Poor planning on your part; does not constitute an emergency on my part...

The teenager is finally old enough to attend Stake Helaman Camp... which is a pre-missionary training camp for young men 16-18 years old in our church. He missed the deadline last year of being old enough by a week. So he has been pretty excited to be old enough to go this year.

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They will end a week of camp at the Temple and perform baptisms for the dead. So each boy has been asked to have 5 ancestors names temple ready. Since "the packet" was handed out months ago, but he claims he didn't get one... he is getting hit this week with all the responsibilities that should have been taken care of by now. So I am trying to support this kid and help him in his efforts to have everything ready for camp. He is at least putting forth the effort to get it done... even though it should have been done already.

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One good bit of news is that we have been doing companion study together daily since school got out in his "Preach My Gospel" manual; and we found out today that one of the requirements is to study chapters 1-5... so we are on chapter 4. It must have just been divine intervention there. Or really good luck!

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His other really lucky break is that when he found the ancestor names; we discovered the Family History Center is closed all week this week... but his Uncle Gene works there and had a key and was willing and in town... so he met us there and helped us get the submission files ready to take to the Temple. Whew! Lucky, lucky, lucky!!!

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So next we got our dress clothes on and headed to the Temple!

It was such a beautiful morning to drive to the Temple.


I can't wait until I can have this kid inside the celestial room with me!
That will be an awesome wonderful day!!!

If I wipe out of my mind the scary ambulance incident, and the guy flipping us off (for no apparent reason) on the drive over. It was a perfect outing to the Temple to get names prepared for baptism after camp.

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Now this kid is really really excited; he said "with that part out of the way"... he is ready and thinks camp should be a really fun time! He is even really excited to get to know some of the young men he doesn't know very well or at all in our Stake. He is totally convinced that the stake leaders will put him with kids he doesn't know on purpose to help them interact and get to know each other. That isn't scary to him; even as shy as he is. He really enjoys the challenge and opportunity of new things. I love that about him. He totally did not get that from me (I live in my comfortable little box, and am a total freak at new things on the "outside" of my comfort zone)!

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I am so happy today, that he has a good attitute, and that he loves me and shows me, even when I am a "freaking out" side seat driver. And that he forgives me so easily (for the "freaky hysterical" side seat driving). And that he is trying to be obedient to what is asked of him by his stake leaders. I am so happy and grateful that all my freakiness pretty much all of his life, hasn't totally corrupted him; and that he really has the best parts of me and his Dad. What a huge blessing he didn't get all our worst traits... whew; we really dodged a bullet there. And I am incredibly proud and honored for him to call me "Mom" and pray I never ever slight on the respect and humility I need to have for that priviledge. As quickly as he can make me crazy; he can also bring me to my humblest, most tender tears of love and joy.