Why I served a Mormon Mission XII

As we ran off the bus we were greeted by the night air of San Diego and the yelling and screaming of some highly motivated Marine Corps Drill Instructors. We were instructed to line up and to look to our left where several dozen yellow foot prints were painted on the ground with the feet at forty-five degree angles. We were informed that thousands of men who were better than us who had earned the title of US Marine had stood on these same yellow foot prints and that we were not worthy to even be near them. However despite our unworthiness we were ordered to stand on the yellow foot prints. We were very quickly taught what the position of attention was and what left face and right face meant. The Uniform Code of Military Justice was read to us and we were informed that we were under it and that if we failed in any part of it we would be punished. We were then told that whenever we were given an order from a Drill Instructor we were to move as if we were on fire and instantly obey that order. We then went through some doors into the receiving building. Inside this building we went through an assortment of new activities. I don't remember the exact order of things but these are the things that happened. We went into a red room where we stripped down to our underwear and were stripped of everything that was incompatible with Marine Corps boot camp. Some people lost pictures of their girl friends, some lost books or magazines. I was questioned as to why I had so many books with me and I responded that they were all my bibles. Before the Drill Instructor could continue questioning me another Drill Instructor stormed by and noticed my scriptures and he said they were okay. The original drill instructor still wasn't done with me yet and he saw my patriarchal blessing folded up in one of my scriptures and he grabbed and I was worried that he would rip it up or throw it away as I had seen happen to other pieces of paper. He asked what it was and I told him it was part of my bibles and from my church and he looked it over and gave it back much to my relief. One kid for whatever reason brought a condom and he was asked what he planned to do with that condom when he was going to be surrounded by guys for the next three months. After everything that was considered contraband was taken away and disposed of we were sent to another room where we received our new uniforms and boxed up our civilian clothes and wallets. At some point during the night I don't remember if it was one of the first things or after we had went to the red room we were taken to get our heads shaved. Having your hair cut in boot camp is not a fun experience. Several times myself or a fellow recruit ended up leaving the barber with blood trickling down our scalps because our head was shaved so quickly. This first time however was the worst. After a recruit has gone through his first couple of days his visual appearance and character is not that much different that Smeagles in Lord of the rings. A shaven head is part of that change that starts to take a civilian to a recruit who will after 3 months in the larval stage turn into a United States Marine. The rest of the night seemed to fly by with me receiving more information than I could possibly ever remember. However after what seemed like countless hours we finally went to our barracks with who I thought was going to be our drill instructor for the remaining three months. However this was just the receiving barracks drill instructor who we would only be with for a few days.

Why I served a Mormon Mission Part XI

I got up early the next morning and got up to catch the Bus that was to pick all of the future recruits up and take us to MEPS. When I arrived at MEPS it seemed like I was quickly processed from one place to another and withing a few hours after arriving at MEPS I was sitting at the Salt Lake City airport awaiting my plane to arrive so it could take us to MCRD San Diego. I remember sitting on the floor next to where our plane should arrive and reading through the accounts in the Book of Mormon detailing the exploits of the Army of Helaman and wondering how I would ever become like those young men without having had the upbringing that they had. However once our plane arrived and we all boarded I found myself remembering the words of wisdom I had heard earlier that day to get as much sleep as I possibly could because I wouldn't be getting very much of it for a long time. I tried to fall asleep on the plane ride there but sleep never came. My mind was thinking about what was about to happen. I wondered how hard was it really going to be and if I would be up to the challenge. I spent most of the plane ride silently reading my little red book of Mormon President Clark had given me. I had most of my really close friends like Jeff Spears, Michelle, Sheena, Brother Cardon, Bishop Donaldson, and President Clark write their testimonies in military scriptures on the blank pages because I wanted them to be there in case my faith ever wavered that I would have some anchors securing my testimony if I fell. I also had my mother and Nana write short little messages as well. All of these ended up being a strength and a comfort to me during some of the darkest days of boot camp. We had a layover in Las Vegas and several of the guys bought some pornographic magazines they planned on taking with them to boot camp. I strove to maintain some kind of grasp on the Holy Ghost as my fellow recruits mentioned the various attributes of the women and other things that I would rather not repeat. On the plane ride from Las Vegas to San Diego I felt a deep, dark cloud hanging over me. I almost felt like a prisoner awaiting execution. At the same time I also was looking forward to earning the title of US Marine.

Eventually our plane landed in San Diego and as we landed I didn't even realize that MCRD San Diego is right next to the airport. I made my way to the USO and checked in there and they gave us a five minute phone card to call home and inform our family that we had arrived safely in Sand Diego. I tried to find a phone to call home but they were all busy with other people talking on them. I found a spot on the wall next to the door and tried to get a little sleep since we had three or four hours before we were due at MCRD. I was to excited and scared to catch any sleep. All of the sudden it seemed like everyone was moving and there was yelling from the sliding glass door. A man who seemed like he was ten feet tall and bullet proof suddenly appeared an their was no question that he was to be obeyed or the very wrath of hell would soon be unleashed upon us. He yelled for us to assemble ourselves outside in alphabetical order and we moved outside and did as he ordered us to. He then read through the manila folders he had that contained our orders and he took a roll call. A bus shortly arrived thereafter. When he was done making sure everyone was present and accounted for me told us to get on the bus. Once we were all crammed on the bus with people sitting on the floor he instructed us to put our heads between our knees and kiss our butts goodbye because we belonged to him now. He instructed us to keep our heads between our knees and not look up until he told us to. I was trembling with both excitement and fear as I felt the bus start to move toward MCRD San Diego. I dared not look up to see where we were going. I envisioned that Drill Instructor standing with his smokey the bear, arms crossed over his chest just waiting for the first person who would be stupid enough to look up and I didn't want that person to be me. I already felt that the safest course of action for me was to blend in during boot camp and just be a nameless face. It felt like we were traveling forever as the bus rolled down the road. My mind was trying to imagine what kind of place boot camp would be but nothing had prepared me for what I was about to experience. The bus suddenly came to an abrupt halt and once again I heard a voice that scared me and compelled me to obey at the same time. That voice said, "You, have 60 seconds to get off my bus! I promise you, Don't be the last one off the bus." The effect of that statement on a bus full of over a hundred people was worse then if someone shouted fire in a crowded theater. None of us dared to be the last person off that bus. As we got off the bus we were greeted by a plethora of Drill Instructors who were yelling and pointing and screaming.

Why I served a Mormon Mission Part X

It was an amazing thing to be able not only to witness my grandmother's baptism but also to be able to baptize her with the power and authority of the restored priesthood of God. However after we left Texas we drove up to my mother's cabin in Colorado so I could spend a few days with her before I left for boot camp. We then went down to Lake Powell where my father lived and I spent my last days as a civilian with him. Staff Sergeant Keach who was my recruiter had been calling my father non stop the last week I was gone in Texas asking my father where I was and if I was still going to go to boot camp. As far as I was concerned I had swore an oath before God and witnesses that I would join the Marine Corps and that I would defend our Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic. I could not see how I could be an honorable Latter-Day Saint and worthy of a temple recommend if I did not do what I said I would do. My father had taught me that there are few things that a man can truly call his own and one of those things is his word.

Well that fateful day finally arrived that I was to meet SSgt Keach across the lake at Bullfrog. My father drove me across the lake from Halls Crossing to Bullfrog. When we arrived at the public launch ramp SSgt Keach was there waiting for us. My father pulled SSgt Keach aside and I heard him tell SSgt Keach that if anything bad happened to me that he would spend the rest of his life making life very hard for any Marines he came across. I then got into the car with SSgt Keach and we started on our way up to Salt Lake City.

We stopped in Price, Utah because Sheena was still with me and her Father was going to meet us in Price so that he could pick her up. After we dropped Sheena off we continued up to Salt Lake City. When we finally got there SSgt Keach dropped me off at the hotel that was really close to temple square. As I checked into my hotel room it started to hit me what I was about to embark upon. A part of me was very scared and worried yet another part of me was excited and full of hope. After sitting in my room for about thirty minuets I decided to go an walk around temple square and just bask in the spirit of the Lord before I went to boot camp. I walked around the temple a few times and then looked at the visitor center there on temple square and wondered who got to go in the big doors to go into the temple. I sat there watching the doors for about thirty minutes and never saw anyone go inside.
On a side note it was only many years later that I finally came to figure out this mystery. I was going to the sealing of a wonderful lady that I met in Hope Mills, North Carolina. Cassandra was getting sealed in the Salt Lake temple and she had invited me to come. I arrived early because I didn't quite know where to go. After I had look around the temple for any little doors I approached the two huge doors on the east side of the temple. Very timidly I walked up the stairs to these giant doors. When I got to the doors I reached out to the handle so I could open it only to find that the handles wouldn't turn. Well, I then did what logically came to mind I twisted harder and pulled on the door. Still nothing. I wondered silently to myself if this was some kind of sign about me not being worthy or something. I then grabbed for the handle again this time I wiggled the door hard back and forth but still nothing. When I turned around I was glad to see that no one had witnessed the denial of entry into the temple. I walked down the stairs wondering what I had done wrong that I was denied entry into the Lord's house. As I walked toward the conference center I noticed several people with temple bags going into a building. I followed them and was delighted to find the entrance to the temple and not only did I find the entrance but the wonderful man checking the recommends let me in. But its time to get back to the story at hand.
As I wondered around temple square I went into the Tabernacle. As I looked upon the beauty of this building built by pioneers I set down in a pew and bowed my head to pray to my Father in Heaven. As I beseeched my God asking for his help and guidance in the months to come I sensed that someone was near me. I lifted my head and found a man dressed in a suit there in the tabernacle with me. He walked over to me asked me if I would like a blessing. I told him I would. He then took me toward the front of the Tabernacle up by where pulpit was. He pulled out a set of keys and he opened a door and took me into the back of the tabernacle. He then pulled out a chair and gave me a blessing of peace and comfort from my Father in Heaven that would serve
to help sustain me throughout my time in the Marine Corps.