Welp, here it is! I've already:
Decided to serve a full-time mission
Met with my bishop and received permission to apply
Finished my application
Met again with the bishop and stake president
Sent my papers in to Salt Lake City
Found out from my bishop that my call has officially been assigned (When I got the text I cried. Like a baby. I will admit that I had just had my wisdom teeth removed, and the Lortab didn't exactly stabilize my emotions. Still.)
And now, we wait.
The real kicker is that today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and that means that if the calls are usually sent out on Monday and are delayed, I don't have any idea if my call will arrive on Wednesday or Thursday. I am on the fringe of utter disarray. But I will be strong! You can count on it.
I've followed a few blogs created by the families of currently serving missionaries. Hearing about their firsthand experiences and realizing that I'm not the only one who's scared out of my mind is actually quite soothing. Most of these have begun with the missionary's entrance into the MTC, but I was told a few weeks ago that my mission doesn't begin when I leave home; it begins now. Therefore, I'm keeping track of this journey from now on. There's not a whole lot of good solid information out there for prospective sister missionaries, but hopefully I can provide a little bit of inspiration or encouragement. It's always nice to know you're not alone.
First of all, after you've made your decision to serve a mission, crazy things might start to happen! No, you won't most likely discover a village of glittery trolls underneath your bedroom, but your beliefs will be challenged left and right and you'll be brought to a clear understanding of your flaws and underlying issues. You will probably be put into tricky situations that you've never had to deal with and have no option but to face them head on. These trials can either make or break your testimony. You hear stuff like this all the time, but it doesn't really hit you until you're the one making the tough choices.
Just remember, there's a first time for everything, and if you don't get it right from the head start just aim to improve. If you have received confirmation that a mission is right for you, don't sway from your decision. Keep plowing forward, even if you're faced with adversity. Heavenly Father has put you in this place for a reason, and what you will gain far exceeds what you will sacrifice.
If you're anxiously awaiting your call, try to keep your mind on other constructive things...
Go see a movie with a couple close friends (I would recommend something comedic. I just saw "Mama" today. Big mistake. I was walking into an unlit hall in my house and when I turned around to see my fluffy puppy on the ground right behind me, I almost screamed. If you've seen it, you'll understand why.).
Write. It's a good way of getting all your concerns out of your system. Just like Mom used to make me imagine sickness flooding out of my body with every glass of water I drank, picture the pent-up thoughts flooding out of your pen on paper.
Exercise! Focus all your energy into working your muscles and let everything else become a blur for an hour or two. The ensuing endorphins will take care of the rest.
Listen to music. My new obsession is The Mahogany Blog. Lots and lots of pretty young things with pretty incredible talent.
Reverse psychology has helped me a little. Instead of just ignoring the fact altogether, I wrote a countdown in hours to the time I plan to open my call. Whenever I start to feel antsy, I'll find that scrap of paper and mark down all the hours that I've made it so far! And, if it comes on Wednesday, I've got a mere 47 to go.
Decided to serve a full-time mission
Met with my bishop and received permission to apply
Finished my application
Met again with the bishop and stake president
Sent my papers in to Salt Lake City
Found out from my bishop that my call has officially been assigned (When I got the text I cried. Like a baby. I will admit that I had just had my wisdom teeth removed, and the Lortab didn't exactly stabilize my emotions. Still.)
And now, we wait.
The real kicker is that today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and that means that if the calls are usually sent out on Monday and are delayed, I don't have any idea if my call will arrive on Wednesday or Thursday. I am on the fringe of utter disarray. But I will be strong! You can count on it.
I've followed a few blogs created by the families of currently serving missionaries. Hearing about their firsthand experiences and realizing that I'm not the only one who's scared out of my mind is actually quite soothing. Most of these have begun with the missionary's entrance into the MTC, but I was told a few weeks ago that my mission doesn't begin when I leave home; it begins now. Therefore, I'm keeping track of this journey from now on. There's not a whole lot of good solid information out there for prospective sister missionaries, but hopefully I can provide a little bit of inspiration or encouragement. It's always nice to know you're not alone.
First of all, after you've made your decision to serve a mission, crazy things might start to happen! No, you won't most likely discover a village of glittery trolls underneath your bedroom, but your beliefs will be challenged left and right and you'll be brought to a clear understanding of your flaws and underlying issues. You will probably be put into tricky situations that you've never had to deal with and have no option but to face them head on. These trials can either make or break your testimony. You hear stuff like this all the time, but it doesn't really hit you until you're the one making the tough choices.
Just remember, there's a first time for everything, and if you don't get it right from the head start just aim to improve. If you have received confirmation that a mission is right for you, don't sway from your decision. Keep plowing forward, even if you're faced with adversity. Heavenly Father has put you in this place for a reason, and what you will gain far exceeds what you will sacrifice.
If you're anxiously awaiting your call, try to keep your mind on other constructive things...
Go see a movie with a couple close friends (I would recommend something comedic. I just saw "Mama" today. Big mistake. I was walking into an unlit hall in my house and when I turned around to see my fluffy puppy on the ground right behind me, I almost screamed. If you've seen it, you'll understand why.).
Write. It's a good way of getting all your concerns out of your system. Just like Mom used to make me imagine sickness flooding out of my body with every glass of water I drank, picture the pent-up thoughts flooding out of your pen on paper.
Exercise! Focus all your energy into working your muscles and let everything else become a blur for an hour or two. The ensuing endorphins will take care of the rest.
Listen to music. My new obsession is The Mahogany Blog. Lots and lots of pretty young things with pretty incredible talent.
Reverse psychology has helped me a little. Instead of just ignoring the fact altogether, I wrote a countdown in hours to the time I plan to open my call. Whenever I start to feel antsy, I'll find that scrap of paper and mark down all the hours that I've made it so far! And, if it comes on Wednesday, I've got a mere 47 to go.
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