The Call....

"Adam Robert Bushman is called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is assigned to labor in the Chile Santiago East Mission. He should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, April 10, 2013. He will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president..." President Thomas S. Monson

Wow! What blessings and adventures await him. He was so excited, so shocked. Adam is thrilled to continue in his Spanish studies and serve in the same place that his Grandma did, just a few years ago. Chile, here comes Elder Bushman!

Family and friends gathered together at 7PM last night for the big announcement. Dad gave a spiritual thought and Uncle Stephen gave the prayer. Adam smiled so big as he opened the envelope and didn't even use his letter opener! I cried when I heard the call...Santiago Chile East! So far away! Here are some photo moments...

Excited?

Our Future Missionaries!

The AF 24th-ers

Face Timing with Aunts and Uncles

Getting Ready

Recording the Event

Mom and Dad's Reaction

Reading the Letter

The AHS-ers

Like Grandma, Like Grandson - Santiago, Chile!

Mission Call and Engagement - all in one day

So proud!!!

The Baer Bunch

Two Missionaries...coming right up!

Our Growing Family!

"I'm going there!"

 "I have often said that one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. Work, work, work-there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work." - Ezra Taft Benson

It came!!!!!!

The call came in the mail this morning. We were all watching out the window for the mail lady that comes almost every day at 10:30 AM. Liv ran out to check it and came back screaming. We all pounced on Adam who was still sleeping. He endured our excitement as he was lying in bed, catching up on much needed sleep. We were finally able to get him up and take his picture with "THE ENVELOPE".

Now we just have to wait a few more hours until the family can all gather. We can't believe this moment is here! How did the time go by so quickly??

"One of the indispensable qualifications of the elders who go out into the world to preach is humility, meekness and love unfeigned, for the well-being and the salvation of the human family, and the desire to establish peace and righteousness in the earth among men. We can not preach the gospel of Christ without this spirit of humility, meekness, faith in God and reliance upon his promises and word to us." - Joseph F. Smith

Where in the World?

While waiting for the mission call, we've been compiling guesses from family and friends as to where he may serve. Here is the list so far:

Dad - Thailand
Anna - Connecticut
Bethany - Hawaii or Brazil
John - Texas or Alaska
Nicole - Korea
Eden - California
Ben - S. Korea or Chile
Olivia - Germany or Italy
Spencer - India or California
Mom - Taiwan, Florida, or Peru
Grandma L. - South America or Eastern Europe
Uncle John - Central America
Lizzy - Paris, France
Evan - Texas
Char  - Las Vegas
Karla - California, Spanish speaking
Thomas - Taiwan
Emma - Sweden
Joseph - Mexico
Uncle Scott - Mexico
Megan - Guatemala
Aunt Chrissie - Japan
Michael - Europe
Aunt Susie - Mexico
Aunt Kath - Louisville, KY
Uncle Mark - Detriot, MI
Josh - Costa Rica
Matt - Argentina
Sam - Africa
Aunt Jenny - Eastern Europe
Uncle Stephen - Accra, Ghana
Hannah - Hong Kong
Kassie - South America
David - Nevada
Amy - Italy
Uncle Josh - San Antonio, TX
Aunt Wendy - Australia

Chelsey - Peru

Sydney- Canada

Megan- Germany

Kaden- California

Carlton - Mexico or South Africa
Linda - South America

Eliza- Japan

Kyle - Provo

Makenna - Russia
TJ - South America
Hannah - South America 
Mr. Swenson - Nuku'alofa, Tonga (heaven on earth!) 
Aunt Lanie - Kansas
Jordan - Houston, TX
Brenden - Paris, France 
Lauren - Spain 
Betsey - Seattle, Tennessee, China 
Hannah - Germany
John - Mexico City 
Ruel - South America

We'll add more as they come in!

"My earnest hope for each of you young men is that you will not simply go on a mission-but that you will become missionaries long before you submit your mission papers, long before you receive a call to serve, long before you are set apart by your stake president, and long before you enter the MTC." - David A. Bednar

Confirmed: In the Mail!

Adam just called. The Bishop confirmed that his call is in the mail. We're all bouncing off the walls. Patience is a Virtue.....

"Membership in the Lord's Church is a gift and a blessing which the Lord has given us in mortality, and He expects us to share that blessing with those who do not have it." - Ezra Taft Benson

And the Papers are in...

Adam received confirmation today that his papers were submitted to church headquarters. Now it's a waiting game. There is some talk mulling around that the missionary department is meeting every day (rather than once per week) to handle the enormous amount of missionary submissions. If that is the case, his call could come before Thanksgiving! Generally, this is Adam's typical conversation to me, "Mom, I just can't wait. Where do you think I'm going to go? This is going to be the longest two weeks of my life. I'm just so excited, I can hardly stand it. Maybe I'll go to Africa!"

While the wait goes on, he's staying busy with school, studying, work, plenty of social events, and flag football games!

"Develop mission-mindedness in children. In recent years nearly every time I see a little boy, I say, "You will make a great missionary, won't you?" You plant into his mind a seed. It is just like plants and other vegetation. It grows and grows, and if a father and a mother talk to their little boys, particularly, and their little girls, about going on a mission-when they are infants, almost-that little seed will grow and grow and they won't need to say anything about missionaries when they get a little older. The boys plan it." - Spencer W. Kimball

Preparations

Missions definitely require preparation - physical and spiritual. I think these missionaries-to-be enjoy the spiritual more than the physical, especially when we're talking wisdom teeth removal.

Little Red Riding Hood was a trooper!

What a joy to witness spiritual preparations - namely, a Patriarchal Blessing. I was the biggest cry baby through the whole thing. It's so satisfying for me to see my child grow, progress, mature, and live righteously. I just can't fight back the tears! However, he was wise, steady, articulate, respectful, mature, excited, humble, and sensitive. He's ready!

With Patriarch LeBaron

 "This is a great labor; one of incalculable worth and benefit in Zion. In order to succeed, you must be on the Lord's side; you must have the co-operation of the Spirit of God. You must feel the importance of your mission, and that mission is to vitalize those who are charged with the responsibility and care of the young men of Israel. Your duty is to teach them how to do their work effectively, and how best to accomplish the salvation of the young. Therefore, you must possess the spirit of the mission in your hearts; and, in order to do that, you must be prayerful and humble. Be genial and kind so that you may cope with all difficulties. Be not discouraged, but press on until all obstacles yield to your efforts." - Joseph F. Smith

The Announcement

Saturday, October 6, 2012, is a date millions will remember. The announcement came in the 10AM session of General Conference by Thomas S. Monson:

"I am pleased to announce that effective immediately all worthy and able young men who have graduated from high school or its equivalent, regardless of where they live, will have the option of being recommended for missionary service beginning at the age of 18, instead of age 19...

Today I am pleased to announce that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age 21."

Adam was shocked. "I can go now. I can go now." He jumped up and down (literally) as he spoke to his bosom lifelong friend. 

 

 

And that's how this new adventure began....or should I say, advanced by 9 months.

Three weeks later and he's only awaiting his Stake President's interview.


However, it seems like yesterday when he said the following (Age 3 1/2):

“Help me that I can go on a mission and help my dog go on a mission too.”

Or at age six, "Mom, when I'm on my mission will you take care of my legos?"

Or when he was baptized:

 

Or when he was praying at 8 1/2: "Please bless me that I can go on a mission to Mexico so I can buy a switch blade knife."

And his Priesthood progression:

These boys never would have thought they'd be serving so close together:

And here we are:

His Mission Photo Submission

From Adam's Journal: "Last weekend in General Conference, they announced the missionary age limit change. Men can leave at 18 and women at 19 (as opposed to 19 and 21 previously). I get to leave early, but probably not until April. I am thrilled at the prospect of more missionaries. We are to give our whole hearts and minds to serving the Lord. This is how it should be, complete service to God and His people."



"To every young man I would say, do you want to be happy? If so, come and join with us, 52,000 strong and counting, and serve your fellow man as a missionary for the Lord. Make the commitment to give two years of your life to the Lord. It wi

ll change everything. You will be happy. The fog will lift. You will come to love the culture and the people you are called to serve. The work will be difficult, but there will also be great satisfaction and joy as you serve. If you are faithful during your mission and thereafter, you will look back on your life and say with President Hinckley, 'Everything that has happened to me since that’s been good I can trace to that decision to serve a mission and give my life to the Lord.'" David F. Evans - April, 2006 General Conference