A picture says a thousand words

Well, yes. I still sleep with my phone, and check it first thing every morning to see if there has been an email from Elder Cocker.  I never check it on Mondays though. Duh?! its Sunday in America and I know our missionary is too busy to unable to email home on any of those days.  So, because there has not been a certain 'day' we get a line or two.....it's exciting to think any of the other six days could be....THE day.

I know, I know.  Once Elder Cocker leaves the Missionary Training Center...it's a specific P-day only to write home, and then, it takes how many weeks to get from Tonga to New Zealand.  So heck yeah, i'm gonna pop those eyes open now to see if he wrote.

Today, we received our first pictures from the mission field and they were awesome.  Josh said,  "Photo in the room is my first day here with the other international elders who came in early 2 from NZ 2 from UK 2 from Mexico ." 

The next pic is my favorite:

He said, "the Last Photo is my District going to Tonga!"

That was it, a few simple lines, and we have been beaming like sunbeams over here in the land of the "long white cloud".  
There is a deep sense of gratitude.  It's not the same feeling as when one of the kids goes on a vacation, not the same excitement.  Trust me, after over a decade of working with the airlines and traveling around the pacific, we know how to travel. This...is so very different.  Perhaps its all the constant prayers (because we know he needs them).  We are all just so very mindful about how important this portion of his journey is. . . and we know its not easy just because it is "for a good cause".  No, i've yet to read in any scriptures that missionary work is "easy".  It is however an incredible blessing to see the Spirit teach-the missionary, the parent, the friend, no one gets left untouched.  That is the blessing.  It reminded me of Mathew 11:15 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear".  Because of his desire to be a missionary, we are "tuning in", and the sounds are of hope, and joy, eternal principles and effort.  Above the din of the noise of the world, across the hemisphere's we hear his story.  We look forward with an eye of faith to each and every day.