I (Tami, Joseph's mom) set up this blog for anyone interested in following Joseph through his mission. When he sends us his weekly emails, I will post them here for you to read. I will update it weekly and add any photos I get as well. You are welcome to post any comments here, as I will be putting together a book for him of all these blogs, posts, and pictures when he returns from his mission.
The time has FINALLY come! Joseph is waiting for his mission call. He expects to receive it sometime after September 28th. Until then, we are having the traditional "Guess Where He Is Going" contest! Please comment to this post with your guesses.
Everyone (including all cousins, nieces & nephews) is invited to participate. Please include your full name, a U.S. destination, and a foreign country (guess one of each). If you want to be creative, you can add a language. Here is an example of how you should post your guess:
John Doe; Tallahassee, Florida (English speaking) / France (Arabic speaking)
We will let you know the winner of the contest, just as soon as he gets his call!
What a great day today!!! We are so happy you are here to join us on this "journey". (If you know me well, you will smile at that!) :)
We love you!
Tami, Mike and Joseph
P.S. If you don't have a gmail account, you can "comment as: anonymous" OR you can set up a gmail account to visit this blog. REMEMBER to add your full name so we know who you are!! (esp if you select anonymous.)
Wow, I can't believe our first missionary is going out! I will try to figure out how to use this and get back on!!! This is a test, only a test.....GH
ReplyDeleteJOSEPH, IF EVER THERE WAS A PERSON PREPARED TO SERVE A FOREIGN SPEAKING MISSION, IT IS YOU!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYOU HAVE THE DESIRE AND PASSION TO SERVE ABROAD. WHEN THAT TIME COMES YOU WILL HAVE AN ARMY OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS PRAYING DAILY FOR YOUR SUCCESS ALONG WITH LEGIONS OF FOLLOWERS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEIL!
I WAS THE FIRST MISSIONARY IN OUR LDS LINAGE TO EVER SERVE A MISSION. YOU WILL BE THE FIRST IN THE SECOND GENERATION TO SERVE A MISSION. ALWAYS REMEMBER,2KINGS 6:16 "FEAR NOT: FOR THEY THAT BE WITH US ARE MORE THAN THEY THAT BE WITH THEM"
LOVE,
GRANDPA HOLKER - FOREIGN SPEAKING - BRAZIL
I love this joe!! PERSONALLY, i think he is going to BRAZIL or GERMANY!! (:
ReplyDeleteOK, I want to post my guess: Joseph will get his call to Florianopolis (sorry Mike, I got here first!) Brazil, Portuguese speaking, entering MTC in Brazil, Wednesday, January 4th, 2012!! OK, we will see how close his Grandma is. PS - Meet you at Mr Mac's to buy you a good luck and God bless tie!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is Joseph's mom. I am so incredibly proud of you, son!!! I love you with all my heart and I can't believe this day is finally here!! This has all been so exciting - going through this process with you. :)
ReplyDeleteMy guesses: Florida / Luxembourg (Portuguese)
Can't wait to hear because I know wherever you are called is where you are supposed to be!!
Love you...Mom :)
Joe! I love ya! I think you will be going to South America for sure, either Brazil, Chile, or Argentina.
ReplyDelete-Megs
Alabama!
ReplyDeleteJ/K Joj, I have a feeling it will be Europe or South America! Love you buddy, congrats!
ReplyDeleteJoeeey!
ReplyDeleteOhh how excited I am for you! I have a feeling you will be going to the Geneva Switzerland, French speaking mission. Where ever you go, you will be amazing!! :) Sure love you lots and am so proud of you! :)
-Kyla :)
It's already time?!? My guess is you're going to Rome, Italy!!
ReplyDeleteI love you!!!!
- Bammers
Joj is going to Hungary, Budapest Mission. Hungarian Speaking
ReplyDeleteIf he goes state side than he will go to Wisconsin.
So there you have it!!!
Topeka Kansas came to mind at first and I've learned never to go against your first gut feeling.... Good luck Joe!!! -Terry Holker
ReplyDeleteMom, mom, mom, your projection is way off! Try one state north- Curitiba Brasil Mission! I spent 7 months there and would love to go back and visit together with ya Joe!
ReplyDeleteManhattan New York, New York
ReplyDeleteTroy Worthington
Joj i think you are going to Brazil!!!
ReplyDeleteI think you're going to Bosie, Idaho!!
ReplyDeleteI think you are going South Korea or Arkansas. You will be a great missionary Joseph!!
ReplyDeleteAnnette
Here are a few more that were emailed to me:
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! I vote Peru!!! Keep us posted :) – Annette Gibbons
Italy - Why not go for something exotic and cool where music is concerned. An amazing place to do a temple open house. Love you guys – Barry
Grandma Schlappi - Rome, Italy
Grandpa Schlappi – Switzerland
I'm so excited. I hope he gets to go somewhere really cool overseas like England or Spain! :-) Love you!!! Donna Lee
Okay, so I just opened my email and found this cool blog you are doing Tam... you are the greatest mom there is!!! Jojo is lucky to have you for a mother. I know how proud you are of Jojo, and so am I!! He is just like my own son, and where we are ALMOST twins, I feel like my OWN son is going!!! I will continue to pray that I will have a child go on a mission one day too!! I love you all, and a have a few picks for the location!!!
ReplyDeleteAuntie Angie, Here are my 5 top picks!!!!!
1. Italy - Italian Speaking
2. Quebec Canada - French Speaking
3. Milwaukee, Wisconsin- Wisconsin Speaking!!!
4. Apia Western Samoa- Samoan Speaking!
5. West Virginia - English Speaking!
I better win!! I never win anything. NO matter where Jojo goes, he will touch the lives of every single person that he talks to!!! Everyone will remember Elder Gibbons THAT I KNOW... He is a special and unique individual, and every person that he works with will consider themselves lucky that he was their friend!!! I love you jojo... You will be an amazing missionary, just like both of your daddys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I bet cause you came to visit us in Samoa... they will call you BACK there!!!!! You never know!!! Since you are such a GREAT outdoorsman, they will have you come back to the Island, cause you will make the RATS, AND ROACHES, AND CRABS AND SPIDERS, AND BUGS your Friends!!!!! The lord knows you could handle that Island!!!!
I LOVE YOU MOST BEAVIS!!!!!
Auntie Angie!
Talofa Lava
Love the Mission Photo???? Did Anna take it???
ReplyDeleteHey Joe, I can't believe you are growing so fast and making such a great decision.
ReplyDeleteI hope you go to Europe, let's make it Greece, Canadian speaking.
Aaron Holker
Brook Gibbons Black - I guess Boston, Massachussets (Spanish Speaking) / Novosibirsk, Russia (Russian speaking)
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to you Joj. It will be awesome to see where you go!!
All our love!
A few more from Facebook replies...
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh is he really that old???? I still remember getting him into his tux for your wedding when he was a stubborn little kid. Now look what a nice guy he is!!!! Congrats Mom of a missionary!! My guess is Phillippines. – Becky Schlappi
My guess is the Philippines! – Dave Holker
hey i cant find that website!! hahaha but i think hes gonna be called to "ARGENTINA"!!!
love ya thanks - Mitchell Vaifanua
Brazil – Mitch Flygare
London, England. Final answer. So exciting!! – Dan Gibbons
Moscow Russia – Travis Schlappi
Somewhere in Africa... Just my thinking. :)
ReplyDeleteLove you joj! I will miss you sooo much!
<3/ KG
YAY!!! This is so exciting. I can't wait to here where Joe is going! And Tami, I know you so well that I know when you said "Journey" it was because you love the band! :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it's going to be
North Carolina, Raleigh; Italy, Rome
Joe is going to be such an amazing missionary!!
-Ashelle Denning
Joseph, I am predicting that the good people of Mexico will be blessed with your spirit. If you end up in the States, I am going with the Midwest - like Iowa. Wherever you go, I know you will come back a better man and our family will be blessed from your worthy service. There is one person (The Lord) that doesn't need to guess because he KNOWS where you belong for the next two years. I think you should also make a guess. We all love you and thanks for sharing this exciting experience. Dad
ReplyDeleteITALY!!!! Jill Christensen :)
ReplyDeleteI believe you are going to Portugal, I really do :) I mean, I can't even imagine you, with your love of languages, going to an English speaking mission! And besides, you have to be learning Portuguese for a reason, right? haha
ReplyDeleteHey thanks everybody! This means so much that you'd do this for me! I love you all so much :)
ReplyDeleteBe sure to tell your friends about this webpage, and if there's anything I can do for you, let me know! I also feel like I should mention the importance of missionary work in my life right now. I know without a doubt in my heart and mind that it is the right thing I need to do in my life right now. I'm so gratefull that I have the opportunity to serve. I'm also just so grateful for all of you supporting me!
PS: Sorry, dad, I'm not going to guess right now - it seems taboo for me. But I have some weird ideas myself. I just know I'll jinx myself ;)
You're obviously going to Brazil or Portugal, Portuguese speaking. Probably Brazil. And I can't even make a guess for a U.S. mission because I'm sure you'll be going somewhere foreign! :D
ReplyDelete---Catia Nunes
I change my mind after watching this video.... He's going to SCOTLAND!!!!
ReplyDeleteTerry Holkdaddy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZNfPPKKLAg
Ian White-
ReplyDeleteNew Zealand
Arizona, English or spanish
A few more Facebook comments:
ReplyDeleteOk tried to post to the blog wont work...here is my post...I have watched you grow since you were born through your mom...She is one of the most amazing women and friend I have ever met...my guess is: Edina, Minnesota ( no clue why just came to me) or Madagascar.... Kandi Miller
Tried to.... So here is my guess Canada or Japan... Jewell Sorensen
Educated guess: Independence, MO or Sidney, Australia / Wild Guess: Apia, Samoa :) - Mona Purcell Porter
Russia - Scott Trudo
I remember people asking me where I wanted to go, I, of course, said that I didn't care. The winter of '81-82 was really cold, so I finally said that I wanted to go someplace warm and tropical. Called to Montreal, Canada. He'll go where the LORD intends him to go. It WILL seem weird at first...then you'll get a confirmation that it is THE place to go. - Scott Bartholomew
Katie Steele; Columbus, Ohio (English speaking) / Quebec, Canada (French speaking)
ReplyDeleteFrom Facebook:
ReplyDeleteI tried to post too no go! So my guess is Anaheim, California (Spanish speaking)/Russia - Nancy Holker
Ahh! I'm so excited for Joe!
ReplyDeleteSan Diego, California (Spanish Speaking)
or
London, England :)
Love you Joe!!
-Leah Clark
Stephanie Clark Thiel...
ReplyDelete-New York City South Mission :)
OR
-South Korea Mission
Paul Christofferson - Argentina or Brazil
ReplyDeleteJeanne Christofferson - Paris, France
Jaeden Vaifanua-Texas mission (English speaking)
ReplyDeleteOR
El Salvador mission (Spanish speaking)
love ya joj good luck!!
Brian Vaifanua- Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania/English speaking. You will meet Troy Polomalu from the Steelers. Baptize Troy and His family!!! Good luck with cutting his hair.....
Paris, France...and I will ask Joseph to be my personal tour guide when he's finished with his mission... :)))) I love you Joj!!! ox
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! Just an update of what mt Stake President texted me yesterday:
ReplyDelete"The status is 'Call letter sent'
You should receive your call in the mail on Wednesday.
Very exciting!"
EXCITING?! I love you President, but that's an understatement. I texted the following to my mom after I got this last night:
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Lucy freaked out when I screamed and grabbed her face!! Haha my gosh it's COMING!!! RIGHT NOW!!!!! AHHHH!!!!!!"
So, I was a bit excited. ;)
PS: Lucy is my grandparent's wonderful Shih-Tzu, just fyi, to whom I awe an apology...
I, nick alvarez, am guessing that joe gets called to russia.
ReplyDeleteI love you son! I never dreamed it would be this exciting; getting these updates from President Fenton. It has been so fun to go through every step of this process with you. And now it's HERE!!! I will be shaking as I pick up the mail on Wednesday. I may even sit at the mailbox and wait for the mail lady!! (I'm sure she sees that a lot!)
ReplyDeleteYou are an amazing person! You have always been my hero and I can't wait to go on this 2 year journey with you too. You will help me to be a better person when it's over.
I love you with all my heart!!
Mom :)
I forgot to write down a state side guess. I will go with, California, hopefully Huntington Beach!!
ReplyDeleteMcKenna Snell; Bulgaria OR Spokane, Washington. So excited for you Joseph!!
ReplyDelete"Go go go Joseph!!" ha ha ha!! I'm guessing Georgia/Peru! Good luck!! :) - Emilie Woodhead
ReplyDeletekunga philipines
ReplyDeleteMarty Holker feels Joseph may be called to serve in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission just like his uncle! Instead, I'll go with the Los Angeles California Mission!!!
ReplyDeleteBTW...JOSEPH ROCKS!!! I only wish I was 24 years younger and could serve as his companion! He will be an incredible missionary wherever he is called to serve!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Ukraine!
ReplyDeleteLexi Benson: SS:Oregon Forgein: Malaysia or Ghana
ReplyDeleteTOOMORROW! TOMORROW! I love ya TOMORROW!
oh Soooo happy for you Josep! :) (yes i forgot the H on purpose) you find out tomorrow! Let me know as soon as you do!
Suzanne Crockett says Nashville, Tennesee or RUSSIA
ReplyDeleteDrake Crockett says Texas or Paraguay
Marcel Crockett says New York or Canada
We are so excited for you Joseph! My guess for the US is New York...Foreign is Mozambique. Wherever you're called this I know for sure....you will be AMAZING!! You will be such a force for good and will bring light to so many people. By touching so many lives you will effect generations and generations to come...so powerful! We love you Joseph and can't wait to be a part of this journey with you!! -Auntie Heather
ReplyDeleteI am still at Angie's and just got your mom's email and just watched the video. It was just as exciting the 2nd time around. We loved being on the phone for the big event. I am so happy for you Joj and hope the next months stays as exciting for you as you prepare to leave on the best two years of your life. Or as the speaker in conference said today, "the best two years for your life" which is really the truth. Love, GH
ReplyDelete