Zach Enters the MTC

Zach says to his mother..."I'm ready mom."

It was an interesting experience, going to the MTC to drop off our son.  It was quite as I expected, which I didn't expect at all.  I know they TOLD me it was going to be very quick - no time to say goodbye or anything.  I just didn't BELIEVE them.

A couple of missionaries came over to the car, took his suitcases out, I took a few pictures, then someone came over and distracted us for a minute and he was gone!  At least we'd had time to talk right before going there, and take him to lunch, and to Grandma Brown's house.  I even went to breakfast with him and his friends that morning.

Now, however, looking back on the day, I wish I'd taken a few minutes to talk with him privately.  To tell him how much I love him and I'm going to miss him.  I know he knows I love him, but I really needed to say the words and give him one last hug.  I wish he hadn't been taken away so quickly.

He's there, however, and studying and praying and learning.  In a couple more weeks, he'll be off to Sydney.  I know he is excited, and he's happy there.  We already received a couple of emails from him, though I'm not going to post them here.  It seems that despite being there for only a few days, he isn't missing us at all...he wants us to send him Cheetos.  CHEETOS!?!?  That's what he's thinking about in his first email to me? LOL

I heard a report from his grandparents that his companion is of Chinese descent.  Not only that, he is very short and skinny, and Elder Burns could lift him with one arm.  They also reported that Zach could say nothing negative about his companion, even when he was a distance away getting his food.  He commented that his companion is very knowledgeable in the gospel.  Good for him!

I will post letters and photos and other information here as I get it.