The suggestion from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that relatives of missionaries leaving for their mission should respect the feelings of others at the Salt Lake International Airport is good advice for all of us who use this public facility. What left me puzzled was the church's suggesting that relatives should not go to the airport to see their young missionaries leave for their mission. I must preface my remarks by saying that I am not LDS but I am a Utah citizen that uses the airport.
When I am at the airport, I see LDS families saying goodbye to their loved ones boarding an airplane for the adventure of serving their church. I am always impressed and have a good feeling about my adopted state when I see these whole and wholesome families saying goodbye to their young son or daughter. I see younger siblings, relatives and friends all full of pride and optimism of what the future holds for their very special missionary.
You ask, why am I puzzled? I feel that in today's society, which in many ways is so dysfunctional, these families represent what is still right with this country. What if there is a tragedy that befalls one of these young missionaries and he or she does not return to their family? How would you feel if you had been denied the opportunity to say goodbye one last time to your loved one? Having lost my brother when he was 21 and I was 24 in an automobile accident, I am very aware of the fact that a loved one can be here today and with our Lord the next. The very human act of saying our goodbyes to our relatives and friends and telling them we love them is at the core of our soul. When this act is denied or suppressed, we are doomed to mourn for a very long time.
I understand the airport authority is in the process of redesigning the airport for a complete rebuild after the Olympics. I would suggest that those designs include accommodating "the culture of Utah's traditional families," which might include wider concourses and boarding areas.
Every Utahn should be standing proud defending the rights of these families to function in a public setting. These families are the core of what's right with the LDS religion and an example for this nation to follow.
F. Kenneth Olafson
West Valley City