Dear Favorite,

I loved reading your letter. I could hear your voice as I read it which made me feel as though you were close to me, like the nightly talks we have about our days after the kids fall asleep. I love to listen to your voice. Alas.

Change is always a suspicious thing. It may sound morbid but I recall a story of I think German Nazis that held prisoners of war? I'm not clear on the details but the story goes they offered their prisoner a choice: to walk through the door and face whatever is behind it or to be assassinated on the spot. The majority (if not all) of the prisoners chose to be assassinated. Of course what was behind the door was their freedom. I guess it just goes to show that we as humans don't like the unknown. But it is the unknown that demands our faith, stretches us and brings new opportunities for growth and discovery. If I know you (and I'd like to say I do very well!), you will come out on top and make the best of change.

In contrast to you going home, I've been removed far from it. Maybe that's had its advantages though. My mind has been pretty consumed with all the newness of everything. I daresay it has been fun. CRC was interesting. We had lots of downtime especially because I got most everything done before arriving. So I spent lots of time sitting in the super fancy "Freedom Crossing" food court calling you or using the internet to read and shop (and productively pay some bills too). My roommate, John...come to think of it, why is it so many of the people I come to be friends with are named John? Weird. Anyways, like I was saying, my roommate John and I spent time exploring the base and doing things like rock climbing at this sweet indoor activity center. We ate lots of good food (it was my final splurge before Kuwait) and I even went to the theater to watch a movie. All in all it wasn't a bad week and I don't think the gravity of leaving had really settled in yet.

So now I've been in Kuwait for a week. Seeing all the sand and desolate, arid desert around me makes everything become more real. It finally hit me, "I'm far from home". Now all I have is myself and it feels so empty. Being away makes me realize how truly I have become only one part of a greater whole - I'm one component of the family. And without the rest of the family I am incomplete. Not having you around, or even just having the comfort knowing you are close by if I need you, has opened my eyes to the phrase "you complete me!". But really, YOU COMPLETE ME!

I got to sit in fast and testimony meeting today in a small group of about 15 or so. The first testimony was from a man who just recently lost his son who was serving in Germany. I had read this morning a lesson about eternal families and felt to share that in my testimony. It was hard to get most of my words out and amongst a bunch of hardened soldiers I felt like sissy. But the feelings were strong in the room as others bore their testimony and we all felt a sense of camaraderie. I love how the gospel can do that!

I am so grateful for eternal families! Elder Hammond said that the pinnacle of all the gifts of God and the achievements we can obtain is eternal family. It is the reason and purpose behind it all. Without any comparison, my family is the greatest treasure that I have and the gospel allows me to enjoy my family forever and gives me a foundation of hope and a pattern of living to strengthen my family into an eternal unit. You, my sweet wife, are my eternal companion. I wish nothing more than to have you leaned into me, under my arm, in heaven as we overlook the marvelous creations we made together, namely our beautiful children! There isn't anything in heaven or earth more motivational and of greater reason to hope for than that vision.

You will always be mine, my favorite!

Love,

Your Favorite