The Silly Saga of an Epic Enterprise (Part 1)

Okay.
So it just so happens that I had about the most wonderful week of my life.  Just barely.  And I MUST tell you all about it, BUT there is no way that I am going to fit it all in one post.  And as I am also opposed to posting more than once in one day (there have been and will be exceptions :]  ), you'll just have to log on that many more times to read about it.

The journey unfolds...

First, I threw my back out, had it readjusted, packed, kissed my family goodbye, and headed off to the thriving metropolis of Provo, Utah.  Here, I broke my journey to see this wonderful boy,

My cousin Benny-Man, to the MTC (Missionary Training Center).  That's right, ladies, he's off to Quezon City, and you won't be seein' him for two years.  Sorry!

This time, I was very lucky because I was able to see him be set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It was a wonderful night full of strong testimonies, good advice, wishes of luck, and lots of tears from Aunt Stacy and I.  (I know I shouldn't, but I'm gonna miss that kid so dang much!)

Some advice that was given to the missionary:

Alma 17: 2-3

"...they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.  But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God."

Some advice to his mother:

Doctrine and Covenants 84:88

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

It's a tough thing to let a missionary go, but I know the Lord will watch over him. :)

Later that night, I met my sister Liza-Jane and Sir Alex at Del Taco.  The three of us had some silly times before Alex left, and Liza and I settled down to sleep.  I love visiting with that wonderful girl. :]

The next day, I woke to Liza making me some home-made, whole-grain waffles complete with her scrum-diddly-umptious cinnamon/nutmeg/whatever-else-she-put-in-that-recipe-she-made-up syrup.  Needless to say it was glorious.  We chatted, and then I left shortly thereafter to let her study for the 3 finals she had to take that day. :]

It was B-E-A-Utiful in Provo and HOT!  I loved it.  From thence, I headed back to Aunt Stacy's to go with her, Granny, Jess, and Ben to complete a new tradition: taking the missionary to Chuck-A-Rama before we drop him soundly on the sidewalk at the MTC.  Lunch was grand!  Jess, Benny, and I were silly as could be, and we talked almost completely in movie dialogue.  (It's a very great and well-developed talent that I posses).  We ate ourselves silly...

Yup.  Silly.   ;)

From thence we traversed to the Provo Temple to take pictures and be silly some more.

 I told Ben to make his last (recorded) studly pose for 2 years.  Eat it up, 'cause it's gonna be a while before you see it again.  :D  I just hope they don't break his smolder out there....

 He was also very warm in his black suit and coat, BUT, being the resourceful man he is, he quickly found a way to remedy the situation…

 SPREAD-EAGLE AIR-CONDITIONING! :)  Who knew, right?  Turns out if you position yourself just right, the breeze can flow through your jacket.  Haha!

 What a great kid!  The roses were blooming like CRAZY! :)

 And then we headed back to the MTC to say our final goodbyes...for now. :)

 Benny and Granny:

 Benny and Jess:

 We said goodbye, and as he turned to leave with a gaggle of missionaries following him, I said farewell in my signature manner (much to the amusement of everyone who heard):
"Make good choices!  DO WHAT'S RIGHT!  And DON'T DATE AT ALL!!!"
Usually it ends with "Don't date hussies," but that isn't exactly catered to the life of a missionary. :D

After that, I headed to Miiiiiiiiiiichael ALAN's apartment to do his check-out cleaning for him, so we could leave for Temecula, CA as soon as he was done with his Calculus and Physics tests.  Bryce-ary (Bryce and Hillary) and I spic 'n span-ed the whole place, I paid a short visit to my brother Sambo and his wife Megan, and when the time came we (Mike, Bryce, Hillary, Carissa, and I) all loaded into Roger (my [parents'] very dear, burgundy Grand Prix) and headed off...at round abouts 6.....P.M.

Do the math.  It's a 10 hour drive--without stops.  And there's a 1 hour time-change.  And we had to stop...sometimes.

That's right.  We pulled into T-mec at about 4:00.....A.M.
Our drive was rather lovely.  We rather enjoy each other's company, and we were rather silly.  And Mike had the new Panic! at the Disco album (which has a few perty cool songs, by the way).  And there we sights to be seen such as this!

 The mountain on FIRE!....okay, not really.  Mount Doom is just in Central Utah.  Okay...not reeeeaaallyyy.... it's just the sunset.  .....aaaaand sights such as THIS!

 Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand since we couldn't NOT stop for dinner....we saw sights such as this too!

I love these people. :)

So despite the late hours, and waking Eric William Malachi Hurkumer Jackman Smith up at the butt-crack o' dawn (excuse my language, please) to let Mike and I into his house to let us sleeeeeeeeeeep.... it was a rather thrilling beginning to a rather glorious adventure. 

THE END.

......for now....

P.S. I rather like the word rather. ;)