Here’s another perfect example of
when my planning got the best of me…Provo isn’t very far from Salt Lake right?
After I hit that submit button, I expected my mission call to be in my hands
approximately 10 days later. PERFECT. My brother, Ben, was having his Eagle
Court of Honor that same weekend and I was so excited that it fell just right
and that I would be able to be there for it!
My roommates and I planned a big
weekend together in Vegas! Everyone made arrangements to miss their Friday
classes so we could leave Thursday as soon as everyone was done with school.
Well, my mission call didn’t come on Wednesday like I planned. It was okay
though because that meant it HAD to be here the next day. As soon as it got
here on Thursday we would head to Vegas. Thursday rolled around aaannnddd no
mission call. I was upset BUT it wouldn’t be the end of the world if we left
Friday. The mail comes around 3:00pm so it wouldn’t put us too far off
schedule. I sat in the Cannon Center lobby where mail was delivered all
afternoon just waiting for it. We were all packed and ready to hop in the car
as soon as I had it. The afternoon mail came and still no mission call. I was
so upset. My plan was ruined. The Cannon Center gave me a 30% chance of it coming
on Saturday so my friends and I decided to move forward with our weekend
getaway and still go to Vegas. My mom was expecting us anyways and that way I
could still be with my family and not feel as bad when I had to skype them to open
it. I also could still attend Ben’s Eagle Court of Honor Saturday evening. We
had a really fun road trip together! We made it to Vegas super late but we all were
glad we decided to come.
The next morning we planned to go
to the temple, take some pictures, and do baptisms for the dead. My mom made us
a really big, yummy breakfast and we got all ready to go. All morning I had my
phone close to me and waited for a call from an unknown number, because the
Cannon Center told me they would call me if my call came. While I was in the
shower, my phone started ringing! I poked my head out and it was an unknown
number! I turned off the shower, covered in soap, and answered it, shaking! IT
WAS A SALES PERSON. I believe Heavenly Father has a sense of humor and He did
that for a good laugh. I had almost given up hope for a phone call when my
phone rang again! This time it was an 801 area code which is Utah. I was
freaking out! My hands were shaking, my voice was shaking, but I answered it
and sure enough my mission call was at the Cannon Center in Utah and I was in
Las Vegas.
I announced that I would be opening
my call at my house that night at 9pm. My friends and I had a nice morning at
the temple. It was nice that we could still spend the day in Vegas, rather than
driving back to Utah to get my call. We all attended Ben’s Eagle Court of
Honor. My roommates got to meet my family and it worked out nicely that
everyone was already on that side of town for me to open my call right after.
Shout out to Ben for sharing his special day with me! Funny story…I was asked to
lead the music at the Court of Honor. During the closing song my cousins Luke
and Dakota arrived at the church with my mission call so they were off to the
side in the doorway dancing with it in their hands while I’m trying SO hard not
to laugh during the song, hahaha. We took lots of pictures at the Court of
Honor and after we cleaned up, we headed back to my house.
A LOT of people came. Everyone added their guesses to a big map I had hanging up. I had butterflies the whole time, leading up to me opening it. It was overwhelming to see how many people were there to support me in this decision I made. I am so blessed with family and friends who take interest in my life and love me. You ALL are the best! The time came for me to open my call. I could barely hold anything because my hands were shaking like crazy.
As soon as I read the line, “Dear SISTER BOWEN”, I lost it. I cried through the rest of the call. Reading New Mexico, Albuquerque felt right. No one guessed it and everyone expected me to go foreign but something about it felt personal to me. Lots of people came up to me afterwards to congratulate me. My thoughts were all over the place. I didn’t know what to feel really. In my own head I wasn’t disappointed but I knew it wasn’t that “exciting” of a call. I prayed and prayed to feel peace about it and over time the Lord has helped me. These calls are made by prophets who are called by God. Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” I have a testimony of that. I know that Albuquerque, New Mexico is where I need to be. There are people there being prepared to meet me and I am going to be God’s instrument in bringing them closer to Him. The people in Albuquerque deserve the restored gospel just as much as anyone else. I may not know the reason behind why I am only going 8 hours away from home, but I do know that Heavenly Father knows and that I can trust Him. I also know it won’t take me long to learn of the reasons I have been called to this mission. I know that even though I am going to teach others about this wonderful truth I have been blessed to grow up in, I myself will be learning and growing in ways that I couldn’t if I wasn’t going. The experiences I have during the next 18 months will shape me into who Heavenly wants me to be, as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and any other role I take on when I return home. I’ve heard it said that the best and strongest convert you will have on your mission will be yourself, but not if that is your goal. I’m so so so excited to find out what He has in store for me. Stay tuned for that and always trust where Heavenly Father takes you.
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