My darling boy

There are two specific reasons I am doing better than I thought I would with Campbell's departure.

The first is that my boy gave me a blessing before he left. And it was one of the sweetest
experiences of my life. I won't share details that were meant solely for my heart, but I will
say that God is real. And the Savior's promise of peace is something we can have in our
life. Even when, actually especially when, our heart is simultaneously breaking.

The second has to do with these four pictures. Campbell had not been in the security line
for more than thirty seconds when I saw him, thanks to the longer lens on my camera, put a
bag over his left shoulder. I knew he didn't have a duffel bag himself, so it only took me a
few seconds to realize that the sweet elderly gentleman in front of him was the owner of that
bag. And then watched as my son proceeded to talk and listen and serve that darling man,
who graciously gave him the opportunity, the entire time through security. When I saw him
start his mission this way, peace filled my heart and hasn't left it. I know he will struggle.
I know there will be times that will be tremendously, tremendously difficult. But he has been
asked to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in a different way than he ever has been. And he began
his discipleship within thirty seconds of his walking away from us. I will never forget it.

And I don't believe my Savior will either.