The Best Gift Of All

 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2009

The Best Gift Of All

I woke up this morning ready for a good day. It's Christmas, and the anticipation of being able to talk to Elder Williams is undeniably overwhelming. Eric and I checked all the phones in the house 2 well, maybe 3 or 4 times just to make sure they were working. In fact, Eric bought a new home phone this week just for the occasion haha I guess he might be just a little excited too. After all the phones were checked and double-checked, I knew nothing would stop me from talking to my boy today. I made HOT CHOCOLATE, a butter braid (thank you, Haleigh, for reminding me to set it out last night). We ate a little, but honestly, we wanted the phone to ring. It's like waiting and watching for your garden to grow. We each had a phone next to us staring at it.

Finally, just like clockwork, the phone rang at the exact time he said he would call at 10:00 am, all three of us answered simultaneously. When his voice came on, I cried, unable to speak. Eric took over and talked to him for a bit. Haleigh, Jeremy, and Kayla took turns talking to him. We even took off Reckers diaper, knowing he would cry on cue so Blake could hear from him also. Finally composed as I could be, I spoke to Blake. He sounded so good and had a lot of fun explaining everything he was doing; he lives in a tiny village with no running water. They take a bucket shower a couple of times a week from water that the Reverend of another church fills and gives. They also have no electricity, so most of the lessons they teach are either during the day or by candlelight. I remember reading one of his letters saying, "This is exactly what I wanted my mission to be like" WOW if I knew it would have been that easy to tame him, I would have sent him to a small village on an island in the middle of nowhere along time ago haha ...... note to anyone with struggling teenagers.
Blake sounded so happy. Finally, he felt like he belonged like he was more confident than anything else in the world that the Mission in the Dominican Republic was custom-made for him. For a mom sending a child off to teach the gospel is the most rewarding gift you can be given however it is the hardest thing I have ever done I miss him so much, but I know he is being blessed. He is becoming a man, fully aware of what he has left behind here in Gilbert, Arizona, yet still willing to give up 2 years of his life, knowing that the Savior gave his life for him, Blake knows it is the least he can do to show his love and dedication to the Lord. When he gets home, it will be an incredible reunion, and he will look back at these two years with fondness and remember them as the best 2 years of his life.

So tonight, as Eric and I sit in a quiet home, just the two of us, we are so grateful for our wonderful family and the 1st phone call from the Dominican Republic. It was hard to hang up, knowing I would not get to hear his voice again until Mother's Day, but I am trying to be strong. I broke down a couple of times while talking to him but hurried to get it together. Life is once again good in the Williams home, and we all found out today that the best gift of all came for us over the phone in a simple conversation today with Elder Williams...... (3 months down, 21 left to go but only one more Thanksgiving and one more Christmas.