(Music Reference: “I Hope They Call Me On A Mission”, by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir)
September 14th, 2000
Well, I received my Call Letter from President Hinckley, and it says I’m going to Hong Kong, and that I’ll be learning Cantonese.
“Dear Elder Young, You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Hong Kong mission…”
I’m excited and a lot relieved. I wanted to go somewhere far away and interesting. I thought for sure I’d be sent to New Jersey or Michigan…but Hong Kong! Dang! That’s China! I guess I knew it was once ruled by the British, and something happened a few years ago, that gave it back to China, but to be honest…I didn’t pay much attention. Of course, Nepal would’ve been cool. Would’ve put me closer to Everest. Ha!
I check into the MTC on November 1st, two months of gospel and language study, and then I’ll be off to HK. I wonder if I’ll have to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I hope not.
I don’t remember Dad ever being this proud of me. It’s weird. He’s all huggy and emotional. I’ve seen him this way with Brenda, but this is a first for me. I’m not sure I like it. But what do I do? Tell him not to be proud of me? Ha!
Later… Brig