In His Service

Today, my brother entered the LDS Missionary Training Center, in Provo Utah. He was set apart last night as a full-time missionary, for the period of 24 months. He is to serve in the Washington, D.C. South Mission.

This a pretty big step in the life of a young Mormon man, perhaps the biggest step before marriage itself. For most of the men I know, their mission helped them truly define themselves as a person. For all, it bettered their lives.

My brother is a pretty unique individual. He's suffered from ADHD his entire life. He's outgoing to a fault, and talking to him usually feels like sitting through a lecture of some kind--either science or history, most often. But underneath his rather abrasive exterior, he's a good kid. He cares about people, even if he has a hard time showing it. And he works hard--nobody can fault him for that.

I'm pretty proud of him. I worried for a long time that he wouldn't go. I still worry that it'll be hard for him--I know it will be hard for him, especially the MTC. But when I got to put on his nametag for him and looked at that little "Elder Mechling", I about burst with pride. My little brother is a missionary!

I'll be honest--watching the missionaries go forth, watching the videos, and being in that place--it made me want to serve a mission, in a way that I haven't felt for months. I don't know if this is a real desire or not, I'll have to give it time. But regardless of whether I go or not, I think missionary service is one of the sweetest things on the planet.

So, kudos to all missionaries--past, present, and future--and hats off to everybody else who thinks they're cool too.