Christmas Day Phone Call 2010

Oh the long awaited day and time finally arrived.  Christmas Day, 12:30 p.m.  Family is gathered, everyone there....waiting.  The phone rings and Amber grabs it and runs to the formal living room.  After a few minutes, Kate decides it is her turn so she heads into the other room,  Kody, knowing her intent, wins the race and get to talk next.  Everyone in their own turn, was able to talk to Jared.  Stephanie arrived and also was able to talk to Jared.  We had an hour and a half to talk.  Dillon and Deisel both wanted to talk as well. 
    It was good to talk to Jared.  He expressed his gratitude for the gospel, his testimony and family.  He mentioned that scary things happen on occasion.  I begged him to save those stories for when he was home from his mission.  He didn't obey.  He related a story of when he had been in Fort Wayne for 3 weeks.  Jared and his companion were walking down the street.  A guy walked up to Jared, put a gun to his head, and fired!  The gun clicked but no bullet came out.  Logically he should have been dead.
Jared and I discussed the blessing that President Anderson gave him as he set him apart for his mission.  In that blessing, Jared was blessed that if he would listen to the promptings of the Lord and be obedient to them, he would be protected from the adversary's and removed from their presence as if unseen.  He needed to place his hand in the hand of the Lord and he would be guided and protected.  Wow!
    Everyone was so happy he was safe and very happy to be able to talk to him.  We are so grateful that we live in this day and time and have the wonders of e-mails and phones and so forth.  Much better than waiting for a month for a letter to come from over seas.
Next call....Mothers Day.