Sunday the 24th through MTC Wed the 27th

A couple of notes on the final days of Daniel Lawler, before he turned into Elder Lawler for two years...

Sunday: Great day...Daniel did not share his talk with me (unusual, because Dad usually always got to help with a scripture here, a thought there or a little grammar or re-writing...). We found out why in his remarks on having a righteous Dad...I was very humbled and touched deeply by his kind and heart felt remarks.

After the talk, many of Daniel's friends remarked (almost in surprise) at what a good job he had done...finally Daniel said "So, did you think I was going to be horrible or what?" To which one friend responded,"No, but you were like, really 'comfortable' up there speaking...we hadn't seen that coming."

Meal #1: Immediately after sacrament, a good lunch for family and close friends.
Meal #2: Mostly desserts, a lot of the ward members came. Many were generous with
monies for the mission fund (whch became part of the bicycle fund...we are
told that he will spend most of his mission on a bike).
Meal #3: 10pm to 1 am...parents invited but did not participate...Daniel and his
homies only...

Monday and Tuesday...final sporting activities, final meals, final gatherings of friends...Grandma & Papa have been here sharing in all the activities, blessed to have them here.

Tuesday night at 9 pm...Stake President of the LDS Church (he's the one who sets missionaries apart for two years) came to our house. He was a busy man as he was setting apart 4 other young men that same night from our Alpine North Stake.

Blessing included some of the following:

-gift of tongues, ability to learn Japanese well
-love for the people that he will serve
-affinity for the local diet (Dad guffawed a bit on this one, as we have teased Daniel about his 'non-seafood' diet for a long time)
-desire to help others and improve their lives.

Then...Daniel was turned into Elder Lawler...and even went to bed at 10:30 pm for the first time in ______________ (none of us could remember).

A few of us shared our thanks for one another and Daniel's friends (all of them either already have calls to serve missions, or will go when of age).
Daniel said some touching comments of appreciation and love to his friens and his family.

Wednesday:

Meal #4: Breakfast with all kinds of goodies, including pumpkin waffles with buttery, nummie syrup. Last visit with Daniel's buds...

MTC: Not as bad as it was cracked up to be. There were MANY helpers/ushers getting families to where they needed to be and missionaries to where they needed to be.

Got the Elder Lawler name tag (with some gibberish underneath the name)

Short 'fireside' with 3 speakers and a couple of songs...and a video clip...then
Sayonara! Missionaries to the right, families to the left...and they were off.

Daniel was VERY ready to go...minimal emotions, he was off and running...and doing the MTC shuffle...

ONWA-DO (onward) Elder Lawler!

Written by Dad Lawler (Elder Lawler the first)