Called to Serve

I was at work, the back of my mind wondering if it would come today. What if it got delayed? What if it got here today? How would tell everyone? Would we have enough phones? Where in the world would I be called? I tried to answer phones and act like things were normal. That was, until I got a gchat from my roommate Jessica:

"Jessica: I took the rent checks to the mailbox, and I left something that belongs to you there."

I freaked out. I couldn't handle it. I took a ten minute break with Jess (another old roommate) because my head was spinning and there was no way I would be able to do my job. 

The rest of the day spun and drug on all at the same time. I went home on my lunch break and took some pictures with my big white envelope. I had decided to wait until 8:30pm to open the call so that Marie could be there. Waiting turned out to be harder than I thought. I had NO idea that I could possibly be that excited and anxious. I got off work at 6 and went to dinner with my family and Jessica, Lyss and Jonathan.

We went back home and started arranging who was on skype and phones and such. As it turns out Marie got home way before 8:30 but then I had to wait for everyone else. Around 8:25 people started showing up and within 5-10 minutes my apartment was full.

The last person to call was my Dad because he had to step out of meetings in order to take the call. Once he was on the phone and on speaker I started opening the call. I struggled to open the envelope because I was so nervous it took 3 or 4 times for me to get the whole envelope open. People kept calling out "Remember to cover it with the other paper" Well... to be honest I couldn't find the other paper I was supposed to cover it with... So I pulled some random papers and didn't realize what they were until after I read the call. Turns out they were passport application papers. haha go figure. Anyways... this is what I read: 

"Dear Sister Adams: You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Porto Alegre South Mission."

There was general excitement in the room and I kept reading to make sure there were no surprises. I was to report on October 10th, to the BRAZIL MTC. Freak out number two. I choked up and didn't know how to respond. I really hadn't even considered the possibility of not going to the Provo MTC. And straight to Brazil..... wow. I'm floored. I still have a hard time thinking that this is real! Don't get my wrong. I am BEYOND excited to go.

This is it. I'm going on a mission. This is real life!