Leaving Pets

We have a beautiful English Golden Retriever named Bailey that has been our constant companion since we got her a few years ago. She walks or hikes with us every morning, putting in eight or ten times our mileage from her constant running along the paths and through the hills. She is a great dog and we wish she could go with us to Africa, but instead, our daughter Sarah be taking care of her for the next year and a half. While we are gone, Bailey will have at least one litter of puppies, and we will miss the fun (and the work ) involved with that. I mention Bailey because I have heard a number of senior couples say that they just couldn’t leave their pets to serve a mission. While I understand their attachment, I would have to say that if we believe that Heavenly Father will watch after our kids and our grandkids, then I’m pretty sure that the same watchfulness will be extended to our pets. So while we will miss Bailey, we know that the experience of a mission is too important to miss.