A Jackson has landed in Jacksonville!

Elder Cleverly (District Leader and companion) and Robby (Senior Companion)

So yesterday, April 29, Robby left for Jacksonville, Florida! I was in the bathroom getting ready for work, when I heard loud thumping noises. I opened the door to ask Bruce if he was okay. He didn't answer. I thought, oh no, he fell out of bed and is unconscious! (lol I know I am dramatic but what would you think?) So I started walking towards the bed and saw lights on in the kitchen. I asked, "Bruce?" He called back and said, "your cell phone rang." I screamed saying, "Oh no, it was Robby!" thinking we had now missed his call because who else would it be calling at 5:30 in the morning! I tried to call the number back, but it was busy. Robby left me a message saying he would try the home phone when our phone rang! We were SO VERY EXCITED TO VISIT WITH ROBBY ON THE PHONE!!! Oh my goodness...he has changed already. He is no longer my "Little Robby Boy." But he sounded really good and excited and all grown up. They had to get up at 2:30 in the morning so that they could be at the travel office by 4:00 a.m., and then on to the airport for a 7:15 a.m. flight. We asked him if it was hard to get up for his flight and he said that they were so excited to go that it was no problem and that he had been getting up first every morning anyway at the MTC. He had the top bunk and after a while, he put his alarm on the desk so was forced to jump down to turn it off and then he just stayed up and got everyone else up! This is not the Robby I knew before he left! We should have moved his alarm away from him a long time ago!!

He really enjoyed the MTC and learned a lot. He told us that he learned more in the 3 weeks at the MTC than he did his 4 years in seminary. Bruce said, "Yea, cuz this time you listened!" They had several General Authorities come to speak to them, which was their highlight of their MTC experience. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland was one of the speakers, which really made an impact on Robby, from then on, Elder Jackson. All 6 missionaries got along. Robby stayed focused on learning his lessons and getting ready to go to Jacksonville.

We talked for almost an hour in the morning and so very proud of him. We know that he will be a good missionary and will really give the Lord his very best.

Robby arrived in Atlanta and had a two-hour layover. He tried to call Bruce, Rachel and I, but our phones, he said were busy (which they weren't cuz we were all waiting for his phone call). Finally he got thru to me and we talked about 20 minutes or so. He said they slept on the plane and were excited to get to Jacksonville. Then we ended cuz Robby really wanted to talk with Rachel and eat (he was hungry). They were boarding at 1:30 p.m. our time, where there is an 1 1/2 flight! So by 3:00 p.m., they arrived in Jacksonville!

We haven't heard from him, which is up to the mission president whether or not to have the missionaries notify their parents if they arrived or not. Apparently the mission president didn't let them call or email. But we haven't heard of any planes going down or missionaries being kidnapped, so we're assuming they arrived.

Robby is so excited and ready to serve. We know that as he continues to study, learn, be obedient, and pray the Lord will continue to bless him. Good luck to Robby and pray that Heavenly Father will truly keep him safe!

Hello Spring?!?!?

Could it really be so? Has Spring really arrived? Will this nice weather stay or go soon? Finally our tulips bloomed because of the warm weather!

This weekend was a lot of fun! We celebrated Bruce's Dad's 86th Birthday with Dave and Lisa and their family and Rachel and Travis! Rachel and Travis spent the night and Bruce, Travis and Dave went golfing Saturday morning. Rachel and I talked and laughed until 1:30 in the morning, where I told Rachel "...I just gotta go to bed..." I love it when we can sit and talk and visit. Rachel is truly my best friend! In the morning we walked over to Jan's Boutique at her house. We ran into the guys as they were coming home and said we would be back in an hour. Bruce said, "I don't believe it." Travis just laughed. But we did it!!!

We visited, watched game one of Boston vs Chicago, typed up a questionnaire for Robby to answer - which will be fun to get his answers back and packed a package for Robby too. Then to lunch at Jason's Deli. It was so much fun having Rachel and Travis over! (do you like all the details! :))

At 2:30, they left for Ogden and Bruce and I went to the Jordan River Temple! A great ending to a perfect two days!

Today we will all meet at Ron's house (my brother) for a fun Sunday afternoon visit! I just love Spring and Summer!

More Pictures from the MTC!

Elder Robby Jackson

Robby's missionary badge

Goodbye my Robby!

Rachel, Robby and Travis - best buds!

MTC - April 8, 2009

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

I'm standing here, outside the door...

I hate to wake you up to say Goodbye...

Elder Robby Jackson at the MTC

Elder Jackson, "Feed my sheep."

Hello...so today was a bittersweet day for all of us! Robby entered the MTC to serve our Heavenly Father as a missionary in the Florida Jacksonville Mission. He is so excited and so ready to go! It was easier to "let him go." The MTC was a great experience and I loved every minute of it. We got to the MTC around 10:30 am, took pictures, visited and then walked down the hallway to the "chapel" where they were showing Church commercials. The first one we watched was a young bride getting ready for her wedding day and mom thinking back - well there went the tears... The next was I think Father and Son or son going away or something like that and then the tears were rolling down. I turned to Bruce and said, I don't think I am going to make it, I'm crying over the commercials." Then they showed some fun ones. The meeting began and ended and the MTC President said, "it's like a band-aid, do it quick." Well you know that's not going to happen. Robby turned to Rachel, who was sitting next to him and said, "Bye Rachies" (that is what he called her) and Rachel then lost it. They hugged. Then Travis, Bruce and then me. I cried and cried and we hugged and hugged and then Robby said, "Are you getting my new suit wet?" We said our goodbyes again and hugs and I hugged Robby one last time. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and I kissed his cheek and hugged and cried and then he said, "Don't get my new suit wet." Robby didn't cry at all. Then he walked back to the room and we walked out into the hallway, where Rachel turned and said, "Oh there go the missionaries." I turned around and we watched the missionaries walk down the hallway and Robby walked out, never turning around (he didn't know we were watching him) and we watched him until he turned the corner. My baby is serving the Lord now. I am so thankful that Robby chose to serve a mission. I know he will grow and mature spiritually as well as mentally and physically and even though I will not be there to watch the change, I know it is the right thing for him to do. I know that Robby knows that this is the right thing to do. He is so excited and was ready to move on. In his testimony last night when he was set apart as a missionary, he said, "I have talked with a lot of people about their missions and none of them have said I wished I didn't go on a mission. But you hear a lot of people say, I wished I had gone on a mission."

Thank you Rachel and Travis for your great examples! I know that Robby loves you both very much and has always looked up to the both of you. You have taught him a lot and I know he feels of your love. He will miss your visits and phone calls!

Thank you to all of you for your words of encouragement, gifts, visits, friendship and love. Thank you for teaching Robby, for putting up with him, and for your examples. When you thought he wasn't listening or watching, he was! It does take "a village" to raise a child and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Good luck, my "Robby boy," my Elder Jackson. Serve our Heavenly Father well! We are so very proud of you! The people of the Florida Jacksonville Mission are very blessed to have this fine missionary. We love you, Robby, and will continue to pray for you and for all the missionaries serving our Heavenly Father.