Dear Elder Davidson No. 1

 Hello Isaac,

Thought you’d enjoy having a bit of mail in the mailbox when you got to the MTC. That is if this letter beats us there. We’ll see.

I imagine you’ll find your time at the MTC going fast. It went fast for me, as I recall, and I was there for 2 ½ months. You’re going to be busy there – and that’s a good thing.

If I can offer any advice, it would be this: Take what they teach you there seriously. I know you’re going into the mission full-bore; I expect nothing less from you. I’ve always admired your dedication and enthusiasm. Keep it up. There may be times, even in the two weeks you’re there, that you’ll feel discouraged. That’s normal. Just remember you’ve got a huge support group there, and we’re all rooting for you at home. More importantly, God called you to serve, and He’ll do everything he can to help you succeed as long as you’re doing your part. That you’ll do that I have no doubt.

Your personality and charisma will be tremendous assets to you in the mission field. God expects you’ll channel that into good. I saw charismatic missionaries accomplish great things. I also saw them lead other missionaries into things they shouldn’t be doing. Don’t do that.

I’ll get off the soapbox. You know what you’re facing, and you’ll hear plenty of advice from all sorts of people in the MTC and in the mission field. Just remember to listen to the spirit and you’ll do wonderfully.

As you serve your mission, you’ve inspired me to re-read my mission journals and letters. Maybe I’ll send you a bit of stuff here and there and you might relate (or not) to experiences the old man had on his mission. I won’t promise you any Naked Ninja moments, but as I recall my folks did build a new house and move while I was on my mission, so the opportunity was always there. Dad wanted to keep the new house a secret, but Mom was always bursting to send any news she could. Roles would be reversed for your Mom and I, as I’m the one who likes to blab.

Journal writing (soapbox comes back out): Do it. You’ll see the value in it as you go. I don’t know that you need to do it daily, but certainly record things that happen to you. Record promptings from the Lord. Record the good stuff and the bad stuff. I know when I re-read the entries from the days when I was feeling low and lousy it helps me keep perspective on how I dealt with the bad, and how I could certainly have dealt with it better. The more we record, the more we’re able to recall and ponder on. The Book of Mormon in many parts (I’m thinking particularly of Enos and Mormon/Moroni) are dudes like us recording their ups and downs. There’s a lot of value in what they wrote, and while what we record won’t necessarily become scripture, it can still hold a lot of value for us. And remember that the incidental things you write – emails, letters, etc., can double as journal entries. I haven’t journaled on paper in years but put a lot of stuff on my blog. If I have something significant I want to keep, I save the file on my computer. We’ll do what we can to preserve the emails and letters you send, so they can supplement your own journal writing. Just find a way to record your memories and thoughts (backs off the soapbox again).

I just really hope you enjoy your time, have fun with your companions, and can look back on your mission years with fondness. Missions are a lot of work, but as with life, they can be a lot of fun as well. I know you know how to find fun and how to make things fun, so as long as you’re doing things in a way that keep you and your companion safe and keep the spirit with you, you’re going to do great things.

I’ve babbled long enough. I’ll end this letter and let you get back to the MTC thing.

Love, Dad