Setting Apart and MTC Day

The night before Jayden entered the MTC he was set apart as a missionary by our Stake President, Kyle McKay and our bishop David Smith. When a missionary is set apart he is given the opportunity to be an instrument in our Heavenly Father's hands. He will do nothing, but our Heavenly Father's work while he is gone. He won't call home, he won't text his friends, he won't listen to anything but uplifting music. He won't watch tv or play video games. He will look for opportunities to serve individuals and families. He will study the scriptures and look for ways to more effectively teach those he meets about Heavenly Father's plan for us.

The Mullins Family

President Kyle McKay, Elder Jayden Mullins, Bishop David Smith

The day finally arrived!  On August 27, 2014 Jayden entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.  Our family started the day at the Ogden Temple Openhouse.  The new Ogden Temple is open to the public for viewing before it is dedicated on September 21.  We decided that would be a beautiful place to start our day.  While going through this house built for our Heavenly Father and for us to worship there, I was reminded that because of those ordinances performed in the temple we will be together forever as a family; not only in this life, but in the life to come.  Jayden will be serving in Arizona to teach those who don't know, how they can be sealed to their families forever in the temple.  It is a sacrifice for us to let him go, but only a small sacrifice compared to what God has given us.

Ogden Utah Temple

Ben is not in the picture above because it was a school day and he couldn't miss history as half of his grade is based on attendance.  He went to class and then we picked him up on the way to Provo.

We visited and enjoyed the car ride to Provo.  Jayden wanted to eat at In N Out so we stopped there and enjoyed our last meal with him.  We enjoyed every last moment with him that day.

Jayden's appointed time to arrive at the MTC was 1:00.  We arrived at the Provo Temple, just across the street from the MTC at about 12:15.  We went to the grass in front of the temple for some last minute photos.

Jaron, Jayden, Ben, and Noah~Our wonderful boys

Our amazing family at the Provo Temple

Dad and Jayden

Marshall Frodsham and Jayden Mullins

Our friend and neighbor, Marshall Frodsham entered the MTC the same day at the same hour. We bumped into him at the temple. We got a great photo of them and talked about what the 'after mission' photo would look like in 2 years.

This is the last photo I took with Jayden.  I'm so happy we looked happy.  It truly is a joy to have him doing what I have hoped he would do since the day he was born.  I won't show the photo of when I dropped him off at the curb.  It is hard to have a hole left in our family for 2 years, but the joy will overpower the heartache in the end.