This is a letter I sent to my patients recently. I thought I’d share it on the blog, also:

10/5/16

Dear Patient,

My wife, Faye, and I are excited to announce that we will serve an 18-month mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Peru from April 2017 through October 2018. We will be overseeing the health and safety of several hundred full-time missionaries there; my official title will be “Area Medical Advisor.” We also hope to participate individually in inviting others to come unto Christ.

Please be assured that San Pedro Family Care, PLC (SPFC) is already making every effort to make your transition to another provider in our office as seamless as possible. I have confidence in the other current providers in our office; my family and I have seen them ourselves for some of our medical care. Andy and I have some candidates in mind for possible providers to cover my patients while I am gone; we don’t have details at this point, but will update you as we know more. I hope that you choose to continue to receive your medical care in our office. However, I understand that some of you may choose to transfer your care to another office; if that is the case, please notify us and we will send your records to that office.

Thank you in advance for your support and understanding as Faye and I embark on this opportunity to serve in a different capacity. We have looked forward to this opportunity since even before we married 33 years ago.

You may know that our son, Ashton, died from suicide in January 2014; I can’t put into words the gratitude I feel for the love, support and prayers that many of you offered in our behalf. Your compassion is helping me to heal from indescribable grief. Again, thank you. Thank you. Ashton’s death has prompted us to re-evaluate our priorities and has been a catalyst for this service in a different capacity.

It has been a privilege to serve as a physician in the San Pedro Valley for 18 years now. My current plans are to return to SPFC in October 2018. After that, I plan to continue to practice at SPFC for about another 12 years (until 2030). I don’t have details at this point, but those 12 years will probably be interspersed with some other missions. Faye and I would like to serve while our health still permits; of course, none of us knows what the future may bring.

My career as a physician is very important to me, but so is my sense of obligation to worship and serve God and His children. If missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knock on your door, I hope you think of me in Peru. If it feels right to you, I hope you also consider listening to the message that they will bring.

Thank you again for your support and for the privilege of being your physician.

Sincerely,

Carter Mayberry, M.D.