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!