My youngest son got his mission call. He ran in the front door announcing that his mission call had arrived in the mail. It had been 11 days since they were submitted to Salt Lake City. The large white envelope was in his hand.
“Just open it,” I said. We knew his friends wanted to be present, but I had discouraged this, explaining, “it’s a family thing.” I know how kids worry that their call won’t seem glorious to their friends if it is Boise Idaho. We were prepared for anywhere, because you have to be. If you stay state-side, you usually get to speak English, which is definitely a plus. My son had even dreamed he was going to Florida, so I was ready for that.
I directed him to the sofa — “sit down, open it.” He got his sister on the speaker phone and began to tear open the edge of the envelope, and the contents slid out onto the table — upside down. I could see that there was a passport application. He didn’t know exactly where to look for the letter that says where he has been called. “Turn it over.” He read silently, and then I could see the surprise and shock on his face. It wasn’t Florida. “I’m going to the Czech/Slovak mission — speaking Czech!”
Seth thought he would go foreign, because his patriarchal blessing had said he would be called to a foreign nation. I was not concerned where he would serve, but I had prayed that he would serve with a mission president that would be perfect for him — someone who had the ability to connect through the veil. And yet someone who still had a sense of humor. I believe a great mission president makes a great mission. I also prayed for those who would serve with him. Not where he would serve. Because we are all different, even though we share the same faith. I had read the biography of Bruce McConkie, written by his son, Joseph. He had shared the story of when his dad was called to serve in the Eastern states. I realized that often you are called to serve with a mission president, not a location. And so I made that the center of my prayers.
My last child is a sensitive soul, with a good sense of humor. He is my tender little plant, homeschooled, and at the end of my child-rearing trials. I hoped for a good ground to plant him, where he could overcome the struggles of foreign lands and languages and be successful in his mission.
After the excitement of the location, I wandered over to the table and opened the booklet where it talks about his mission president. I wanted to see who the Lord had chosen, for I was sure that he had heard my prayers. In the inside, was the photo of the mission president and his wife. I glanced at the names and read with interest, who this couple were, who I had prayed would guide my son. James W. McConkie and Laurel S. McConkie.
The name was familiar. I pulled the McConkie biography off the shelf that I had read years ago. I remembered the story of a James W. McConkie in the biography. Oscar McConkie had a son named James W. McConkie as well as the better known apostle, Bruce R. McConkie. James had a son that was also named James, Jr. The time was the early 50s, and young James became ill with polio. The grandfather, Oscar came to his bedside and blessed him. Although the young James miraculously recovered, his father, James Sr. became ill with the same disease. Now Oscar was blessing his own son to be healed. It’s a poignant story. Oscar was a man of great faith, but also a man that heard the Lord. So, while he promised James his life would be spared, Oscar later heard the Lord’s will, which was that James was needed on the other side. And so Oscar let him go. He died at the age of 35 (p.169, The Bruce R. McConkie Story).
Seth’s mission president, James W. McConkie III, is the son of James Jr. who was healed of polio, the grandson of James Sr., who died at the age of 35. Â He and his wife will begin their mission in July, 2013. My son will report to the MTC in Oct 2.
I recall a dream I had many years ago about a mission in Prague, on the second floor of a building with kind of hazy windows. I guess I will have to find that journal entry.
Here’s the mission home:
 Mission President James and Laurel McConkie:
