BYU vs. Utah - and what does this have to do with missions?

It sounds like the BYU/Utah game should be really good this year. Go Cougars! (Sorry, Kimberlee!). I'll cheer for the Utes any day EXCEPT that one!

Which reminds me...sixteen years ago I attended the game at the U. I don't really remember it much, other than BYU won and the Ute fans had really crude sayings on their shirts. What is memorable about that day is that it was the day I got my mission call! It seems impossible that it was 16 years ago!

Here is a little bit of my mission trivia for you:

1. My final interview with my stake president, to turn my papers in, was on election night 1992, the night Bill Clinton got elected. My papers were mailed the next day.
2. My call came on the morning of the BYU/Utah rivalry game. I opened it by myself, in my car, then went home and told my grandma (I was living with her at the time) and then called my parents.
3. My mission farewell got pretty much snowed out. They canceled church for most of the valley that day, other than farewells for missionaries leaving that week. They only had Sacrament meeting and then we came home and ate my grandma's yummy ham and beans. Some of my faithful friends and family were still able to make it - but for example my friend Jeff drove for an hour and half from Provo (usually a 20 minute drive). Isn't it nice to have people who love you enough to come anyway?
4. I entered the MTC on January 10, 1993 - January 10 was also the day that would become my wedding day 5 years later (purely accidental).
5. I flew to Oregon the day before my 22nd birthday.

I have been home from my mission for 14 1/2 years. I still have such fond memories. Good times.