The day I decided I wanted to serve a mission was July 25, 2017. I went to the temple with my cousins from the Bascom side to do baptisms at the Draper Temple, and I was a little hesitant to go because I had other things to do and felt a little too old to go (I know silly, Heavenly Father taught me a lesson that day lol). But I went and ended up having an amazing experience! While we were waiting in the chapel to be baptized I was reading in Alma 56, about the Stripling Warriors. Haha, well trying to read, I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing because my mind just kept thinking "mission mission mission..." Back story, a few weeks before this, my mom randomly told me and my sister Cali in passing after church when we were eating lunch that she felt like we were going to serve missions. Also back story, I always thought I'd serve a mission but when I started college I got soo stressed out and had a hard time adjusting to that, and I decided that I would wait until I knew for sure that I needed to go, rather than feeling pressured or just going because everyone was (which they were haha). So fast forward to the temple, and a mission had been on my mind the past little while. I stopped reading and hurried and said a little prayer, "Heavenly Father I'm going to go to on a mission, help me know if this is right!" And boom immediately after I felt soooooo happy and light inside and I knew that that was my answer! After that I got so excited and thinking of logistics and knowing that the timing was right and knew no matter where I was called I would be so happy! I told my parents and we got all my papers done in 4 days! Haha it was incredible. Honestly, I always kinda felt deep down that I was meant to serve a mission but the timing wasn't right until now! I don't really know why but I wanted to keep it low key and not make a big deal that I was going, so I didn't tell anyone lol. I was leaving at the beginning of September to do a study abroad program at BYU Jerusalem, and so I was hoping to receive my call before I left, but that didn't quite work out so I surprised my siblings and told them when we toured to new MTC that I had my papers in! Hehe I also told a few best friends that I was going, and then a few days later I left for Israel!
Living in Jerusalem and the Holy Land the past 3 1/2 months was such an amazing and testimony-growing experience for me. I loved being able to walk where my Savior walked and He truly has become my best friend. Opening my mission call in Jerusalem was one of the highlights of the whole experience for me! It was September 28, and we had just gotten home from our Jordan trip, and I was studying for an Old Testament test. I was bummed because I had hoped that my call would be there when we arrived home but I checked everywhere and it wasn't there :/ but it was okay because like I said, I had to study for my test lol. But then a little bit later, Dr. Huff (one of the administrators at the center) came and brought me a little package!!! Ahhhhh I freaked out! I was so excited, I had to open it right then! I called my fam and told them I was opening it soon, and ran around letting all the peeps at the Jerusalem Center know that I got it! We went out to the seventh floor balcony that overlooks the Old City of Jerusalem. It was 7 at night and already pitch black outside, but it was still way pretty. Oh my gosh, it was such a whirlwind but I was so excited and couldn't believe this was real life! I shared a quick little testimony about Christ and how excited I am to serve and teach others about Him. When I read my call "England Leeds Mission," I immediately knew that is where I am supposed to be! Its kinda crazy, like it felt so familiar, when I read it I thought, Oh yeah duh! Haha God is so good and so aware of us and answering prayers! Then I read that I reported January 17, 2018, which was exactly the time when I wanted to leave! I was literally bawling my head off and then everyone who was watching came and attacked me in a giant group hug! I felt so loved and so happy! Ugh it just was so happy. You probably can guess what happened next, yep I was too stoked to study for my test rip. Luckily I still did okay haha... But yes, I was so happy and excited to serve and the more I learned about England the more excited I would get! Oh yeah, and my grandpa served in the same mission! How precious, am I right?!
One lil bump in the road was the visa :/ you'd think the UK would be chill about all that stuff but it was way more complicated and since I was in Jerusalem til December, it wouldn't have been enough time to send in my passport to the British Consulate in NYC and back for me to leave in January. My report date got pushed back to February 28! I was sooooo bummed at first but now I see it as a blessing. It is good that I have more time with my adorable family and can be with friends in Provo and work in the temple and preparing and studying and what not! So in honor of me supposed to report today on Jan 17, I wrote this (mostly to keep myself busy lol) but also because I needed to make a blog anyway! I'm still beyond excited to go and serve, I know it will be way hard but I know that through Christ I can do it. Let's hope these next six weeks fly by! (jk... kinda)
