Where in the world is Sister Wilson going to serve?!

Well I got my call on Friday night! I am going to serve in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission and I report to the Provo MTC on May 1st! And I cannot wait :)

My mom called me on Friday before I left work and when I saw that I had 4 missed calls I already knew why. I rushed home calling friends and family who I wanted on the phone on the way. I get home from work at about 6, then we were going to the LDS performers concert that night that started at 7:30 so I had about thirty minutes to rush home, prep everyone, get ready to leave, call everyone and open it before needed to be leaving. I got home and changed, about 17 times because I was just distracted and needing to do something and not liking anything I put on. Then at 6:30 Karen and Deanna came over and I starting calling the friends. Mom was setting up skype with Stuart and Lindy and I had not one or two but six phones going and only one of the phones had a single person, all the others were groups. So I was excited! I finally had everyone on the line (a few people hung up by accident and then I had to hang up on a few people in order to get to my contacts on my cell) but finally the phones were set and mom had her camera, I'm about to open it when  Stuart and Lindy disappear! I dont know how it happened, other than crummy college internet connections, but they we got them back on the line so I could open the call!
I ripped open the envelope and Deanna was started teasing me "oh thats not going to be pretty!" and all I could think was 'Im not going to save the envelope!' so I pulled it out and found the letter. I started reading and of course my eyes jumped ahead and saw Phil.... and then I looked back to the other line. I though the Philippines! Im going to he Philippines! I was getting excited. Then I continued reading and saw Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission, and I was so confused! I swear it changed in a split second and so many thoughts were running through my head. I finally decided on excitement from the fact that I was not being sent to South America to speak Spanish! That is something that I was sorely afraid of!

So then I said good bye to whoever was still on the phones, a few people hung up and the only ones Im really sure of who I said goodbye to were my boys so that was quite a personal moment haha (just kidding). but I said 'bye Ill talk to you all later!' Then I hugged Karen and Deanna and sent them off, we grabbed our coats and shoes and headed out the door.
As we were climbing into the Jeep Lance and Sasha pulled up and I got to tell them too which was fun. They said congrats and I jumped int the Jeep. The first phone call I get was from one of my friends up at school who missed hearing be open it by about 5 minutes and he was really mad at me, I thought he was crying at first but that was completely out of character. Since he was mad I talked to him for a minute and then I told him I needed to call other people before the concert started. So I called some aunts and Gpa before going inside.

I walked in and said a few hellos to people and made an announcement or two before the concert began. Now this concert was a special one for us. This was the LDS performers concert which my dad was on the committee for, for the past approximately ten years. My dad was unable to help like he had in the past at last years concert due to the cancers progression. He went last year and enjoyed talking to the people that he had always worked so closely with. He came home and talked about how great that concert was for weeks!  A little over a month after that concert Dad passed away. Were coming up on a year now which is hard to believe and emotional too. I only tell you the concert this year that we attended was opened by announcing to the audience that this year they were honoring one of their own who had passed. She told a little bit about Dad to those in the audience who did not know him which we weren't prepared for and made us start crying right off the bat.
Then the music began and it was a beautiful concert with a lot of talent and a great variety as they always have. My favorite was a Jazz quartet with piano, bass, flute and drums and there was a little bit of a skit to it so it was cute.
They closed the concert by having two of my Dads favorite musicians play the song he wrote for mom that he found a little bed and breakfast with a piano for their honeymoon so that he could play it for her. It was beautiful! The last time we heard it performed was at dad's funeral and it was by the same two musicians who Dad loved! So that was an emotional night. But it was also perfect, because although dad wasn't 'here' when I opened my call he was definitely 'here' that day. What a beautiful ending to a perfect day :)

Setting up all of the phones and calling people

Why am I going on a mission?

Why am I going on a mission? That's a question I get asked a lot and I'm still not really sure that I know the answer. One thing that I think about a lot is the fact that 'its not just about the here and now, It's about eternity'. You hear all the cheesy quotes about how a missionary leaves there family for 18 months or 2 years so that others can be with their families for eternity and what not and while they are super cheesy, they are completely true. 

The way I see it I am not 'giving up' a year and  a half of my life, I am given the ability to serve the Lord and focus on nothing but that for the next year and a half. I get to be the person who teaches others, wherever I am sent, the good news of the gospel. I get the chance to bring them the fullness of the gospel and to share that with someone's mother, father, sister, aunt, friend, spouse, etc. I get the chance to teach someone else's loved one about the gospel like other missionaries have done for people I love. Why would I not take the opportunity to share with whoever will listen, what bring so much joy and fulfillment in my life? 

I have friends and family who ask me why I go to church. All I can say is it brings me happiness, peace, joy, comfort so many things because I have the gospel. It's not about getting up every week and going to church, it's not about thinking I am better than someone else because I go, its not about the do's and don't's. That is not what the gospel is. I dont go to church because I love church, I go to church because I love the gospel, and church is where I learn more about it.

I go to church because it's filled with people that I love and I learn from, I go to church because I believe in this gospel. I go to church because I believe being surrounded by people who I love who believe in the same things that I do will make me a stronger person. There are so many reasons why I go to church at all.But when it comes down to it, it's not about going to church at all, its about the gospel.

I love the gospel, with all of my heart, might, mind and soul. That is what it is all about, a passion for something that brings so much good into my life. 

This is a video that I have seen a few times that I love, I cry every time (because yes I am a cry baby believe it or not). But I love it because I agree with him. One of the aspects of the gospel I love is the fact that we get to have our families with us for eternity, and what better way to spend eternity than with your family? I love this boy's positive attitude and the fact that he is still finding joy in life because 'It's not just about the here and now, its about eternity'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYRb4DNf8wc

More no news....

And guess what? Tomorrow is Monday Feb 18, which means its Presidents day. Which is a great holiday and also means that the post offices are closed, so my call won't call tomorrow! : (  But hopefully it will come this week. The Husky sisters both got their calls on the same day and they opened them today I believe. They are both going to missions in Brazil (different ones) and report to the MTC on the same day. Which will be fun for them. They make the last four sisters in our Stake (2 of which are in my ward) that are going to Brazil... I am so scared of going to South America and I have no idea why, but I am!

The more I think about it the more okay I am with staying state side. I see a lot of advantages to staying in the states. I almost want to stay in America, but I want somewhere warm now! I still would love to go foreign. Asian would be a great experience but quite the culture shock. My cousin is going to Japan to serve a mission and my brother will be deployed in Japan at the same time so it could be cool to have everyone over there at the same time.

I would love New Zealand though, I talked to someone the other day and I was told that it was rainy like Oregon which I would love! And the accents would be great. I talked to a woman at church today and we decided that somewhere like Madagascar, New Zealand, or Australia would be great, I can still speak English and experience a different culture and acquire a cool accent in the process :)

Honestly I am not scared to learn a language, I think it would be good to know and fun, but hard. Learning a new language would be a hard experience and then trying to teach the gospel in a language you don't hardly understand would be frustrating. But I think it would be a good experience.

So we shall see. All I know is 'I'll go where you want me to go Dear Lord'. But could you please hurry up and call me already!!!! (Just kidding everyone...)

Mail time!

So I checked the mail today, and I found out that we havent checked the mail in a few days, that thing was packed full! But since my call could be coming soon I figured I should empty it so it doesnt have to be crammed in there any more than it already does.

But although I know my call isnt going to be here yet, it was still semi-sad to check the mailbox and not see it. Even though I did not get what I have been wanting for a long time now, I did get my first letter from Sister   Strasser :) and I got a painting from my roommate who I lived with for like a year and a half. And she is the best and an artist and I love her work and I got a picture :) So I am happy with my mail for the day :)

Happy Valentines' Day! Mine was the best

So this morning, this pre-missionary, call waiting, loving life single 22 year old girl decided V-Day was going to be a happy day, but I had no idea just how happy!

I thought I should wear something festive and something that makes me feel pretty, since it is Valentines day (how many more times I can say v-day, its been like once a sentence! Ill try to stop... no promises however).  So I put on my red pencil skirt that I made and love and a black/white striped top, black tights and bada bing bodda bomb, I was feeling pretty good today.

So I am working my life away, like the slave I am (I mean arent we all at some point), anyhow, I was scanning some mail docs and I needed to walk away and think about something else because I was confusing myself and I wanted to boost my productivity back to where it should be. So I walk back to my desk, drink a swig of water and tap my phone to see if I have any texts.... and I did! Youll never guess who from either, my Stake President! So my heart started racing a little bit. (He has access farther than me to see what the current status of my papers is). I immediately thought, there's no way its sent already, were only on day 8!

I open the text and all it says is: "Assignment made". I just about shrieked right there, and Im not usually a shriek-er so that should tell you how excited I was : ) I asked him if that meant the call was sent and he didnt know. He told me it was "Your v-day gift from the Prophet" and what a great v-day gift indeed!

I went back to work and was the happiest I have been in a while! I started thinking and then I started hyping myself up, and scaring myself half to death with where in the world I could go, and then settled myself back down.

I realized that on this very Valentines day morning an Apostle of the Lord looked at my  picture, and reviewed my papers, and was the mouth piece for the Lord in making my mission assignment. I started singing 'called to serve' in my head and realized its my turn. It's finally my turn to be a part of the army of missionaries who are going out into the world to spread the Gospel, a message of good news, to all the world. Its doesnt matter where I am going, because that is where I need to go, that is where I am needed. Its my turn, I have been 'called to serve Him, Heavenly king of glory'.

I passed :)

Tonight I met with my Stake President and before the night is over my papers will be submitted! I am so stinking excited and nervous and I just hope I can get my call before my younger brother leaves for his military service in Japan. He leaves in 2 weeks from today and I am hoping my call comes soon! I will definitely let you know where I am going and all of that jazz once I get my call.

I just cant believe I am here! I mean I was planning on going on a mission and already being a year into it by now at the age of 18, but life happens and now is my time to go. Im excited to get my call and find out where I am going and when I can leave, Im really excited to get out there and start working.