Anyways...
In case anyone was wondering I have never actually planned on going on a mission. In fact, I remember in high school being completely convinced that I would be married before I even considered going on a mission! Oh how the Lord likes to show me I don't know everything. Despite this I have always had great respect for missionaries and always thought that going on a mission would be a worthy life choice and a great blessing.
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
So about a year ago I realized i was 6 months away from turning 20! Which meant I was getting really close to turning 21!(yes that is how my brain works.) So it was closing in on when I needed to actually face the fact that going on a mission was becoming a real possibility. I made a deal with myself that if there was nothing that I couldn't postpone in my life by the following February next month) then I would start my papers. Once I decided that I was quite happy with myself. I had successfully procrastinated making a decision by leaving it up to God.
Sometime in July/August there was a night I could not sleep. No matter how hard I tried it just wasn't working for me. So I stayed up thinking...then a mission comes to mind...I thought I had successfully put that off. Nope. So I stayed up till probably 3 or 4am mentally resisting this sudden feeling that I should go. After a while I had no choice to accept it but what was I gonna do about it? I still had a year until i turned 21 and could even go.
Little did I know there were other things at work that I had yet to learn about.
October Conference rolls around and President Monson announces the age change. I was watching conference with my roommates and we were all completely floored by the announcement. Within a couple minutes I was getting texts from my family asking what I was going to do. Well after 8 months of the Lord working on me it only took me half an hour to make a solid decision. And if you know me well enough you know that I tend to jump in with both feet. Before the second session started I had an interview with my bishop scheduled. Monday I scheduled my Dr's apts and exactly two weeks later I was completely finished.
Don't get me wrong I definitely want to go on a mission and I definitely know it is right for me. This is just how it happened for me.
As far as getting my call goes. I patiently waited the standard 2 weeks. In the mean time people were guessing pretty much everywhere. Which I think other people guessing where your gonna go is all together just silly but I guess it just depends on how well they know you. I have found that the people I know get sent to places that match them very well. In my mind I had no idea where I was going to go I mean first language English, 2 years of Spanish, and 2 years of French that pretty much covers most of the world. Allot of people were telling me that I would be sent to China. I wholeheartedly disagreed with them. I did not at all see myself in China. Not that I don't like China, I just don't think it matches my personality. I knew where I wanted to go and I had gotten to the point where I was willing to go to most anywhere. Receiving my call ended up perfectly coinciding with my Dad being called as a Bishop so I got my envelope and somehow survived the 13+ hour drive to California and until my parents got home from work the next day before I opened it. I was trying not to get disappointed so I decided the best way to do that was to severely lower my expectations. I tried to think of the worst place in my mind to serve a mission and convinced myself I was going there. In my mind China was already out of the question so for some reason the place I chose was North Dakota. Why? Because I have never heard anyone mention that state in any conversation. I couldn't think of any significant facts or places in that state. I hope that doesn't offend anyone. I would have accepted a call to there...I think. Anyways so after working this method of lowering my expectations for several hours, I was completely shocked to open my call and find that I was going to exactly where I was hoping to go!
I have yet to decide if that is a blessing or a...lesson. It could be a blessing as in Kylee has been good so here we will let her go where she wants to go. OR a lesson as in she WANTS to go here? well okay good luck. Im sure it is not definitely either one but more of this is where she fits and I'm sure I will get a full helping of both blessing and lesson there.
Here I am. 70 days and counting until I report.
One of my friends and former roommates once told me that after she made the decision to go on a mission it was not easy and at times it was one of the loneliest times of her life. I have been becoming well acquainted with that and I'm sure I will be more so by the end of the next two months. But that's only a minor obstacle.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
-Kylee
Kylee I'm so so proud of you and I know you will be an awesome missonary!! I also know that the Lord sends us where we need to go the most, and where we are the most needed. you will be awesome =)
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