Missions change lives in positive ways

Our oldest granddaughter, Taryn, a real "Debbie Dater," surprised us all by going on an mission for the LDS Church.

She was called to Thailand and is due to return in just a few days.

It was not easy for her at first, half a world away and not being able to speak the language well.

I remember a few discouraged letters from her father, my son Michael, who left for his mission early because he spoke the language so well.

However, when he reached Honduras, he was bitterly frustrated because the people there spoke so fast and with an accent.

It was difficult, but eventually he began dreaming in Spanish and quickly became fluent.

What a maturing experience a mission is for young people who, because of their age, are so naturally self-focused.

To be able to go out into the world away from home and family to serve others changes their lives in good ways, and it helps them direct themselves toward their future. They learn to see the world with new eyes and new hearts.

One of our kids' favorite high school teacher and coach was highly critical of us as parents to allow them to interrupt their education by going on a mission.

After visiting with one of them on upon their return and seeing the positive changes and maturity they had developed in such a short time that teacher/coach told me he wished the nation could have a program like it for everyone.

I heartily agreed as I heard from our children about how some of their friends went away to college and for the first two years lived in an alcoholic haze.

When we lived in Connecticut, we were able to host the missionaries for breakfast on their preparation day.

It was so easy to make a hearty breakfast for any and all who could come.

They would go downstairs for a while and play pool or ping pong in a home with a mom upstairs cooking.

We felt so privileged to share our lives with those wonderful young men and women, and I know they left feeling loved and appreciated. And we felt the same.

In Taryn's last e-mail, she wrote of a day she felt loved and appreciated. As hard as it had been in the beginning it now would be difficult to leave. She has learned to speak the language and to love the people — people so different from her in such different circumstances.