The Mission Application

In case you haven't realized, I have lost the ability to do anything normal...and nothing happens easily in my life. To quote a former classmate "if you had any luck, it would be bad luck...don't sit so close to me, I may catch it". The day I was going to talk to my bishop, I was running late to church. Jacob Squire who I grew up with (and babysat), who was getting ready for his own mission, was running late as well.  We both walked in during the opening song, sat down and looked at the stand...the ENTIRE Stake Presidency was there...along with a couple families (which is weird because it was the Single Adult congregation).  What a great time to come in late. Side note-Jacob said "I always come late, so they just expect it from me" to which I replied "I work so many Sundays, they're just glad to see me actually come". Back to the meeting...we realized that the bishopric was changing, then started placing unofficial bets (because no gambling allowed in church) on what was happening.  Our Bishop was released and Bishop Morris was called. It was like I was in my family ward again.  Then it hit me...both the first time and this time, my mission papers would go through a Bishop Morris...kind of a cool connection.  ANYWAYS, he was sustained that Sunday, I decided to wait to start my papers until he'd been a bishop for at least an hour, the next Sunday was General Conference, then the Sunday after that I got a text asking if I would meet with him.  He was getting to know the members of the ward.  At the end of our meeting, he asked "is there anything I can do for you".  "Why yes there is!!!!" And my papers began...with the caveat I made...I wanted to keep it a surprise until I had my call. I wasn't even telling my family.  I wanted it to be just me and the few people that needed to know.  I wanted to keep this experience a personal one. With no input from anyone else...call me weird, but I REALLY enjoyed it!!! I met with the Bishop a couple times, got all my medical paperwork, dental paperwork, release saying my shoulder was fine for a mission, etc, then submitted it all! I met with the bishop who was as excited as I was and the papers then got sent on to my stake president.  I went on a cruise with my sister and her family (and had a HARD time telling them my papers were going in), came home, met with the stake president, then my papers were sent to Salt Lake! Then the wait began...I waited...and waited...and waited.  I prayed to be prepared for wherever my call would be.  I wanted to love the people as much as I did the people in Seattle.  I still felt a connection to the area and to teaching in Spanish...even though I never made it out of the MTC. My papers went in a little more than 2 weeks before my trip to California to watch my nieces and nephews while my sister and her husband went on a cruise.  I was HOPING I would get my call before...no such luck.  I left for California, leaving my mail key with Courtney, along with instructions to overnight my mission call when it came.