a thousand things to do

anybody that has served a mission knows just how much work is involved between getting your call and reporting to the mtc. i feel like i'm constantly crossing things off my never ending to-do list. here's a small idea of what i've already done...

• written and mailed in my acceptance letter
• applied to get my passport renewed 
• got a couple immunizations
• bought missionary clothes
• set a date to get endowed
• did my language evaluation with the language coordinator at the mtc
• bought my plane ticket to salt lake city
• filled out my visa application

and here's what i have left...

• get a statewide background check
• get my driving record
• apply to get an apostille for spain
• apply for an international driving permit

ahhhh it's so much work! but each task i cross off my list means i'm one step closer becoming a missionary! i cannot even express just how excited i am to be a missionary. i just wish i was leaving sooner - all this waiting is killing me! last week, my mom and i took a day trip to st. louis to do some temple related errands because the louisville temple doesn't have a distribution center. it was a great day just the two of us, and got me really excited to go through the temple.

the decision

i gave it a lot of thought in high school. i knew it was what i wanted to do. i worked to prepare myself for when the time would come. i couldn't wait to be 21. but then, for awhile, i lost sight of my dream, and focused my attention on other things, people, and aspects of my life. in november of 2011, i had this experience and i knew it wasn't too late.

after fall semester of 2011 i stayed in rexburg to work and earn money for spring semester. but in january of 2012 i decided to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. so, i found a girl to buy my second block contract, put in my two weeks at work (that is staffed and managed by a lot of lds people who were understanding), and i moved home in february. 

i've never been more sure of something in my whoooole almost 21 years of life. i know that this is what i need to be doing in my life right now and i can't wait to see what these 18 months will have in store for me.