Elder Stephen Harper

Today my baby brother became a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Obviously, he is no longer a baby at all! In fact, I am so incredibly proud of the young man he has become. Even in the past couple months he has matured so much.

It has been a long road for Stephen to get out on his mission. He has worked full-time since he graduated to cover the entire expense of his mission. He had all sorts of delays in submitting his paperwork in the first place, and then had to wait about 4 months to receive his call. When it finally came in September, he was called to serve in the Salt Lake City-South mission and would go to the MTC on January 19 (yep, my birthday!.) I think he was just so ready to serve and had waited so long that he was happy to go anywhere!

So he waited patiently, worked, played, and continued to help out the missionaries in our home branch in preparation for his service. Then he quit his job just before Christmas to enjoy the holidays and some down time before heading out.

However, his visa didn't come. That's right, my awesome Canadian brother had problems getting a visa to serve in Salt Lake City. Which only added to my love for United States Customs and Immigration (arrrgghhhhh!!). Since it still had not come through as of January 19, my parents and their stake president decided to be proactive. So last night Stephen was set apart as a full-time missionary in the Edmonton Canada mission and today he jumped into his first transfer. The idea is that when his visa finally goes through he will then go to the Missionary Training Center, and carry on to his mission in Salt Lake, but who knows how long that will take? So in the meantime, he is ready to serve wherever he is needed.

That is just the kind of guy Stephen is. He is smart, funny, and independent but he is always willing to help. That is why he wants to share the greatest gift we have - the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know he will bless the lives of every person he comes into contact with. The Edmonton mission is lucky to have him!

I was 9 when Stephen was born. My name was one of his first words, and I was kind of like a second mom for the first few years of his life. I LOVE my brother so much! Although I have been gone from home for several years, I got to spend most of last year getting to know the amazing young man he has become, and I loved every minute of it. I am so impressed by his dedication, his patience, and his amazing love. I miss him already, but I know he is safe and needed in the service of the Lord. And hopefully he will soon be in his actual mission - which just happens to be exactly where I live :)

God speed brother! I will be thinking of you and praying for you every day!