107 comments...258 likes

Well...you all have probably already heard, but I got my mission call!!!!
(Yes, this blog title is the stats from status about my mission call...I was overwhelmed)

Texas Houston East Mission

T.H.E.M. or THE mission. :) Perfect for me and my humble self, to be serving in the THE mission. Pretty stoked about it.

It has now been like 2.3 weeks since I got my call and I am sorry I have not blogged about it. I never was good at this sort of thing. 

The call came to my house in Cedar, and I was in Provo subbing a second grade class. It was a looong day! :) My dear friend Jena and I drove from Provo to Cedar that evening. Everyone asks if I was going crazy or just DYING that I had to wait that long, and the answer is no. I was strangely calm and did not even really think it was real. Getting a mission call is such a surreal feeling! 

Anyway, when we finally made it to Cedar, turns out my parents were at foster care training and would not be home until 9...two more hours to wait. Helaman called me and he was coaching a basketball game for his young men...one more hour to wait. At this point, we would be opening it around 10. At least that would have been ideal. But then there was the serious issue of technology. I have nine siblings, who are all very important to me, in different places, and needed to be 'present' at the opening. As well as a lot of amazing friends that I was just sure grateful could also be there to support. So, between FaceTime, Skype, FaceTiming over Skype...and two change of locations and a lot more computer issues, we finally had everyone connected! Not to mention, Cali and Taryn and C-Puppy connected by various cell phones. 

It was rough, but ended up being a success. :) We started out with an opening song, "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" yes...that is a completely normal thing to do everyone. And then...I opened it! Whipped it out and covered up all the words. I just knew if I did not cover it, I was going to cheat and read ahead. I read it line by line and got a little bit choked up be kept my composure. 

There is just something about reading those words... "You are hereby called to serve as a missionary..." "You are assigned to labor in the..." "You have been recommended as one worthy to represent the Lord as a minister..." that is enough to send anyone's stomach to their toes and make their hands and voice shaky. 

I did not cry...much to my great pleasure. Also, I read the whole letter...to everyone. haha Oft times, when people open their mission calls, they just read that first paragraph. Where they are going, what language they are speaking and when they are leaving. I really felt that everyone needed to hear what the rest of the letter has to say, after all, it is signed FOR REAL by President Thomas S. Monson. I thought if he had the time to sign it, everyone had the time to hear it. :) 

I am grateful for the call. I am excited to serve in Texas. Heavenly Father knew about my issue with Texans and sent me there to humble them... ;) and maybe myself. To not hate Texas pride as much, because we all know -- with how attached I get to people I am going to come back with some. But I promise, I will NOT be hanging a Texas flag in my house OR have any Texas stickers on my car. :)

Preparing to serve a mission is a humbling experience. Every day I wake up and find a flaw in myself that I know needs remedying for me to better serve the people of Texas (and Louisiana, which my mission also covers) and my Savior. Satan is real..and he has been trying his very hardest to make me feel inadequate and ask myself what good I could possibly do as a missionary. Good thing I could never believe that right? ;) 

"Things to do Immediately: Read this packet in its entirety" I was not wasting any time. 

But really, I can not wait to go! It is less than three months away and I am so darn excited to get letters from all of you for 18 months..right?