725 DAYS!

The Evenson Siblings

So, we have only 725 days left. i'm really kidding. Well, not kidding about how many days that he has left but that I'm really counting down. Well, I am counting down but I promise I won't be obnoxious about it.

Anyway, all of those first pictures were the day of the farewell. Brooke was a little bored waiting for Ty to get off the phone. There were many more Hilarious Bored Brooke pictures but she would get mad if I posted them. The farewell was amazing. So many friends and family came out to support Ty and our family. We had plenty of soup to go around thanks to our friends and family that brought soups and desserts and appetizers. The amount of people in our home was probably the most it's ever had but it held up well. I think I heard the walls breath a sigh of relief that night.

The last picture is last Wednesday dropping him off at the MTC. Quite the experience it was. The day before Ty and I went to the Salt Lake Temple for him to go through a session there. That was a great experience for both of us. That temple's architecture is amazing. The walls in each of the rooms are rounded and the furniture, carpets, lighting accessories are all so beautiful and "antiquish" for lack of a better word. After the temple we went to lunch at Janbo, Ty's favorite Chinese restaurant. While there he pulled out his wallet and showed me all of the fortunes that he has saved from his lunches there. One he received in March said "In your travels to the South, you will receive much happiness." This was well before his mission call. maybe there is something to those fortune cookies. Then that night he was set apart in our stake presidents office which will go down as one of my favorite memories.

Wednesday morning we were able to just "hang out" at home because he was all packed and ready. Finally, the kids all came home from a morning of school and work and we took off to Zupas for lunch then headed to Provo and the MTC. Once we arrived at the MTC, there were so many Host Missionaries guiding us to where we needed to take him. They aren't kidding when they say that they give you no time to say goodbye there and that your goodbyes need to be done by the time you get there. We were guided to spot number 22 of 24. We pulled up, they sucked Tyler out of the car, sucked his luggage out of the car, and before I knew it we were all saying goodbye. Then one of the Host Missionaries said to me, "Where are you guys from?" At the time I didn't realize this was a distraction tactic. I said, "Draper", and he said, 'Oh Elder Christensen is from Draper. See, he's down there." I turned and looked at Elder Christensen and no sooner did I turn back and Ty was gone! That fast! I had no idea which direction he went and whether or not everyone was able to give him hugs goodbye. They don't even give you a chance to cry or wave as they are walking away in the sunset. Okay, that's a little dramatic but you get the idea. So, finally we piled back in our car and as we are driving down the street a bit I looked down at the middle console and there are all of Ty's important papers: Immunizations, Criminal background check, driving record, 4 generation pedigree chart. "Aaagh! Rick! Call Ty and tell him we forgot to give him all of this!" Can't call Ty. So we turned around, we back to the MTC, back to being guided and went to the administration building. I was really checking around everywhere to see if I could spot my son. Unfortunately no. Rick even went to the bathroom hoping to get a glimpse of him to no avail.

However, we are all doing quite well. We miss him something fierce but can't imagine anywhere I would rather have him than serving the Lord and sharing the best message there is out there.

We are proud of our missionary.