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.