.JPG)
Six Days until I report! This will probably be my last post because these next few days are going to be pretty busy. I am throwing my beautiful best friend her bridal shower on Saturday and then leave for Provo on Sunday afternoon right after my farewell! Time has flown by extremely fast. After I graduated high school I had a specific plan and I don't think I followed one thing on my list. Life takes you places you would have never thought of. I guess Heavenly Father just had a different plan for me and hey, I'm fine with that! His plans are way better than mine and probably have a better outcome so I just decided to make goals and have faith and he will lead me to where he thinks I should be.
I never really planned on serving a mission. A couple of years ago, my senior year of high school my family took a trip to Temple Square. I was walking around the visitors center and two sister missionaries came and just made small talk with me. They were so fun and just seemed so happy. I remember thinking how cool it would be to serve a mission and made a promise to myself that when I turned 21 I would go on a mission if I was not married yet!
Well a little over a year later our prophet came out with that wonderful announcement that changed so many lives! I decided right away that I would go. While I knew that I was going to go, I just wasn't quite ready yet. It just wasn't time. I had prayed about it and received my answer but I wasn't ready to go. Eventually I lost the desire but I still had this little voice in my head that said not to forget about it quite yet. I moved in with my grandma in December so I could save up money. I decided to enroll in nursing school and I was going to start on March 4th. I wanted to do that so badly and I was SO EXCITED to start school! Well, after I had already been registered that's when that little voice in my head just would not quit. I had to serve that mission. I just had to so I decided against nursing school and talked to my bishop about going on a mission. I made my final decision in early February. I put my papers in in April and received my mission call on MAY 3rd, 2013. What a wonderful day! I was at work when it came in the mail and I was going insane. I could not focus on my job and I worked as a medical assistant in a surgical hospital so I really needed to stay focused. But how can you when your future is in an envelope at your house?! All my patients lived so I think I was focused enough. And then....... I HAD TO WAIT TIL THE NEXT DAY TO OPEN MY CALL! I couldn't sleep. I even started to open it but my conscience told me not to. I lived in Phoenix and my family lives in Eagar, AZ which is about 4 hours away from where I lived so I wanted to open it around all of my family. So it was A VERY LONG drive!
I opened it around noon that day. We put up a map and everyone marked where they thought I would serve. I was really thinking I would get called to Texas or Nevada or Colorado. I DID NOT want to go to Utah. So before I opened up my call I said a prayer that I would have the spirit with me and that I would receive confirmation that wherever I was called that I would be happy because I would know that is exactly where Heavenly Father needs me. So the time came and I was sitting on a chair in front of my friends and family opening up that big white envelope. It is hard to open with a knife. I suggest to just rip it with your hands. So I read it and when I first saw the name "Utah" I was like "Oh my gosh, karma." But Temple Square changes everything! I KNEW I had to go there! I couldn't stop crying so I ran out of the room and sat in my mom's closet for a couple of minutes so I could take it all in before my family swarmed me. I could not believe that Heavenly Father called me there. A few of people guessed I would serve there but I did not believe them at all. I didn't think I'd ever be so lucky or as my grandma says "blessed". I was blessed. I could not think of a better place to serve. I know I am going there for a reason and I have no nerves! I am ready. I know that I am supposed to go. Everything has just worked out perfectly and my previous experiences in life led me to this mission and just made me stronger.
I'm thankful for everyone who encouraged me and supported me. I'm thankful for people who made a big influence on me going who probably don't even know it. I'm thankful for my trials before this call and I am SO thankful to serve in the UTAH SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE SQUARE MISSION. I just can't think of a better way to spend my next 18 months. I want to make a special shout out to my grandparents who let me live with them for a few months before I left. Such an awesome decision I made and it was a good place to prepare for my mission. Also a shout out to my mom. I love you. I love you. I love you. And Jeremy and Daddy and Keli and Jagger and Jersy. I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK. And my sweet beautiful almost 18 year old sister Kendall. You are a good example to me and I think you would be an excellent missionary so start preparing girl. I wish I would have prepared better!
I am all packed so I am trying to enjoy my last couple days at home. I'm just not sad or nervous. I have such a strong confirmation that I am going where I'm supposed to be! I never really thought I would be serving a mission. I never really planned on it. I always just had a different plan but I like this little surprise turn that I'm taking. I kind of like being surprised and not know where life is going to take me which is so opposite of how I was a year ago. TEMPLE SQUARE HERE I COME!! My mom is taking over my blog from here on out! I'll be back in 18 months! Goodbye Arizona!
