Josh’s Farewell

BEST SUNDAY EVER. Grandma and Grandpa Cornell and Natalie flew out to be with us for the weekend. Carlie, Dan, Gwen, and Cy were there (When we were babysitting the kids last weekend, Mave threw up at church, and she was too embarrassed to come back. Poor thing) Along with countless friends and church leaders who have know Josh since he was a baby. Kris and Rick Ellison (who are serving in the Denver North Mission right now) got to be there too. What a special treat to also have people there who have loved me most of my life.

Josh looks so darn handsome with his missionary haircut, and sitting up on the stand he looked so grown up. How is this day already here? Josh asked Halle to sing a song and she picked, “I Know that My Redeemer Lives.” She brought the house down! It was so so so so so beautiful and heartfelt. She made a little heart symbol to him on her way off the stand, and my mama heart almost exploded. Those two have been such fun friends ever since they were teeny tiny. It’s going to be hard for them to be away from each other. Owen came with Halle to support her, so she had a shoulder to lean on.

Josh’s talk was just beautiful. It was eloquent, well-thought-out, grateful, and powerful. And funny. He had President Waldrip roaring with laughter over his penguin story. Hearing him speak made me know he is so ready to be a missionary. He is going to be amazing. He’ll learn and grow, and touch so many lives, but I think he’ll find the life most changed will be his. (Josh’s talk is pasted below.)

I turned to Rusty and whispered, “We made them!” And we both looked at each other in wonder. They amaze us everyday with their ambition and drive and determination.

And not to be left out, Blake was set apart to be the Second Assistant in the Priest Quorum Presidency. I’m so excited for him. He has such a gift for fun and laughter and leadership. I think he’ll do such a great job in this calling.

It was fun to share his farewell with Cooper Chudleigh. They’ll leave to the MTC on the same day. The Chudleigh girls also sang a song called “You can Rest,” by Lady A. The lyrics were really powerful. I’d never heard it before and immediately added to my playlist.

His setting apart was at 4:30pm. We all got to go around as a family and say something we loved about him, or give him some advice. It was tender and sweet and sacred. Rusty told Josh to love the people he served, and reminded him of a conversation they’d had the year prior. Rusty had been asking Josh about his motivation to serve a mission and Josh said, “gratitude.” He felt so grateful for all the opportunities that God had given him, that he wanted to go as an expression of his gratitude. Rusty was really touched by this. I told him that, from a gospel perspective, perfection didn’t mean avoiding mistakes or following a linear path. It’s more like a circle. That it’s more akin to wholeness. That life is about becoming a whole person — someone who makes mistakes, learns, and tries again. We are refined and grow little bits at a time in all kinds of different ways. Sometimes it feels really messy, but as we step back, we can see the big picture of “becoming.” President Waldrip set him apart as a missionary, and then he put on his tag! It’s official! President Waldrip said that his one wish for Josh was that he’d have one really terrible companion. We all got a kick out of that. He said that with a terrible companion, he’d learn so many valuable life lessons. Which is so true. As long as it’s just one. ha ha.

Then it was PARTY TIME! And what a party it was. We had soup and breadsticks and treats. Between Michelle and I, we had WAY TOO MUCH soup. We had so many friends show up for us and as I looked around, I felt such JOY! We had the best time laughing and talking and wishing those two boys the best. I could kick myself for not taking more pics. But, it was also fun to live in the moment and just enjoy.

That night, as we fell into bed totally exhausted, we just looked at each other and smiled. Grateful for each other, grateful for our kids, our family, our friends, and all our many blessings. I don’t know how I’m going to let Josh go after that last hug, but I’m also so excited to cheer him on, listen to his joys and his disappointments and be there for him every step of the way.

Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Josh Banks, and later today I am going to
be set apart as a missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I will be
serving in the Washington DC North Mission preaching the gospel in the Mandarin
Chinese language, assuming I survive nine weeks in the MTC first.
I am excited to get a little preview into my life as a missionary and share with you the
ways that my Savior brings me joy and how I have grown my testimony of Him.
My testimony and joy in the savior are not the result of one singular event, but rather a
culmination of so so many things. I am thankful my testimony has grown this way
because over time, strong experiences and impressions can fade away into the back of our
minds. It is important that we record our thoughts, feelings, and experiences with spiritual
matters so we can recall them later and draw upon strength we have already received. It is
even more vital to seek constant nourishment from the Spirit to keep our testimonies
strong and more complete.
As I have put myself in positions day in and day out to be open to the gospel message, I
have seen remarkable results. None of my seminary teachers ever started a class with
“We’re going to note something today in the scriptures that you will come across and be
inspired by years later” and yet that is what has happened.
None of my Young Men’s leaders or Sunday school teachers ever prefaced a comment
with, “What I’m about to say is going to change the way you think about aligning the
gospel with schooling, a career, and a family” but I’ve still walked out of classes with that
insight.
None of my peers has ever greeted me at an activity with “My kindness, openness, and
clear joy in this gospel setting is going to reaffirm to you that God loves us and brings us
together so we can share His love” but I have seen that time and time again.
The only thing God needs from us to accomplish these things is an open mind and a heart
willing to receive. There are so many things all around us that testify of the truthfulness
of the Gospel so long as we are willing to see them.
Even during the times we find it hard to see God’s love in the things around us, we can
still feel His love when we learn of Him and communicate with Him. Elder Fontano
served in this ward a few years ago, and he and Elder Gillings taught a group of us the
missionary lessons so that we would know what to expect when we were in their shoes.
When teaching about the Book of Mormon and the power of the scriptures Elder Fontano
compared them to the Brass Serpent that Moses held up to the people of Israel.
To be free from the plague of snakes, all they had to do was have enough faith to simply
look at the symbol. Elder Fontano said that the same was true for the Book of Mormon. If
we would just make an effort to open it, to read even just a little bit, we would be blessed.
Some blessings can be immediate, but more than anything consistency is key. As I tried
to implement this advice, I saw that my efforts were rewarded. I found more peace,
patience, and hope as I combined even just a few verses of the Book of Mormon with my
other scripture study.
Breaking the barrier to just start is often the hardest part, and my increased willingness to
just read a few verses carried me to an even greater desire to learn about the gospel and
find answers to my questions.
Prayer is also one of the easiest ways I have found direction and guidance in my life. We
believe that the heavens are not sealed, and that we can find answers and direction when
we seek them with pure intent. I usually do my gospel study and pray before I go to bed,
but this last semester I wanted to make an effort to start my day off right and invite the
spirit more.
I had 8am Mandarin class 5 days a week, and on a college sleep schedule that usually
meant dragging myself out of bed on an intense time crunch. Still, I tried to read the
quote and scripture of the day in the gospel library app, and say a prayer to ask for help
putting something I learned from them into action.
I saw how the spirit was then able to work within me to help me achieve these goals and
shift my mindset to be more Christ-centered.
In order to prepare myself and my mindset for missionary service I have tried to stay off
social media more. I recognised it was a big distraction for me and had me focusing on
things of little importance. After one prolonged break from instagram I came back and
my feed was flooded with a clip from a 2007 nature documentary about penguins. One
particular penguin caught the eye of researchers, as he left the coastal feeding grounds in
order to head towards the distant mountains.
Though there was a lessened chance of survival that way, one scientist explained that
even if they brought him back to the colony, he would immediately begin to attempt the
70 km trek once again. The narrator wonders, “But why?”.
Debate has raged, some see the penguin as a nihilist, giving up and walking away from
his life. However, others see that the penguin is determined to find a higher purpose.
Though he must reject the easy path, he is determined to find new heights, to touch the
skies even though he cannot fly.
As followers of Christ, we are also called to have this penguin-like determination. We are
called to move away from what might be popular or comfortable, and seek higher and
holier things. If we are moved back away from our goal because of choices we make, we
must be determined to set our course right back toward where we need to be.
It is amazing to me that we are judged not by where we are currently on this mortal
journey, but where we are heading to and what we are working for. No matter how far I
fall, I know I can correct my course and still be blessed.
My joy in Jesus Christ and my desire to share His gospel comes from the fact that I know
He loves each one of us on a personal level. Coming to understand this can be a more
complex process because we can’t talk with Him face to face. Something that has helped
me is thinking about how His life and works have taught me about the eternal nature of
us and of this world. He created this beautiful Earth that we live on, the beauty and detail
of which remind us of how much we are loved by our Father in Heaven and how
powerful He is. As the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, He directed ancient prophets,
instituted covenants, and proved that He will always watch over people who are
enduringly faithful. He condescended to be born a helpless infant to Mary so that He
could learn and grow just like us. He grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God,
providing a perfect framework for us to follow in order to maximize our potential. Even
though He was without sin, He was baptised to solidify the fact that none are exempt
from the need for ordinances that bring us closer to Heavenly Father. In the Garden of
Gethsemane, He thought about each of us, bled from every pore while He took upon
Himself every pain, burden, and affliction we will face in this life. The magnitude of this
event cannot be understated, though because of the sheer scale of what He felt we will
not be able to fully comprehend it in this lifetime. To me, it helps to remember that
Christ’s love for each of us is so complete that He would go through the Garden even if it
was just for me, and He would go through it all if it was just for you. After leaving the
Garden, He allowed Himself to be taken by soldiers and be tried on spurious charges, to
be condemned to die even after He was found innocent, a reminder that we are all subject
to the calamities of this world. The Son of God was mocked and scorned, forced to carry
the cross He would be crucified on to Calvary. As He hung nailed to it, He still pleaded
with the Father to “Forgive them, for they know now what they do.” He died a perfect
sacrifice for our sins. On the third day after being laid in a tomb, He rose again to His
perfected immortal body and marked the path by which we would one day also be
resurrected. His ongoing and infinite atonement provides us with the opportunity to be
forgiven of all of our shortcomings and access the enabling power to change our very
nature for the better. He has said that His work and His glory is to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man, and every action He takes confirms that fact. Beyond
His mortal life, every scripture story points back to Him and makes His love more
apparent.
One of my favorite paintings of Christ is “The Good Shepherd” by Del Parson. It depicts
the Savior walking along a grassy landscape with a group of sheep. One sheep is standing
in front of Christ, a few are behind Him, and another is being carried on His back. In the
scriptures, Christ teaches “For behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered”. This
painting perfectly illustrates the different roles Christ can take for all us as our Lord. In
my life, I know I have been in the position of all 3 groups of sheep. I’ve been on top of
the world, sure that God’s plan for me is always in motion, knowing that I stand in front
of the Savior with His support through whatever I face. I’ve been shielded behind the
Savior as His grace has provided me forgiveness and freedom from guilt. I know that
keeping the covenants that bind me to Him has protected me from pain and heartache
time and time again. When I keep looking forward with the Savior in front of me, I am
constantly reassured that I am known. In my hardest moments, He has put me on His
back. When I have felt lost or unsure He has carried me on His shoulders, giving me
enough strength to just take a few more steps until I am out of the fog.
Missionary service will introduce a lot of obstacles and unknowns, but I wouldn’t trade it
for the world. I know my Savior will stand beside me, just as He has for all these years. I
say these things in the name of Jesus Chirst, amen