Today I changed the sheets on Adam’s bed, remembering the day two years ago when we dropped Adam at the curb of the MTC and I felt my heart walk away with him.  I came home on that day, crawled into his bed, pulled up his covers and I wept.  I smelled his smell lingering there and I wondered how I might possibly live without him for two years.

In 11 days he will be home, back in my arms, back in our family, back in his bed.  He was a boy when he left, he will return to us a man.  A man of power and testimony.  A man sure of things that were only distant notions when he left two years ago.

I am grateful for a loving Father who watches over his sons, who scoops them up out of the world, sends them out on their own, away from distractions, empowers them with His Spirit, and lets them discover who they really are.  Not only do their lives change, but they change the lives of each person they meet or teach or serve.  In His care, they learn to see as He sees, to Love as He loves.  They become Men of God.

Then they are sent back home to us–to mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters– and they bring that power and presence back into our families.  What an amazing arrangement!  What a gift we each will have been given!