Senior Night.........

I can't believe Cassidy is now a senior in high school and playing her last year of competitive volleyball.  I have loved watching her play from the moment she first hit the ball over the net.  On Tuesday, Murray High School honored all the seniors on the Varsity team.  We love you #10!!!

My love for mission presidents.............

In the last few weeks I have thought a lot about my love for mission presidents.  

When I first arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, my mission president and his wife shared powerful testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and as I served with them, I developed a great desire to have what they had in a testimony. 

 President Nilson taught me to work hard, be obedient and teach with the Spirit. 

 He possessed all of these qualities himself and had a huge impact on my testimony as a young missionary.  

A few weeks ago he organized our last mission reunion as he was close to leaving this mortal life due to cancer and congestive heart failure.  

We had the opportunity to listen to him share memories of our mission like they happened yesterday, and then each returned missionary that was present had the opportunity to share gratitude for his leadership, and the blessings we received from serving. 

 Just 3 days after the reunion he passed away and we gathered again at his funeral and listened to Elder Ballard (President Nilson was his stake president for many years) share his thoughts about this amazing man.  

The missionaries from my mission then assembled at the front of the chapel and sang "Called to Serve" in remembrance of both President and Sister Nilson.  

What a beautiful day it was.

A couple years after I returned home from my mission, my mother and father were called to open and serve as Mission Presidents of the Kenya, Nairobi Mission.  

This was an eye opening experience for me as I saw first hand what great sacrifices are made by mission presidents, including not being present when several of your children are married.  

Their service taught me that when you love the Lord, you are willing to do all that He asks of you.  Their example and service added a huge building block to my developing testimony of the Savior.

3 weeks ago today, Cody returned home from serving in the Texas, Lubbock Mission where he spent the last 7 months serving with his mission president and wife.  Cody will tell you that the reason the Lord called him to serve in Lubbock, was to serve with President and Sister Heap.  I see clearly the great influence that they had on Cody and will be forever grateful for all that they taught him.  Its interesting how much you can love people you have never met.........

October 7th, 2015

I love all missionaries, but this one is my favorite, and he is home...........

Last email....

I look forward to seeing you all soon. I love you so very much. As far as how the week goes, if we could go to a temple session on Friday or something that would be great. I don't think I will feel like doing much on Wednesday other than greeting family and friends. 

I don't really know what to say. Recently I have really began to see and understand how merciful the Lord's hand has been throughout the course of my life. Even when I did not deserve it one bit, he was there. There to stop me from doing something really stupid, there to guide me and lift me in times of need. He was always in my mission. From the time I started my mission papers, he knew what he was doing. And for the past two years he has been everything to and for me. Words can't even begin to describe how deeply grateful I am for him and his watchful care. It makes absolutely no sense. Why would he care so much? Why would he try so hard for someone like me? What an exhilarating blessing it has been to teach the imperfect about the Father's perfect plan. He did and does care, he did and does try so hard because I am his son. I hope I will never forget that.

As I was thinking about this the other day the lyrics of an old Janice Kapp Perry song that I hadn't heard in years came to mind,

Dear Lord who blesses us with love
Please send this day thy spirit from above
As this thy son, accepts a call from thee
Help him we pray to learn humility
Direct his footsteps everyday
And keep him ever walking in thy ways
Inspire him as he spreads the gospel plan
Lord, hold him in the hollow of thy hand
In the hollow of thy hand as he grows from boy to man
Help his understanding deepen and increase
In the hollow of thy hand as he grows from boy to man
Let him know the special blessing of thy peace

I will be forever changed and grateful for being kept safely in the hollow of his hand and hope to be safe there always.

I love you more than you will ever know and can't wait to see you Wednesday. 

Until then,

Elder Backus

Bless you Sister Heap..........

In Sister Heap's last blog entry she was so kind to clean out her phone and post lots of pictures of the assistants, the best gift I could ask for during this last full week of Cody's mission.