Baptizing Brisbane: Passport. . . .What Passport?

Monday we got a call from the MTC about 2:00 in the afternoon saying that they didn't have Spencer's passport. We were sure they had to have it because we thought we had mailed it in with his visa application and we don't remember getting it back. But luckily we found it with all of our other passports. We arranged to meet Spencer at the airport at 4:15 so we could give him his passport. Pretty embarrassing that we didn't send him to the MTC with it, but what a great excuse to see him.

We got to the airport and waited by the Trax station. There was another family there waiting to see their missionary too. It was so fun to see him. He looked so happy and excited to be a missionary. He told us that a little girl pointed to him and told her mom, "There's a missionary." Spence was so excited to hear that and said it is really started sinking in that he is a real missionary. He honestly looked happier that I have ever seen him. We were with him for about 45 minutes but it was a little crazy watching them get their boarding passes and their bags checked in. They were in a group of 7 missionaries, but there were several other groups of missionaries so it really was crazy. We walked down to security and had to say our good byes. It wasn't nearly as hard as when we dropped him off at the MTC. A few tears were shed, but not bad. Ben gave Spence a $100 to take his group of missionaries to Cafe Rio in the airport. And then after they ate Spencer called us.

Missionaries are allowed to call home while they are at the airport. We had bought Spence a cheap phone that had minutes on it. It was so much fun talking to him. We connected Emmy to the call. Jacob was at a soccer game so he missed talking to him this first phone call. Spencer told us story after story of the MTC. He talked about all the fun things his district did, but he also said that he actually liked the missionary lessons and felt that was the first time in his life that he really wanted to learn and wanted to study. Wow! What happened to our Spencer. He said that he takes tons of notes and writes in his journal a lot. He set a goal in the MTC to talk to five new people everyday. He even tried talking to people that he normally wouldn't talk to. He said that was awesome and he made a ton of new friends. We said our good byes for a little while and arranged for him to call again when he landed in LA.

He called again at 9:30 pm. This time Jacob was there. We connected Emmy and then got to hear more about his experiences. He really sounded happy and thrilled with his district. While we were talking he and the other two elders were looking for the sister missionaries. Spencer was the travel leader and he had lost the sisters. They found them and then waited for their plane. We talked until 10:45 and then had to say good bye. Again it was hard, but nothing like the MTC drop off. We are so proud of him and the missionary he has already become. We can't wait to get his next letter hearing all about his travels and first week in Australia.