little Rock Mission, all gathered to attend President and Sister Petersen's homecoming in Farr West, Utah.

It was the most amazing experience. [Note to self: When attending your son's mission president's homecoming, don't bother wearing makeup.]

You are right, Elder Jones. There was just a lot of love goin' on. Even walking into the chapel, we could feel it. We arrived over 30 minutes early, and already there were former missionaries--elders, sisters, and seniors alike--greeting each other with warm smiles, long hugs, and heartfelt expressions of joy. It was like family reuniting. Wait, no, it wasn't "like" family; it was family, the Arkansas Little Rock Mission Family, comprised of missionaries who served under the divinely-appointed leadership of President Steven and Sister Polly Petersen. I don't know how many members regularly attend this ward on any given Sunday, but this week in attendance were over 700, filling the chapel and the entire overflow area back through the cultural hall.

A lot of love goin' on here.

The meeting began like any other, with hymn, prayer, releasing and sustaining of various members, and the administration of the Sacrament. I thought of Seth and the other Young Men in our ward and how they might have responded to the challenge to pass the Sacrament to a group so large. These particular Deacons did a fine job, indeed.

The first talk was from Sister Petersen. She fought back tears as she testified of the joy she found in missionary work, particularly her heightened understanding of the Lord's concern for the "one." She spoke of the many things she learned and will "always remember" as she served the three years in Arkansas; how her testimony grew as her love increased, love for her Savior, love for humanity, and love for every missionary who served alongside her. She was the "mission mom." She was their mom when we couldn't be. When they were sick or hurt or troubled, they turned to her. I am profoundly grateful for her service.

Sister Petersen was followed by her husband. Eli had told me many times that President was an incredible speaker. He wasn't kidding. The man held us in the palm of his hand for nearly 20 minutes, as he testified of his Savior, of truth restored, of the power of prayer, and of his deep and abiding love for our sons and daughters, who served under his care. He loved them as his own. He told us that when people ask him what he misses most about the mission since returning home, he tells them without question that he misses the weekly emails. You see, when serving a mission, every elder and sister emails the mission president once a week on p-day. Eli always did this BEFORE he emailed me, and when my letters were short, he would say, "Sorry this is so short. I needed to email President, and that took longer than usual." Just doing some rough math, I figure that in the course of his three years, President Petersen received well over 30,000 emails from missionaries. And this is what he misses most? It must not be anything like grading student essays.

After the Petersens' talks, all the ALRM returned missionaries who were present joined them in the choir loft to sing their official mission song and then "Called to Serve." People tell me I have a gift for language. I don't know if that is true, but at this moment, I cannot put into words the feeling in the room during these two songs. Nearly 100 strong, this powerful missionary force sang with pure heart and conviction "A million will join us! It's the end of the drought! We're called to the harvest! It's the day of the South!" and "Far and wide, we tell the Father's story, far and wide his love proclaim."

I won't try to explain further. You really had to be there.

Just a lot of love goin' on? You betcha. And it continued on right out of the meeting house and through the streets of Farr West all the way to President and Sister Petersen's home, where they hosted a reception for all who attended that morning. Delicious food, check! Lovely decorations, including vases on each table filled with "little rocks" (get it??), check! Tons of pictures to add to the memories, check! President and Sister had to tire of posing and smiling, but they didn't show it. I'm pretty sure they took a photo with every missionary there.

More love!

 And still more!

Above are two of Eli's favorite companions, his "daughter" Elder Croshaw on the left, and Elder Hoggan (no family relationship, at least I don't think so) on the right.

Yes, Elder Jones. You definitely called it, as all moms do.  Just a lot of love goin' on here.