Boy....Missionary....Man

This photo was taken on the way home from the last BYU home football game of the '08 season, just a few weeks before Joshua left. As we were driving home, I noticed that it was rather quiet in the back seat so I turned to see why. This is what I saw, my three boys fast asleep after a long hard day of watching football. As you can see, the two younger ones are both leaning on Josh. Over their lives they will always look to Josh, and lean on him for help to know the way. I am so grateful that Josh has been a good example to his brothers by serving a mission. They will learn how to be obedient, courageous, humble, generous, and kind by following in his footsteps. Josh, Elder Robertson, has been gone just a little more than 4 months now. He has had some really tough times, but I am seeing him turn into man as he puts one foot in front of the other and he learns to lean on his older brother, the Savior. He has had to dig deep and find courage to press forward, and I have had to learn to step back and allow him to do it. We have all learned a lot from his missionary service. Not long after Elder Robertson first left and I was still feeling the sting of having my oldest child leave home, I jokingly said to Robert, "What if mom just doesn't let you go on a mission?" He looked at me with determination and said, "Well, I will be an adult and there will be nothing you can do to stop me." Thomas added in with a, "YEAH!" I would never really want to keep them from serving a mission, but it did bring a smile to my face that even at ages 7 and 9, Elder Robertson's brothers knew just what they would be doing at age 19, serving the Lord as a missionary. Thanks Josh, for being a great example, and someone to lean on.