Austin flew in to Salt Lake City on Monday the 28th of July 2008. He was greeted by his Aunt Micki and cousin Dackota who also took him to see his Stake President to be set apart as a missionary. President Labrum happened to be in Utah for a wedding at the time. Austin said that the blessing he received was really wonderful...especially the part about being able to learn the language! Aunt Micki and her family then acted as his surrogate family while he stayed with them until Wed, July 30, 2008--MTC day! Thank you Micki for being there to take all those great pictures of him. It just killed his parents to not be there for this precious moment in time when he receives his official name badge and steps through those doors as a regular full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--not to be seen again by his family or friends for 2 years as he focuses his life on serving the Lord and the people of Argentina. This is something that Austin has been singing songs about, dressing up and wearing little homemade missionary badges for and looking forward to doing ever since he was a little boy--What a wonderful day to actually be a missionary! ...And now on to the training!
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Austin was so cute when he got his badge, he found me and handed it to me to put on him. Then the rest of the time we were together he kept touching and looking at it on his suit coat pocket. He'd look and feel it then get the BIGGEST grin on his face! He was sooo excited to be there!
As we were sitting in the chapel for the final talks with family and missionaries, he leaned over twice and told me he was so glad we were there with him.
After he gave us all hugs and wiped our tears, (he didn't shed a tear) he went straight for his door with his great big grin, waving good bye, and head held high and a spring in his step! He was so ready to be a Missionary NOW! Good job Schupples!
Thank you so very much for that special privilege, we will always treasure it up in our hearts!
The Micki Johnson family
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