Missionary Countdown . . . .

That is right !!! 50 days from today Elder Paolacci will be home. I made this count down with a regular picture frame and just created a 10x8 mat to go under the glass. I attached the dry erase marker to the back so each morning we can change the countdown.

I had the specialized papers made from Scrapbook Customs that I ordered thru my local scrapbook store. If you need info on them send me a personal email and I can direct you in ordering special order papers also.

Day 7

I am so grateful for modern technology. How lucky I am to sit down to my computer on Monday mornings and see a message that says
"Hi Mom ! Are you there ? "
LOVE MONDAYS and LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY MOM !!!!
I LOVE that we now have email instead of snail mail. I often find it funny when I listen to moms who say "well back in the day we would have to wait weeks and weeks for letters to arrive in the mail. You know it is like the "I had to walk a hundred miles in the snow to get to school". So I am so happy that I am a missionary mom TODAY and I can email my missionary every Monday.

Don't ask me to make plans on Monday morning. There is a reason I have a "home office day" every Monday. I am sure you can already picture me hugging my computer. Call me a freaky missionary mom, it is what is, but I love my boy.

Time really is going so fast. One of Dylan's best friends Coy is coming home next Wednesday, which just seems crazy !!! And Dylan will be coming home the end of July. Really it is just around the corner.

You hear all the rumors how a mission changes a young man. Well believe them. They are true. First of all, the fact that my son can speak like he was born and raised in South America blows me away. That my son LOVES the very humble conditions in which he lives. That my son, a boy with the last name Paolacci, the son of Don Paolacci (if you are one of my children you know exactly what I mean) LOVES to be up by 6am. That my son quickly begins to LOVE the people that he serves. In fact he has so much LOVE for these people that his heart is about to burst. The fact that I know he LOVES his family, he LOVES home and he LOVES his friends here. But the thought of coming home and leaving the people of Peru is something he cannot and does not even want to imagine. I should not be surprised because I always knew he would grow into an incredible young man, but I am totally blown away.

I can tell by pictures that he is still our fun, loving Dylan. He has the ability to make everyone he serves with and everyone he meets feel at ease and he is a true friend to all.

He has turned into an amazing teacher, leader and friend. He loves to serve others and finds so much happiness helping people.  His love for the gospel is so deep. He loves the Savior and he is a wonderful example of the sharing the love our Savior has for us. He is giving 110% to his mission. He knows he will never get these 2 years back and he is giving it his all and it shows. He has lost himself in the work and it shows. I miss him, but I feel so blessed that he is such an amazing missionary and the service that he gives now will bless him for the rest of his life.

want to follow his mission - http://elderpaolacci.blogspot.com/

Packages to Peru

For other Peru missionary moms . . . .

The white envelopes are the flat rate envelopes from the post office. I pack them full and then tape them up real good. I print mailing labels off my computer and include pictures of the Savior. He has received every package we have sent within about 2 weeks. If I can't fit it in a flat rate envelope or padded envelope and keep it under four pounds - I send it to Vanessa in Salt Lake to ship. Hope this helps.

I will find you my friend . . . .

I was just reading missionary stories last night and I came across this one. Of course it brought me to tears. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Dylan is in Peru to bring the Gospel of Christ to the people he will serve. To share of Christs love for them. Before Dylan left I had a few expereinces that testified to me that the Lord wanted him in Peru and the people of Peru would be waiting for him.

***click on the story to make the image larger

In just 4 short weeks . . .

Okay so I start to cry just typing. Not that I am sad. But because my heart is filled with joy. In just 4 short weeks I will be in Provo, Utah preparing to take my boy to the MTC. Of course, I am going to miss him. I am going to miss him like crazy. How I wish I could be a mouse and hide in his pocket and go along for the journey. But this is HIS journey. He has prepared his entire life for this journey and it is almost here. On Wednesday, August 11th I will drop an amazing young man off at the

Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah

and in a matter of two years he will return home a grown man. He will have not only changed the lives of those whom he comes to love in Peru. But his life will be changed by them.

Sunday afternoon Don and I were able to sit and listen as Dylan was given his Patriarchal Blessing.

“A patriarchal blessing from an ordained patriarch can give us a star to follow, which is a personal revelation from God to each individual. If we follow this star, we are less likely to stumble and be misled. Our patriarchal blessing will be an anchor to our souls, and if we are worthy, neither death nor the devil can deprive us of the blessings pronounced.

They are blessings we can enjoy now and forever.”
—President James E. Faust

As Patriarch Crockett gave Dylan the blessing there were many promises made. Dylan has been placed here upon this earth to bless many lives. It is not by chance that he is going to Peru. The Lord has a specific mission in mind for him. There are many lives that he will touch while he is there. I know that he will truly fall in love with the people he serves. He will build friendships that will last a lifetime.

 It is so easy to feel of Dylan's testimony and his love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and I know without a shadow of a doubt that he will bless many lives.

It is an amazing thing to think about the 3 little boys who grew up together have all gone their separate ways for 2 years to help share the gospel and bless the lives of others.

Dylan, Matt and Coy will all be in different parts of the world.

Coy in New Hampshire, Matt in Rochester New York and Dylan in Peru.

Even though they will all be in different parts of the world.

They will all be sharing the same message of the restored gospel in Spanish. 

It will be amazing to see them together when they all return home. 

We better watch out because they will all be able to talk to each other and we won't understand.

As for now we have been learning as much as we can about Peru and we have been so blessed to have found many blogs of other missionary's in the same area so we can see what it is like and read about their experiences. Here is one missionary couple that was over there serving - they have amazing pictures that can help you to really see the amazing place it is.

 Couple Missionary In Peru

and also take a look at this - Elder Riggs from Gilbert is over in Peru right now. We have enjoyed his pictures and letters. My kids were so amazed at the animals

Elder Colton Riggs

if you scroll down a little you can see the baby jaguar and the mokeys.

Dylan is totally excited and hopes that it won't be long before he gets to go to the jungle and serve in one of the villages.

The packing is almost done. He has a few shots left to get. And then we have to figure the contacts situation. We are not anxious to spend $700 on contacts - but we will figure it out. We always do.

For now a couple of my very favorite missionary quotes

"Forget yourself . . . and go to work"

"You want to be happy ? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause, and bend your efforts to helping people" ~ President Hinckley

"Come and experience the very thing that the Lord has said is of "most worth" (D&C 15:6) to you at this time in your life. Come and be part of the greatest generation of missionaries the world has ever known"

Fabulous Weekend Part 1 Continued . . . .

Dylan had found a Peruvian restaurant in Mesa and so after the temple we headed there for dinner. Let's just make one thing clear. Just because Peru is in South America does not mean that there you will find Mexican food. I wish I would have copied the menu. But it seemed to be full of dishes that consisted of rice, potatoes, eggs, chicken, beef and lot's of veggies. Lot's of radishes ! Everyone loved their food. Dylan's plate looked very similar to a dish of fried rice to me.

One of the highlights was getting to drink "INCA" KOLA. We have heard that this is the favorite soda in Peru, so the guys had to try it. They all said it tasted like bubblegum and they loved it. The other drink they got was a purple rice drink. I guess this one is more of an "acquired" taste. We had a great time sharing this fabulous experience with Dylan and are so proud of the man he is growing up to be.

Fabulous Weekend . . . part 1

What an awesome weekend we had. Friday night we went to the temple with Dylan and had such an amazing experience. Dylan, was attaending the Temple for the first time in preparation for his mission. I knew in my heart that it was going to be a special experience, but I truly did not know how special it would be. I am always touched when I enter the house of the Lord, because the spirit is so strong. If there is anywhere on earth you feel close to Heaven, that is where it is.

I knew that my dad would be present, not only in spirit, but that he would be close by as he watched his oldest grandson prepare to serve a mission. As each of my children cross milestones in their lives I can feel of the love of my dad. His grandchildren were his life. He loved them more than anything in this world and even though he is waiting for us on the other side, I know he is still watching over them and rejoicing in their accomplishments and loved them through their trials.

Once you have done your own work in the temple, you can then return to perform ordinances for those who have gone before. To find out more about Temple work go here. As I sat in the chapel and said a prayer, I could feel that there were many who were very happy that Dylan would be serving the people of Peru on his mission. As we enter the temple and perform ordinances for those who have gone before you are given a name of a person who is deceased. As I sat in the chapel and looked down at the name I was given and said her name "Maria" and noticed that "Maria" was from Peru. The place where Dylan will be serving his mission. I am not sure if I can relate the feeling in which I had at this time. But it was testified to me that Maria was so happy to have her temple work done and she is so anxious for Dylan to go and teach her people.

I will be back to post pictures and follow up on the rest of my weekend . . . gotta go get the family ready for church.

Making a list . . . checking it twice

This month we need to . . . .

• Mission Call Acceptance Letter Sent (of course) DONE
• passport and visa application sent to church headquarters  DONE
• Appoitments for Shots - there's alot - HEP A Series, Typhoid Fever, Yellow Fever, so on and so on. Don't want my boy getting sick so we will make sure he get's them all.
• Patriarchial Blessing
• Temple Endowments

He will probably kill me when he finds out I uploaded his visa photo. The photographer would not let him smile. Why do some places let you smile for passport/visa photos and some don't ?  But it is a memory right. And I think you can tell by looking at the photo it signifies a very memorable time in his life. Just look at the tan line on his face. He has been able to enjoy some pretty amazing skiing this ski season. Almost every other weekend and it had now come to an end. I am so glad he had such a fun winter, becuase when he comes home from his mission it is back to school fulltime.

Trying to get hime to work on his piano skills. He plays by ear amazing. I love listening to him play - music to my ears. And I think he will bless the lives of many if he would learn to play a handful of hymns. We will see if moms encouragement works.

PERU LIMA EAST MISSION

Elder Dylan Thomas Paolacci

has been called to serve as a missionary for the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

in the
Peru Lima East Mission

He reports to the MTC in Provo, Utah on
August 11, 2010 at which time he will participate in phased training
and then will be transferred to the Lima Peru MTC 

We are thrilled !!!

.