Timeline.

Shots & Passport, check. 
I didn't enjoy either. There is something about paperwork and needles that just make me want to run home screaming. Two steps closer to Chile, and that is all that matters.

Finishing my finals at UVU on Wednesday, then it is mission prep season!

There are still moments of serious doubt where I have no idea why I signed up for this... I don't feel prepared enough! Then I remember they teach you Spanish at the MTC, and I stop worrying.

My farewell (and my parent's farewell as they head to Redlands, CA to be mission president & companion) is on June 16.  I get to speak right after a week in the mountains with 12-18 year old girls. If I have bags under my eyes, girls camp is probably the reason.

I leave with my family (I think) on June 28th, and I get to tour their mission before flying to Santiago, Chile on the 4th of July.

Next step: Temple.
Next next step: Mission packing. ...eek.

Mission Letters.

I've always been a bit of a romantic when it comes to letter writing; meaning I enjoy writing and sending words the old-school way. As I have written my friends that are out serving, I have begun to realize the importance of words. Words can be used to uplift or to hurt, to inspire or discourage. 

The words in mission letters are dear to me, because they carry with them the spirit of the mission. 

When I read about the experiences being had and testimony being shared, joy overwhelms me. 

Missionaries are still humans, and humans have emotions. Reading about homesickness and trials adds to the experience. You are leaving behind a life with technology, family, and your mom's home cookin' (or, in my case, my mom's cleaning skills),

 to share the restored gospel to the world. 

Let's not kid ourselves, there are bound to be some rough days. 

The amazing part comes after you read about those trials, and you realize there is still more to the letter. Even after the hard times, there comes a reassurance that they feel blessed. I don't know how it works, but it does. Missionaries (or maybe just the few I write) feel grateful for their challenges because they know the Lord will provide for them. 

“Remember that this work is not yours and mine alone. It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand … we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it” -Thomas S. Monson

I feel blessed to read these mission experiences my friends are having, and I hope to be able to share my experiences through this blog as I prepare and then as I am serving. When I leave I will have someone update with my letter I get to send once a week.  

I turn in my papers tomorrow night, February 28th 2013.