"Dear Grandpa and Grandma: I hope they call you on a Mission"

"Dear Grandpa and Grandma: I hope they call you on a Mission"
Darrel Hammon

Questionnaire: I am writing an article for Deseret Direct. Deseret Direct began in June 2010 and provides “unparalleled values-driven content for distribution through Deseret Media Companies – most notably Deseret News, KSL, Mormon Times and LDS Church News. Deseret Direct’s mission is ‘To be trusted voices of light and knowledge reaching hundreds of millions of people worldwide.’”

The topic I am writing about is senior couples going on missions for the Church. I have tentatively titled it: “Dear Grandpa and Grandma: I hope they call you on a mission.” Consequently, I have devised a few questions that will help me write the article. If you are willing to help with the article, please send me your e-mail address @ darrel.hammon@gmail.com. The following are questions from the questionnaire:

Names:
Mission:
Home Town:
Home State:
Home Ward:
Home Stake:

Currently serving: □ Yes □ No
Preparing to serve: □ Yes □ No
Home from our mission: □ Yes □ No

What helped you make a decision to serve a senior couple mission?

Describe the process of making the decision to go a mission.

Before you decided to go on a mission, what were some of the things you thought about that might prohibit you from going on a mission?

Was your family supportive of you going on a mission?

What are some specific things your family did or is doing to demonstrate their support of your mission?

Is there one thing that you worried about that you really didn’t need to worry about once you were on your mission?

What do you wish you knew before entering the MTC?

What do you wish you knew before entering the actual mission field?

Now that you are home, what are your thoughts about your missionary experience? Would you go again?

What is one thing/event that stood out on your mission?

What would you tell other senior couples who are contemplating going a mission?

Anything else that you think might be relevant to help senior couples decide to go on a mission and how to prepare?


May I quote you? □ Yes □ No

Do you have a picture from your mission you would be willing to share?
□ Yes □ No

Thank you for your time and your detailed answers. I appreciate it.

Darrel L. Hammon

Digital Grandpa

I have become a digital grandpa!

Since our only granddaughter lives 7.5 hours from where live, we do not get to visit much. We were there the day she came home from the hospital and spent some time with her. While she was just a little thing, I think we bonded.

Then, when we returned from a conference in Santa Fe this past summer. we saw her again, changed her diaper, bathed her, clothed her in some real cute baby clothes, rocked her, listened to sleep in her new crib, held her until her mother said it was time for her to go to bed.

Then, we saw her again when she was blessed. Oh, she was so beautiful in her blessing dress--really her mother's wedding dress from which her grandma made her the most beautiful blessing dress ever. Plus, with that cute headband that she really didn't want on, she probably was the most beautifully dressed baby ever.

The biggest event was at Christmas when we were able to spend a good week with her. We played. We rocked. I taught her how to drink out of a sippy cup although she drooled more than she sipped. But she like to chug it anyway. We stared at each other. We rubbed noses. We had our pictures taken together. We giggled together. Sometimes, she cried. I took pictures of her, probably more than I should have, but she is soooooooooo....cute, just like her mother and her grandmothers. Yes, we had a ton of fun together over Christmas. But, alas, that was almost over a month ago. Now, we just chat via the video webcam...

Now, we can play peek-a-boo via the webcam, but I think she wonders who is that guy staring out at me on the camera. We talk, and sometimes she talks back or at least says something incoherent that I take as, "Hi, Grandpa! How are you doing? When are you going to come visit me again? I miss seeing you! I want to come to your house." For some reason, my daughter doesn't hear the same things that I do. She says it is mostly child gibberish.

I don't think they are coming until Easter unless we decide to trundle there, which is a very long trundle and getting longer every time we drive I-80, especially when it is snowing and blowing and the big semis run thick like salmon on their way to spawn. So, it's the webcam or nothing.

Even if I only get to see her via the webcam, I am okay with it because I am, at least, able to see her and talk to her. I don't want her to not know her grandfather. Via the webcam, she can see me, hear me talk to her, and understand that I am a real person although I appear only as a "digital" one.

Sometimes, she reaches out and tries to touch our faces on the screen. Deep down, I think she remembers us and wants to touch our faces and know that we are real. I am sure she remembers that one picture that I have now in my office of just the two of us--she sitting on my lap, her hand reaching out to touch my face or the other picture where we are both just staring at each other, wondering who will blink or look away first.

Yes, she loves her grandpa, even if I am a "digital grandpa."