The Call

 It was FINALLY here!  But I still had to wait 2 hours to open it.

When the mailman (actually a lady...) drove away, I ran down the stairs.  RAN...like the fastest I have ever run!  I was shaking and excited and now that I think back on it, really surprised that I didn't fall down, crack my head open, and then die.  Thank goodness that didn't happen!

I opened the mailbox and there it was!  It was actually there. I pulled it out of the mailbox, screaming and jumping up and down! I took my first look at it!  It was beautiful!

I saw the postage...$1.90 (supposedly postage of $1.90 implies foreign).  I freaked out a little. Ok, A LOT!  I couldn't believe that this moment was finally here!

I thought about where I would be going.  I took some Spanish in high school, so I thought South America, maybe Spain.  I could see myself going to a Visitor's Center, or in the United States, maybe speaking Spanish.

But I didn't know!

I went back up to my apartment, made the appropriate calls and texts, and waited.  While I waited, I made cookies.  They were shaped like little worlds. While I waited, I cleaned the whole apartment.  While I waited, I held the call. And just looked at it.  (Is that weird??? maybe a little bit...)

Finally it was time to open the call. Or so I thought.  Setting up the Skype, waiting for people to get off work, Making sure my parents could hear...Everything took longer than I wanted it too. I just wanted to open my call already!

Finally we started...We sang Called To Serve.  We said a prayer.  Many of the people that I loved and cared about and that love and care about me were there.  My grandpa and a member of my bishopric said a few things.  And then it was time for me to open my call.

I was shaking SO much!  I could hardly use the letter opener.  My aunt joked that I was going to rip my letter in half.  I was shaking so much that it could've happened!

Sorry for the poor quality of the video...But anyways...

After I opened the call I hurried and put it under the packet so I couldn't read ahead.  I began reading and this is what is said...

          Dear Sister Ford, 

You are hearby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  You are assigned to labor in the Ukraine Kyiv Mission.  It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, March 27th, 2013.  You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Russian language. 

The Letter, signed by President Thomas S. Monson

UKRAINE! 

I couldn't believe it!  Never in a million years would I have guessed Ukraine!  However when I read it and once the shock passed, I knew it was the right place for me!  BUT I must say that I was a little shell-shocked for probably a week!

Something I love about mission calls is that it is like the ONLY time when the Lord sends you a letter, through his apostles and prophets, that tells you what to do and where to serve! He loves me and is sending me where I need to go!  That is a huge blessing in my life!

Friends there to support me! 

love Lonna and Kelsie! 

Brother Perkins and His Wife both came 

Grandma and Grandpa! 

 It was so great to have the support of everyone that came.  I remember looking up and seeing more than one person crying.  It was a really special moment for me.

How Book of Mormon, Ukraine, and my name look in Russian! 

 Now it's time to start learning some Russian!

Russian Book of Mormon!