I think that most of my readers (that I know about!) know this, but I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We're also known as the Mormons because we believe in the Book of Mormon as some of God's words, along with the Bible and other spiritual guidance revealed through Joseph Smith.
Many of my family members are also LDS, including my parents, and they are going to serve a mission! They got their mission call on August 12th. They had been waiting for about 6 weeks to hear from the church mission department to find out where they would be assigned to go on their mission. On August 12th they found out that they will be going to South America on their mission!
Their mission is quite different than lots of other missions. They are going to be on a church service mission as mental health workers. They are both professional counselors. What they will be doing in their mission is providing counseling to missionaries and mission leaders in the Northwest area of South America. This will include 24 missions in Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru (where they will live). They will be living in the Lima East Mission. They will do much of their counseling over the phone with people.
They are going to be leaving in either November or December, depending on when their visas arrive. Normally missionaries have a set date when they know they are going to leave on their mission. But the couple that served in this capacity before my parents had to leave their mission a little early for medical reasons. So the church wants to get my parents down to that area as soon as they are able to go.
This is really exciting for me and my family. Mom and Dad have wanted to serve a mission for a long time, but because of one thing and another they've had to put it off for several years. And now they finally get to go!
Can I tell you how exciting that is! I served in Bolivia; that'll be an awesome experience for them.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the Senior Packards!!! That sounds like a thrilling missionary assignment!!! And I know they've been talking for so long about wanting to serve. I'm so happy that both of their health is allowing them to serve, and even to serve away from the states. Do they know about how long the assignment will be? 18 months? 6 months?
ReplyDeleteThey are really excited. They'll be there for 23 months! We'll miss them a lot, but our family will be very blessed because of their mission service.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty neat! My brother served in the Lima East mission. I've never heard of that kind of mission before, that's pretty cool how their talents will be used.
ReplyDeleteExciting! Hope they love it!
ReplyDeleteThis is so exciting. Will you give your parents my love and a great big hug from me. They will be wonderful missionaries.
ReplyDelete-Sam K.
There are only 13 areas with missions like this. So it is a little unusual. But they are already really excited. They will have (and have already had) a conference call every month with the other mental health care missionaries around the world.
ReplyDeleteAnd Sam, I just did, since I am here vising them this weekend. Thanks!