Hi, I'm Elder Petersen!

As hard as it was to let my boy leave for 2 years, our day at the MTC was the best!

Alex smiled from the time he got up yesterday morning to the time he turned around and waved his last good-bye!

We just had a great day.. no stress, no anxiety, just enjoying each others company.

We took some photo's at home, and then headed to breakfast at one of our favorite places - Johanna's. We'd gone there a lot on Satuday mornings, and it was great just to sit and talk in anticipation of a special day.

The MTC is extremely organized and they really have a smooth process for on-boarding approximately 250 missionaries each week. When we arrived, we were instructed where to park and where to take our luggage. As we dropped off our luggage, Al was instructed to remember the number where his luggage could be located. It was number 23 - this was a great start to his stay at the MTC, because 23 is his lucky number... Why 23? Anyone that is a basketball fan knows that this was Michael Jordan's jersey number when he was on the Bulls. And for a kid who hopes someday to work for ESPN - this was a great start!

Next you are instructed to enter separate doors, elders through one door, family & friends through another. However, you do meet inside again.. whew!

After a few more photo's we entered the chapel were the boys and parents are both given counsel and instruction. The congregation also sings "Called to Serve" and the spirit is so strong. It was so amazing to look around and see all those clean cut, happy boys that had prepared themselves to be there! They show a couple of video's, say a few words, then a quick hug and good bye - Elders to the right, families to the left.

As I watched him walk off to the right after we had said our good-bye's, he was in line behind another elder and started up a conversation with him. I watched him extend his hand to this other boy, and say "Hi, I'm Elder Petersen"...

I could not help but think, that was the first of many, many times to come over the next two years that he will make that introduction to a stranger.

I'm so proud of him!