Category: Missionary

We’ve begun the harvest years.

As I cleared away the remnants of Mark’s homecoming party, I realized that it’s time to put away so many mission reminders, the things that encouraged me in our progress. These include the 24 little houses on the kitchen windowsill, one placed after each month completed; the sunflower art and dried sunflowers in a glass box; the small Danish flag in our front yard; and my Danish flag lapel pin that I wore nearly every Sunday for two years at church. Coincidentally, I finished the pages of a prayer journal that I carried since 2024, a record of the personal revelation I received during those years. As I emerge from the life of a missionary mom, I wonder if I should store these objects together in a special box, a memorial to the era I’m leaving behind. That sounds like something I would do. We’ll see.

A well-intentioned, sympathetic person said to me on Sunday that he was sorry that my kids were all grown up. Without hesitation, I said, “It’s okay! It’s good!” As I think about his shock at my answer (he gave a nervous laugh), I realize that he’s still raising little kids and can’t imagine not having them around. I’ve had two years… well, eleven years of goodbyes and two years in an “empty nest” and I’ve processed so many emotions and objects from our past that it feels natural for me to say now, “It’s okay!” It’s actually GOOD. Our kids are doing what we raised them to do, and and our years raising them aren’t diminished because they are over. The pareting cliches are true. The childrearing years are my crowning achievement and my children are my greatest work. The memories of my little children really do grow sweeter with time.

We’ve entered the harvest years, where we welcome grandchildren and see where our children’s lives take them. I have my own fulfilling life now, too. It’s good.

Danish Trolls 🧌

The missionaries like to visit these trolls on their preparation days, and Mark sends photos of them from time to time. These whimsical creations can be found throughout the world, including the United States. They’re kind of quirky and fun, and each has a name. The Danish sculpture artist who creates them is Thomas Dambo. You can do a Google search for his troll map. Richard and I saw one of his trolls in the Huntsville Botanical Gardens but oops, didn’t take a picture.

Harvest

Mark is serving his last few weeks of his mission and this post is a record that my missionary “son flowers” arrived again this year. In fact, I had to thin them by about 50% earlier this summer because the ground was so crowded. God is an abundant giver.

My first missionary sunflower showed up 8 years ago on the week that Daniel left, and each year their return has been a symbol of hope for me, a new love language expressed to me by the Lord.

Just like the surprising arrival of the sunflowers, I didn’t expect to have feelings of loss during these last weeks of being a missionary mom. I didn’t realize I will miss this burden that I can now call sweet.

Soon we will end this era of writing and sharing spiritual moments, praying for friends I will never meet from countries far from home, and so many unique blessings and experiences. It has been a good era because the Lord has been very near.

Like the sunflowers, the impact of our sons’ missions grows and multiplies with the years, bringing blessings to them and the people they loved and taught. The Lord of the Harvest is so, so good.

Two tables

There are moments in life where I can expect to have parental joy and awe, such as weddings, births, baptisms, and other milestones. And then there are moments that surprise me, like sitting down to a meal and realizing our once little family now takes up two tables at my parents’ house.

There is room for Mark at the table where I was seated. He’ll complete his mission in late September. 🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰

Gatherer

When I compare myself to others, my life seems small. When I look at my life by the Lord’s measure, I no longer feel that way.

As one who has made a covenant with God, you are part of the house of Israel. You have been gathered, and you are a gatherer. The centuries-long epic story of the covenant people is building to its climax, and you are a key player.

Now is the time when “Jesus will say to all Israel, ‘Come home.’”This is the message of the gatherers: Come home to the covenant. Come home to Zion. Come home to Jesus Christ, the Holy One of Israel, and He will bring you home to God, your Father.

-July 2026 Come Follow Me Manual chapter, “Jesus will say to all Israel, Come Home.”

President Russell M. Nelson has called this gathering “the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it.”

“Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that.”

-Russell M. Nelson