Peaches and Pineapples

{Carmody's sister, Cumorah, is part of a homeschool group where in one class, they are required to write an essay every week. The essay can be on anything they want! This week, Cumorah chose to write about her sister! I dare you not to cry!}

Cumorah Eggett

September 26, 2016

On December 2, 2015, I said goodbye to my best friend for 18 months. We drove to Provo, ate at Wendy’s, and took pictures at the temple before I gave the last hug I’d give her in the next year and a half. But it was for a good cause. My sister was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and she was to serve in Atlanta, Georgia! We were thrilled!

It started in October 2012 when the Prophet arose to speak at General Conference. I was sitting in my living room listening closely when I heard him speak these words “Today, I am pleased to announce that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age 21.” This completely caught me off guard but I was jumping up and down with excitement! I had dreamed of serving a mission ever since I could remember. Little did I know that this change would also affect my big sister. She had always talked of going off to college and had never mentioned going on a mission until one day when the Lord inspired her to serve. Little by little she took the steps to prepare and listened directly to her inspiration. Every night she would get on her knees to pray and study the scriptures and the Preach My Gospel. Every few weeks she’d meet with the bishop to work on repentance and becoming a Saint through the Atonement. And weekly she’d go to doctors, dentists, and others who would help her in her health. Then the day came where she submitted her papers and I remember the joy that we saw in her face. After so much preparation and so many trials she was on her way!

In August 2015, she was anxiously awaiting her call and so were many others! I made her check the mailbox almost every day, but every time there was still no call! Carmody felt she knew the exact date it would come so she wasn’t worried. She believed it would come the day of her graduation party when my cousins would be here visiting from Ohio. My mom had a brilliant idea for it if it did come that day that she had my cousin Leah and I assist in. We went to the mailbox to check and found the call right there, jumped up and down with excitement, and then hid it with Carmody’s late graduation gifts. Later that day we walked with Carmody to the mailbox and she found it empty. She walked back somewhat disappointed but knew the call would come with the Lord’s timing. That’s when the graduation party began and she opened her gifts. The last gift opened was her call and she screamed as tears filled her eyes both in frustration at our surprise but also in excitement for this special day. Within hours after she had opened presents she opened the call after we had all filled a paper with our guesses. I guessed Georgia because of a silly dream I had had a few nights back and to my surprise that was where she was called!  Shortly after she left, my mom bought a fake pineapple to represent Carmody while she is gone. We take it on vacations and trips and take lots of pictures with it which we later send to her so she knows she is still apart of our life. Pineapples have always been something she loves, not just to eat but to doodle, or talk about, or wear. I’m not sure where her obsession came from but I think it’s kind of fun! Almost every letter I have gotten from her has had a doodle of a pineapple and a saying “Pineapples ‘R’ Awesome!” or “Pineapples ‘R’ Cool!”

When Carmody left on her mission it was one of the hardest days of my life. Saying goodbye to a lifelong best friend was heartbreaking. But it was also such an amazing day for me. Seeing someone I had for so long looked up to go and serve the Lord was such an eye opening experience. She has increased my desire and dream to serve. Through her emails weekly I see her shine. She is truly a light to all those who are around her and she is rockin’ her missionary work! Recently she had the opportunity to finally try her first Georgia peach and she loved it! She is so positive and her smiles brighten so many people’s days! I look forward to the day when we are reunited and I get a big hug from my best friend. It will be like a small taste of being reunited with our family on the other side. But for now, I’ll “stay cool, cuz pineapples rule!”