After a number of attempts at getting out in the mission field, we're hoping that this time will be the charm. Here's a brief outline of the past seven and a half years.
2019 - We came home in July 2018 and started preparing to go out again early in 2019. While we were getting our medical exams in January 2019, I (Charles) found out that I had diabetes (Type 2). We decided to delay for about six months while we figured out what dietary and lifestyle changes I needed to make to be confident serving in a foreign place. I spent a couple of months researching, Molly learned how to cook more low-carb meals, and we worked together to learn how to be confident that it wouldn't be a problem.
About the time we were ready to submit our papers again, we found out that Molly's mother's health was requiring more than Molly's sister Nancy could do without some sister help. After discussing things with her sisters, Molly felt that we needed to help in that care, which would mean that we would go to California for a week at a time, rotating with her sisters, so there would be two sisters living there with Nancy and her family at all times. We started doing that, and it gradually grew (especially after COVID started) to living there for two to three months at a time, and coming home for a couple of weeks to take care of things here. So that became our next mission - caring for Molly's mother along with her sisters.
While we were there, I spent my time getting to know Molly's mother and sister and her family better and learning Python programming. I have done a lot of good things with it since, so it become a loving and productive time all around.
After her Mother passed in January of 2021, we came home and started preparing again. By July or so, we had our papers ready, our medical and dental exams done, and everything was ready to go. We submitted our papers, and when we went for our interview with the Stake President, he indicated that the Lord had a different mission in mind again. He called me to be his First Counselor. Molly ended up in the Stake Relief Society Presidency, and our assignments included the Spanish Ward in our Stake. So, we got to use our Spanish, while learning to love all of them.
Since I was in the Stake Presidency, I couldn't formally start the process for another mission, but we reviewed what would be needed when a release came. That happened in March, and we began in earnest again to submit our papers for another mission. As we were waiting for our medical exams, our daughter asked us if we'd like to live in the basement of the house they were planning to build. That way we could help with the mortgage by paying rent. As we thought about it, it made so much sense - they would be there to take care of our "apartment", pick up the mail and communicate anything needful with us, etc. It all made great sense, and it felt good to us, so we delayed again until the house was completed and we could move in.
We did that just after Christmas, 2024 and have been here since then. Our condo in West Valley sold a couple of weeks ago, which was the final thing we needed to have completed. While we waited for that, we had our medical exams and needed dental work done and submitted our papers to the Bishop the following Monday. We visited with the Stake President last Wednesday, April 2nd, and he informed us that he had "pushed the button", and that our application was in process.
So, we're hoping to hear within a week or two what the outcome of that application will be. We're excited to serve, wherever we're called.
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