Yesterday we said "Good-bye" to Elder Harr as he embarked to Taiwan! He called in the morning, and caught me off guard, he called on my cell phone from a 801 number, and I expected it was someone regarding a mortgage we are trying to secure for a building for our office.
I said "Hello" and he replied excited, "Hey, How are you?" I said, "I am great, who is this?" He so cute, replied "It's Elder Harr!" Like of course you should know who I am! I screamed! I knew we were going to get to hear from him in the afternoon, we arranged to talk to him while he was going to be in LA waiting for that leg of the flight. He didn't think he would have much time while in SLC, but he surprised us, and called from the gate in SLC. Wow it was good to hear him! I miss him so much!
We were thrilled to hear from him!!! Everyone was a bit disgruntled that I had talked to him earlier. He was supposed to call from LA at 3 p.m.. He was traveling with 18-20 Elders and they had a few glitches on the flight and baggage check-in through the International Gate, and so it took them a bit longer to get through. We finally got to talk to him about 3:45 for about an hour yesterday. I wish I could say that I didn't cry when it was time to hang up, but I can't. I wept.
The words to a favorite LDS song from my youth are:
"I'll build you a rainbow way up high above, and send down a sunbeam, plump full of love. I'll sprinkle down raindrops, tear drops of Joy. I'll be happy in heaven, watching over my boy! I'll be happy in heaven watching over my boy."
I live in the desert! We only get 3" of rain a year! It has been raining for two days! It is down pouring right now, and did last night as we said good-bye to Elder Harr on the phone! This morning he has landed in Taiwan (actually 10 p.m. their time). I know the weather is my Father's way of communicating with me. I have had significant experiences with weather my entire life! Last night as I drove home from the office after saying good-bye to my little boy, there was a double rainbow right outside our window! The whole thing was bright! By the time I got home to take the picture, it had faded at the top, but a second one was starting to form off on the South end. It was beautiful. I wept as I sang these words! This morning we received the package Elder Harr sent home with little things he didn't think he should take to Taiwan. I am weeping. The sun is shining, but it is down pouring tears of Joy!! I have raised him to serve the Lord. I don't need be emotional, yet I am. I have got to make the most of this great day with the young people I do have here in my home! I am such a lucky Mom! I love being a Mom and I love each of these young people! I just found the CD of Seminary's Greatest Hits with that song on it, Sara and I are weeping together! She is so sensitive and beautiful! I have got to do math with Samuel, hugging him, making the most of this day! Elder Harr is in the care of the Lord! He is watched over by Angels from heaven! I was reading his journal entries that he sent home from the MTC, and in one he talks about blessings he has been given. After recounting details of his setting apart from President Anderson which was beautiful, he remembers part of his Patriarchal Blessing and wrote: "I was blessed that I would be protected like what is says in my patriarchal blessing, that angels will guide me." I see that he had days where he was down, in fact there is a letter he wrote that he never sent home because he was sick, and down. He decided not to sent it and let us know that he was struggling. He had been studying Alma, and had his own "Ground Shaking" experience. He realized a few days later that in order to recognize that the spirit had been with him, it withdrew so that he would know the difference. He warns "Be careful what you pray for!" I am so grateful for the knowledge of heaven distilled up my family! I am thankful to know the secret "Families are Forever!" I don't have to cry and be emotional, I know the secret! Families are Forever! For today, I get to make memories with these young ones! I will hug, hold, cherish the time we have here on this earth together! I need to watch Elder Uctdorf's message from Saturday morning's conference (find it linked here).
I said "Hello" and he replied excited, "Hey, How are you?" I said, "I am great, who is this?" He so cute, replied "It's Elder Harr!" Like of course you should know who I am! I screamed! I knew we were going to get to hear from him in the afternoon, we arranged to talk to him while he was going to be in LA waiting for that leg of the flight. He didn't think he would have much time while in SLC, but he surprised us, and called from the gate in SLC. Wow it was good to hear him! I miss him so much!
We were thrilled to hear from him!!! Everyone was a bit disgruntled that I had talked to him earlier. He was supposed to call from LA at 3 p.m.. He was traveling with 18-20 Elders and they had a few glitches on the flight and baggage check-in through the International Gate, and so it took them a bit longer to get through. We finally got to talk to him about 3:45 for about an hour yesterday. I wish I could say that I didn't cry when it was time to hang up, but I can't. I wept.
The words to a favorite LDS song from my youth are:
"I'll build you a rainbow way up high above, and send down a sunbeam, plump full of love. I'll sprinkle down raindrops, tear drops of Joy. I'll be happy in heaven, watching over my boy! I'll be happy in heaven watching over my boy."
I live in the desert! We only get 3" of rain a year! It has been raining for two days! It is down pouring right now, and did last night as we said good-bye to Elder Harr on the phone! This morning he has landed in Taiwan (actually 10 p.m. their time). I know the weather is my Father's way of communicating with me. I have had significant experiences with weather my entire life! Last night as I drove home from the office after saying good-bye to my little boy, there was a double rainbow right outside our window! The whole thing was bright! By the time I got home to take the picture, it had faded at the top, but a second one was starting to form off on the South end. It was beautiful. I wept as I sang these words! This morning we received the package Elder Harr sent home with little things he didn't think he should take to Taiwan. I am weeping. The sun is shining, but it is down pouring tears of Joy!! I have raised him to serve the Lord. I don't need be emotional, yet I am. I have got to make the most of this great day with the young people I do have here in my home! I am such a lucky Mom! I love being a Mom and I love each of these young people! I just found the CD of Seminary's Greatest Hits with that song on it, Sara and I are weeping together! She is so sensitive and beautiful! I have got to do math with Samuel, hugging him, making the most of this day! Elder Harr is in the care of the Lord! He is watched over by Angels from heaven! I was reading his journal entries that he sent home from the MTC, and in one he talks about blessings he has been given. After recounting details of his setting apart from President Anderson which was beautiful, he remembers part of his Patriarchal Blessing and wrote: "I was blessed that I would be protected like what is says in my patriarchal blessing, that angels will guide me." I see that he had days where he was down, in fact there is a letter he wrote that he never sent home because he was sick, and down. He decided not to sent it and let us know that he was struggling. He had been studying Alma, and had his own "Ground Shaking" experience. He realized a few days later that in order to recognize that the spirit had been with him, it withdrew so that he would know the difference. He warns "Be careful what you pray for!" I am so grateful for the knowledge of heaven distilled up my family! I am thankful to know the secret "Families are Forever!" I don't have to cry and be emotional, I know the secret! Families are Forever! For today, I get to make memories with these young ones! I will hug, hold, cherish the time we have here on this earth together! I need to watch Elder Uctdorf's message from Saturday morning's conference (find it linked here).