It's the little things

So I know I haven't written in forever. To be honest, I've had so much going on that just picking one thing is impossible.  But here's a basic update.  I've attended a couple more mission farewells since I last wrote.  I love these friends and am so proud and grateful to them for their beautiful examples.  They are going to be fantastic missionaries.  I got to spend an entire week with my baby brother while my parents and other brother went on trek together.  It was so fun to go to the Zoo, a museum, help him with this homework and just spend some quality time together.  I'm still doing Krav Maga except this week I haven't been yet because of some injuries and sheer exhaustion.  Causes for those injuries and exhaustion reflect major stupidity so they won't be shared here haha.  I've been studying, reading and learning more in preparation for my mission.  It feels good to continue learning and expounding my knowledge of what I specifically need to learn.  Last week was the week of constant fun.  I saw two shows at a local out door amphitheater and they were both fantastic.  I went to a very popular rodeo with one of my best friends.  I saw an old friend I haven't seen in forever and rekindled contact with them.  I went to a popular theme park with my brothers and had an absolute blast watching them go on all the rides.  I went Latin dancing and got told I was a good dancer at about six times... It's a lot of fun to be one of the only white girls in the club and still get asked to dance.  

The biggest news of all is that my mission papers are at church head quarters.  They are in Salt Lake City, Utah.  What will happen now is that the church officials who issue the calls will look at my application.  They will see all of my information.  Then, through inspiration from the Holy Ghost, they will assign me to a mission.  I've listed on my application that I want to go to Rome, Italy and that I've taken three years of German.  But I will go wherever I am sent.  If I end up going to the middle of nowhere then that is where I will be needed.  So now it's just time to wait.  If they get my call issued quickly, I could have my call by July 3rd.  But because next week is the 4th of July, I will probably get it in the next 3 weeks or so.  I am nervous that I won't get it for about 6-8 weeks as that has happened to some missionaries.  To keep my sanity during the suspense, I'm doing my best to trust that the Lord will help me be patient for another month or so.  But once I get my call then life really settles in.  If I go out in a month then I will just keep doing what I'm doing now and make minor adjustments to help me prepare even more.  If I go out in 5 months I will get a job because I have lost quite a bit of money during these last 3 months. 

One of the best things about getting my papers up to Salt Lake City, was talking with my Stake President.  For those who don't know, each member of the church is in either a branch (a small group of Mormons usually between 5-30 people) or a ward (a larger group of Mormons usually between 100-1000) people.  Well a Stake is a group of wards.  So the branch president is in charge of the branch, the bishop is in charge of the ward and the Stake President is in charge of the Stake.  Well before a missionary can send their mission papers to Salt Lake, they need to meet with the Stake President. 
My Stake just recently sustained a new Stake President.  He and I met and he asked me several questions pertaining to my worthiness to go on a mission.  I won't go into detail about those questions but this I will say.  I have never felt happier in my life then being able to say yes and no to the right questions with a full and honest heart.  To know that my life is in order and that I living worthy enough to be a servant of the Lord.... it is the most priceless happy feeling.  I don't say this to brag.  Rather I say it to share my joy that has come from preparing for a mission.

As time goes on, I'm learning more and more about what it means to truly turn your life over to Heavenly Father.  There are some little habits, like spending too much time on the computer, that I know I need to break before I go out in the mission field.  These habits aren't keeping me from going on a mission, but there could be better things I can do with my time.  And it's hard.  It's hard to change.  But I have seen blessings come into my life and I am working on making these changes.  This is why preparing for a mission has brought joy to my life.  As soon as I decided to go on a mission, I began making little changes to become better.  I think the average human reaction to change is to run or hide from it... or take matters into our own hands to stop it.  But when we change for the better, though it can be a long, strenuous and painful process, the blessings that come from it make the journey completely worth it.