In January 2025, Robyn Gadd anticipated sending off her oldest son, Parker, to the Provo Missionary Training Center. At the time, he had a mission call to the Albania Tirana Mission and a week of home MTC under his belt.
But the night before she planned to drop him off, Robyn says Parker came to her with a vulnerable admission: “He basically said, ‘I am not ready. I can’t go. I need to talk to the bishop.’”
Although the moment was unexpected, Robyn says it was a sacred moment and that she had an overwhelming feeling of love for her son. “For him to put what God thinks of him over what people think of him ... was really impressive. We were just really proud of him from the very beginning.”
Parker’s decision led to what Robyn calls “the most life-changing year our family has ever had,” bringing them closer together and closer to Christ.
Supporting Parker and Sharing Their Family’s Story
Parker spent the next year working with his bishop and preparing himself spiritually to serve. “[He] was doing what we all believe in—repentance and faith and putting God first,” Robyn says.
She encouraged her son that he would get through this, reminding him that his experiences would help him testify of God’s goodness. Her kids prayed aloud for Parker in family prayers, and Parker’s missionary friends reached out to him with supportive emails.
Almost a year later, with Parker’s permission, Robyn posted a video on Instagram about their family’s story. She was hesitant at first, but she knew people were wondering why Parker hadn’t left for Albania.
Her words resonated with friends and strangers alike: “The overwhelming reaction when people found out was just love and support and admiration.”
The video surpassed 250,000 views, and many commenters said they felt seen and that they or someone close to them was going through the same thing. “I think it’s strengthened a lot of people’s testimonies,” Robyn says.
Trusting in God’s Perspective and Timing
In the difficult months that followed, Robyn says she held onto a higher, holier perspective:
“As humans, our vision is very finite. We can only see what’s right in front of us, so things feel very big and very scary in the moment. But God has a greater vision than we do. He knows the end from the beginning.”
A year later, Parker received clearance to serve in his original assignment. And because the age for sister missionaries to serve had recently changed, Robyn’s daughter Avery will be serving at the same time as her brother in the Japan Sapporo Mission.
Robyn is especially grateful for this timing, since most of Parker’s friends are nearing the end of their missions. Since Avery is serving at the same time as her brother, Robyn thinks they will be a great support to one another.
“God’s timing is never late, just different,” she says.
Learning What the Gospel Is Truly All About
As she watched her son choose repentance, Robyn was struck by how it changed her own perspective on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“The truth is, our worth is always there,” she explains. “There should be no shame in needing to repent or postpone a mission, because the gospel is literally all about turning to Christ and recognizing where we fall short.”
Robyn says that she’s seen the light of Christ shine through Parker’s face this past year, and witnessing his journey has helped her realize the beautiful reality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. “Parker taught me this past year that the only opinion that really matters is God’s,” she says. “And God is so good.”
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