April 13th!!! Forget Tax Day- we hit the ONE YEAR MARK!!! I thought I would take a few minutes and express my feelings as Kevin has hit the year mark of his mission. First of all, it went by so FAST! I can hardly believe that a year has passed me by. I wonder at times if I have used my time wisely...probably not. But as I think back on the past year and all that has happened one thing stands clear... I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY MOM...and I am still grateful that this is my last one! It is true, so many wonderful blessings come to families as missionaries are serving, that I cannot deny. I would not want Kevin anywhere else, doing anything different, but this mother heart is very glad that Kevin is my last one to send away and that it is down to the last year! I have a strong testimony that the decision to serve a mission will bless a young man, or woman, EVERYDAY for the rest of their lives. It will make a man out of a boy. My son Jeffrey said it best. It was during his release interview with the Stake President. Pres. Cutler asked him what was different about the boy who left 2 years before, and the man that had returned. Jeffrey's reply went something like this: "I left a teenager, doing teenage things. I soon became a missionary and did missionary things, but then...I became a disciple of Christ, and knew I was changed forever." I believe a mission does that to a young man. I have seen it in my husband, and 2 sons, and a son-in-law and am watching it as Kevin serves. ( I didn't know my other SIL before his mission, but he is a wonderful man, so I am sure it did the same for him.) I will be indebted to the Lord forever, and am so thankful to a loving Father in Heaven for watching over Kevin and strengthening him. I am so humbled to be Kevin's mother, I love him so very much. I know that he is doing his best, that he is obedient and he will RETURN WITH HONOR!!!

President and Sister Groberg on Elder Johnson's first day in Indonesia.

Random pictures that he has sent home.