My parents came down to attend the MTC for a week before their mission to Micronesia/Guam. When they asked if they could stay with us while they were here I was so excited. Not only is it just plain fun to hang out with my parents, but it is also a really great experience to hear all about their MTC classes and lessons.
They arrived late Friday night and would be here for over a week. I was watching Joe and Kym's kids while they were on a business trip to Orlando, so Mom and Dad got to spend time with all of the Utah grandkids. We played lots of games, went bowling at BYU, and got ice cream at the Creamery. Christian paid for everyone's ice cream because his job at the CougarEat give him food credits that he needed to use. He is so grown-up now. We had such a great time! All of the kids were well-behaved and got along perfectly. Now that they are all older, things like this are much less stressful and much more fun.
The Christensen kids left early Monday morning, but Mom and Dad got to stay for the rest of the week. Every day when they came home, they would tell us about another awesome thing they learned, an excellent devotional they attended, or a faithful couple they met. They are such good examples for my boys, and I am glad we got to see and experience that with them.
Before they left, we decided that we had so much fun bowling that we wanted to go again. Grandpa is a good bowler and knows a lot of the techniques, so he coached the boys. Our scores went up, and we all had a great time.
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Patriarchal Blessing
On Saturday night, Christian scheduled a time to receive his patriarchal blessing. It was so wonderful that Grandpa and Grandma could be there with us. Christian fasted all that day and prepared by studying some articles about patriarchal blessings. At 7:00 pm, we all headed over to Patriarch McGriff's home. We had never met him before, but we soon realized that despite his large stature, he was a softy. He was so tender-hearted and got choked up just talking about what was going to happen that night. He also let us know that he is always nervous before giving blessings. This made him seem so humble, and it really set the right mood for the night.
After chatting for a few minutes, he asked Christian to choose someone to bear testimony. Christian asked me to do it, and I was happy to share my testimony with my family. I spoke of the blessing of the atonement of Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and gratitude for the restoration of the Gospel. Next, Christian asked Grandpa if he would give a prayer.
Finally, it was time for his blessing. I won't go into many details because they are sacred and meant for Christian, but I was so touched by everything that was said. Christian received a powerful blessing that confirmed to all of us that Heavenly Father knows him so well. He was blessed to be able to use his knowledge and intellect to bless the lives of many people. There was a long section about the amazing things he can do on his mission and another long chunk about his future family. We have not yet received the printed version, but I was surprised at how long it was. I could feel Hyrum getting restless next to me, but he held it together for the whole thing. There were warnings interspersed throughout, but the overall feel of the blessing was so uplifting and joyous.
The feeling that I came away with was awe and gratitude that Heavenly Father would allow us to raise one of his special, faithful, spirit sons. It reminded me that we all have so much potential, and we need to be careful to treat each other like the amazing souls we are and can become. I hope that this blessing will be a comfort and help to Christian throughout his life. What a wonderful experience it was!
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On Sunday night, Mom and Dad left for Salt Lake City where they will spend a week at Church Headquarters learning everything they need for the Family History part of their mission. Before they left, we got pictures with the flags of Guam and Pohnpei (the small island where they are expecting to do most of their service). We were sad to see them go, but I am sure they will have a wonderful mission! I know there will be many blessings because of their service.
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