- I'm going on a mission!!
- I will be gone for 18 months.
- I don't know where I'll go yet - I don't get any say in the matter (it's all up to Heavenly Father!)
- I don't know when I'll go - I put Jan. 1 as my availability date, but it's not likely that I'll leave that soon.
- I will be preaching the gospel every day!
Now, this was totally unexpected. Before a few months ago, girls couldn't leave on missions until they were 21. But then General Conference came along (a big gathering of members all across the world where we listen to prophets and apostles of our church), and our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, made the announcement that changed a lot of lives:
CRAZY. My heart pounds so hard every time I watch it! I was just sitting there, watching conference on a projector in our little church building in Italy, when all of a sudden a wrench was thrown into my future plans. A huge, amazing wrench! You see, I wasn't really planning on serving a mission. I wasn't opposed to the idea, but I figured that by the time I was 21, I'd have a lot of other things going on and I wouldn't be able to go. But now? Perfect timing!
It didn't take long to make the decision to go on a mission after I heard the announcement. Usually I cannot make a decision to save my life, but this one was strangely easy! I guess it was really important that I get this one right.
I am so excited to spend a year and a half serving the Lord and teaching people the gospel. I already feel love for the people I will be serving, even though I don't know who or where they are, haha. Of course I'm also super nervous - If I weren't then I just wouldn't be the Panicky Pigeon, now would I? But that's okay, because I know this will be the experience of a lifetime.
Everyone in my family is freaking out about my mission call - it should come in a couple weeks, and then I will find out when and where I'm going! I, strangely enough, am not too worried about it. I know that wherever I get called will be where I'm supposed to go, and I'm not too picky anyway. Nobody told me that the most nerve-racking part would not be where I'll go, but the fact that I am going!
I know this church is true, and I cannot wait to find out where I'll spend the next year and a half! If you have any questions, please ask me because I LOVE talking about this!
That's awesome!!! I had no idea you were considering it, but then again... a lot of girls are going that had never considered it until a few months ago. About half of the girls here in China teaching English have submitted their papers and are getting calls. That's so great! Keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, I've got news for you. You're going to Ukraine on March 27. You'll be speaking Russian, or as they say in my native tongue, Russki yazik. I also have a different bit of news for you. My heart swelled with pride and joy when I read this blog. Although I've always considered you something of a disappointment, I can finally say that I'm really proud of you.
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