Dear Ryker,
Fifty three years ago I was attending BYU. The announcement was made that young women could go on missions at 21 instead of 23. This really gave me the desire to serve a mission. My older two brothers had both served missions and my older sister had also served. But that was not why I wanted to serve. I knew that all the things I had been learning about Jesus Christ and His gospel were indeed true and I wanted to serve any where that I could. When I finished the summer quarter I was attending I went home to Snowflake, Arizona to prepare to go on a mission.
In those days one had to have an interview with ones Bishop and Stake President and then an interview with a General Authority. In September we had a stake conference in Snowflake and a general authority was visiting so I was able to get the necessary interviews. My papers were sent to SLC and the wait began. My call did not come until about two days before Thanksgiving. I was called to the Eastern Atlantic States Mission and was to report to SLC mission home on Dec 7. This gave me just about 10 days to prepare. Because the time was short I was unable to go to the Mesa Temple to receive my own endowments before I had to be in SLC. My parents were unable to take me to SLC so I rode a bus there with my sister Patricia. We arrived in SLC at the mission home just in time to rush to the first class (for which I was late). While at the mission home I received my endowments at the Salt Lake Temple. My sister Patricia was able to go with me.
This mission was one of the highlights of my earthly life. I served with seven different companions. Each one taught me new things to learn about. I also had the opportunity to see some wonderful people enter the waters of baptism. One of these was a young man named Dana Griffen. When we taught him about the gospel he was getting ready to attend the navel academy at Annapolis. He did not join the church for about two later as his parents were very much opposed to him joining. He later married and ended up teaching at BYU in the geology department. He and his wife have served a mission to Canada, and are currently serving in the Washington DC temple as temple missionaries.
This mission also helped me to develop an even stronger testimony of our Savior and the truefulness of the gospel and the restoration of it through the prophet Joseph Smith.
As you know I also served in Ireland as a senior missionary and although I enjoyed serving there at that time in my life. I learned and grew the most when I was a young missionary.
I hope as you prepare yourself to serve that you will be also strengthened in your testimony of the truth and learn to rely on the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
I love to read the Book of Mormon. I try to read each day and I have found that the more I read the more I come to know out Savior. So Ryker study from the Book of Mormon each day and pray about what you are reading. If you do this I can promise you that you will have an even greater desire to serve as a missionary and represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
With Love, Grandma Day
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