Kirsten and Her Envelope

The Opening of the Envelope.  It is a major event for LDS families.  Kirsten submitted her application to become an LDS missionary several weeks ago.  When the envelope with her mission call arrived in the mail, word went out to family members near and far to congregate for the Opening on October 4, 2018.  The Flindt and Spendlove families were hooked up by Skype--Kirsten and her parents in Seattle; Michael and Rebecca Flindt in Rexburg, Idaho; Spencer and Naomi Flindt in Provo, Utah; Herb and Jodi Flindt at one home in Salt Lake City and Dave, Mike, Heidi and I at another.

 Kirsten's sibs, Alyssa and Bryce, gave Kirsten advice for her opening performance (top left).

 Mike, the electrical engineer, got our computer up and running (maybe some overkill there).

And then the big moment--"Sister Flindt, you have been called to serve as a full-time missionary...for the Independence, Missouri Visitors Center Mission."  Kirsten will spend 18 months as an interpreter and guide for one of the most interesting Church historical sites.  From 1834 to 1839, Mormons gathered to Missouri, hoping to found a permanent Church headquarters first in southern Missouri and then in northern Missouri. But the Mormons were northerners and non-slave owners in a southern slave state.  They were also feared and resented because they arrived in vast caravans and voted en masse.  Their neighbors thought they'd dominate the politics of their communities.    Church members were expelled by force, including the capture, imprisonment, and threatened execution of their leader, Joseph Smith.  Governor Boggs of Missouri issued a notorious "extermination order."  The LDS Church has not, however, given up on Missouri.  Church members believe that in the last days the faithful will gather to Missouri, and Christ will come again to both Jerusalem and the Americas.  Kirsten can tell us all about it!

 The Spendloves are always ready for a party.  We talked and laughed in our computer room, as we waited for the Opening.

Kirsten and her envelope; Heidi and her horns.  Dave passed time by aligning Heidi's head perfectly between the horns of our water buffalo skull on the wall, all without Heidi realizing she'd become the focus of David's art!