My Mission Call

       I have wanted to be a missionary ever since I was thirteen years old and went to the visitor's center in Independence, Missouri. I talked with some sister missionaries there, and I think it was the first time I had ever considered serving a mission. When I was a sophomore in high school the announcement was made that sister missionaries could start serving at age nineteen. I was ecstatic! From there on my mission preparation became even more serious.

     A few months ago it was reaching the time I could submit my papers. I prayed for confirmation that this was what I was supposed to do and received an overwhelming answer that this is what I am supposed to do and this is the right time to do it.

    The process of submitting my papers took a little longer than I expected. This was in part because I have struggled with anxiety in the past and my church leaders wanted to make sure I could have a successful mission. After everything was good to go there it still took a long time! It took a long time for me to get assigned and a long time for my call to get to me. After it was taking an unusually long time my bishop suggested it might have gotten lost in the mail and needed it to be sent again. But, my call was just sitting in the post office at school for a week, waiting to get sorted.

    Waiting for my call was SUPER hard! Everyday I would go wait at my mailbox for an hour and wait for the mail to come. Everyday I would be so disappointed when it was not there. It finally took me going down to the post office and asking someone to please go look.

   Finally, I had my call in my hand! I carried it with me to all of my classes and everywhere I went. It was so hard to concentrate on anything else that day! I honestly had no idea where I was going. Some people get a feeling, but I did not. I thought maybe I would go somewhere French speaking because I am majoring in French Education and have been studying it for five years (I am now double majoring in French and Spanish Education.) I prayed that if Heavenly Father would allow it I really wanted to preach the gospel in a language other than English. I know that where we serve is not important because we are not called to a place, but rather to serve in place of the Savior.

   Finally it came time to open my call packet! I opened it in my living room in my college apartment with some of my friends watching. I was also video calling my family back in Oklahoma. There was a little party going on at my house with some of my family and friends watching there. I opened it and read that I was called to the TEXAS HOUSTON MISSION! I read on to read that I was to prepare to preach the gospel in the SPANISH language! I was filled with the most peaceful feeling when I read those words because I knew that this is exactly where Heavenly Father needs me at the moment. I know that He does not just call missionaries where they are needed, but also where they will be happy too! I am so happy to serve the people of Texas and these next few weeks can not go by fast enough!