Elder Dalton E. Griffin: MTC Photos and an Airport Phone call!

Today, August 14, 2017, at 5:34 a.m., we received a phone call from Elder Dalton Griffin! He had just checked his baggage in and gone through security and was awaiting his flight departure to Pittsburgh, PA! Pretty dang exciting adventure for a young man who has only ever flown on a crop duster one time! He was really looking forward to this plane ride!! It is 8:00 a.m. and I suspect that my son is now somewhere high above the clouds!

It was so wonderful to hear his voice this morning!! I think I got to speak to him for about 20 minutes or so. Several of the children and even Ed got to speak to him! So glad we are early risers. I have a few pictures that he has uploaded that I will post on here as well. He looks so good!

I would like to share an experience we have had lately. We have talked a lot about obedience, especially prior to his mission. We have stressed it more than anything else. Reminding him that adhering to obedience in the mission is of utmost importance! One of my favorite sayings is "Obedience brings blessings, but STRICT obedience brings miracles!" (Can't remember the author!)

This morning while we were speaking to him, he related the following:

"You know Mom, how you always talked about being obedient.... well everyone was pretty good the first 24 hours and then I was surprised at how many started doing things they weren't supposed to be doing!!" Trying to call girlfriends, etc. He didn't go into a lot of detail.

I braced myself. I thought this was the moment when my son was going to tell me that he didn't have to be obedient, and that he could slack off and do some of the other things some of the others were doing and that I was just an old fuddy-duddy!

However, he then went on to say, "You know, my companion nearly got sent home because of some of the things he did."

There was a slight pause in his voice. I think I could hear in his voice the gratitude for our pushing obedience so much. I think his seeing these missionaries that would not want to obey strictly and coming pretty close to being sent home, was an eye opener for him.

Finally!! In my mind I was screaming!! YES!!!

I told him "I KNOW it is hard. I KNOW that following these rules strictly will be trying, but I can only promise you blessings from our Heavenly Father.... more than you can ever imagine!" I hope that it will make enough of an impression upon him to be more diligent in his obedience.

We LOVE our missionary! Our little five year old always prays for Dalton to be a good missionary, and my little seven year old is now praying for "Our Missionary!"

The work is true. We are so grateful to be members of this great church. I am so grateful to be a missionary mom! Safe travels, Elder Griffin! We will hear from you soon!