What is Love? It's a suit and shoes you probably didn't want to buy

16 years ago I left on a 2-year full-time mission for my church. Occasionally I reflect on the multitude of experiences I had during that time. The opportunity to serve mankind in a variety of ways during my mission has significantly contributed to the man I am today.

The feelings of love, gratitude, and compassion that one gains from serving others is remarkable. The scriptures teach that when we are in the service of our fellow men and women, we are in the service of our God.

But my 2-year service is not what this blog post is about. This post is about two people who purchased a new gray suit and a pair of dress shoes for a cause they neither fully understood nor completely agreed with. You see, I am a convert to the LDS church (www.lds.org) and less than a year after my conversion I was off to a Mormon college and shortly after that I was off to Mexico for two years of service. As part of that missionary service missionaries are required to purchase suits, slacks, white shirts, ties, and sturdy dress shoes to walk hundreds of miles over the course of 2 years.

I was naive. I didn't fully comprehend what was asked of me nor what was asked of my family to fully embrace the mission. I was a member for a short year. My family were not members at all.

And yet, in spite of religious and philosophical difference my father and step-mother made the conscious decision to fund my mission clothing. $700.00+ when all said and done as I recall. I thought I had love to serve in a foreign land. What I have learned recently is that my dad and step-mom had love to give me a suit and shoes for a cause that wasn't their own.

Thanks Dad and Sharon (he says 16 years later).

What is Love? It's a suit and shoes you probably didn't want to buy.