Missing Home

As much as the work is inspiring and the effort is worth every sacrifice, there are still times that you miss being away from home. You miss your family most of all:

Bryanna, Eric and Max

Max brings joy to our family

Eric wrote Bryanna: "Not going to lie, I am missing you and home lately. I keep remembering when we would stay up way late and watch scary movies. Or I would play a game and you being the super legit sister and friend would stay up with me and watch/help me play. I remember Oblivion ( a video game) - so many great memories." Eric was sad to miss Bryanna's graduation and Andrew's wedding. These are sacrifices you make when you go.

When you leave for a Mission, you leave behind not just family and friends, but your job and school.  When Eric put in his papers for his Mission, he was starting his Junior Year at Arizona State University, Ira A. Fulton Engineering School. He worried that being away for 2 years would impact his schooling and possibly affect his ability to get into the Master's Program.

College of Engineering at ASU

At the end of his Junior Year, Eric was delighted to learn that he had met the requirements  and was accepted into the Engineering Master's Program. ASU will hold his spot for him while he serves his Mission. He has never regretted his decision to serve. His homecoming will be wonderful as he is reunited with family and friends. He will pick up right where he left off at school. He knows he made the right choice, and his Mission has taught him lessons he couldn't learn in a classroom:
"Life here has been really busy. This mission is so very important to the Lord and to me. Just had baptisms 12, 13 and 14.  So much emotion and love for the people here, and they are accepting the gospel so strongly. I have met some life long friends here and have seen so many great people change their lives. My testimony has changed so dramatically. I have literally developed love and charity* for those without the gospel in their lives."


Although it may seem like an interruption of his life, it was an opportunity to personally grow. Eric will carry the lessons learned on Guam his whole life.

*charity is the pure love of Christ.