Merry Christmas Brian Patrick Kirkby!

When I was preparing for my mission back in January 1987, I was finishing my last on-air show at the Hare Krishna radio station, playing modern and new wave music.  I decided that a good song to play for the end of my last show would be by the Eurythmics, titled Missionary Man, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-Q3cp3cp88  (Today, 12/25/16,  was the first time I've seen the music video which made me laugh)  Here are some of the lyrics:

...Don't mess with a missionary man.

Well the missionary man
He's got God on his side.
He's got the saints and apostles
Backin' up from behind.
Black eyed looks from those bible books.
He's a man with a mission
Got a serious mind.
There was a woman in the jungle
And a monkey on a tree.
The missionary man he was followin' me.
He said "Stop what you're doing."
"Get down upon your knees."
"I've a message for you that you better believe."...

Though not exactly what a mission is, I thought is was as close as I would get to playing a farewell song till I returned in a couple of years.  I never did go back to radio.  

My mission was a defining experience in my life.  Missionary service solidified so many things that had previously been fluid.  Most importantly, I solidified my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church.  I created a foundation of belief, faith, action, testimony that has blessed every day of my life since.  I believe what Elder Robert E. Well of the Seventy once said, 

"In twenty-four months (18 months for sisters) you will have twenty-four years’ worth of spiritual adventures. You will see people change; soften; become more humble, more obedient; have their prayers answered; and come to a knowledge that our message is true."

So as I thought about what I could do to perform service "to Brian" I thought about being the father of a missionary.  It's almost as awesome as being on a mission.  You get to see the growth of your child and get to see them experience things that will help define their lives.  Now Brianne is back and Hannah is preparing to go next Spring.  What a great example of raising missionaries and supporting their efforts.  

My "service" this year was to donate funds every month to our Ward Missionary fund.  There were several missionaries in our ward this year.  Some of them came from large families like the Kirkbys.  This "service" to Brian is to celebrate his raising two fine daughters who will serve the Lord as missionaries.  Although they've made the choice individually, the support and love that parents give their missionaries is a demonstration of their love of the Lord and the desire to bless families around the world with the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Merry Christmas!!