Our Call From the Lord

Getting ready to go on a mission has been a busy and interesting experience.  We started the process months ago with the idea in our heads that we would fill out our papers, wait a few weeks and would soon be opening a mission call!  WRONG!!!  The paper work was the easy part.  It was gathering all the medical info that older couples have built over the years that took most of the time but it did get submitted and the wait began.

Wednesday, Dec. 21, we finally received our call.  Actually, Ken went down to the post office and picked it up.  Then, we waited all day wondering what was in it.  It is kind of funny how you don't dare think about where you might go.  We did not "ask" for a specific place as many told us we should.  We wanted to go where the Lord really wanted us to go and there is not a place on the whole application that says anything about "please tell us where you want to go" although many who have never filled out papers insisted there is.  We both had thoughts about what might be "ideal" like Hawaii or Tahiti or New Zealand I'm sure.  Then your head gets running with ideas about what you would really not be thrilled to do, places that are too cold or too hot or too remote etc. Then you start to get ideas of where you wouldn't dare possibly think you could go like Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand. LOL! It's a little bizarre the thoughts going through your head.

We called our family and set up a time to meet either in person or by Video Phone.  We didn't invite the whole world because we wanted this to be a family thing.  When I opened the envelope, it seemed like an awful lot of papers came out but somehow Ken grabbed the right one.  As he caught a look at only where we were called, he sank back in the chair, said "Oh wow!" and began to cry while the rest of us were saying, "Where, where?"  I can't remember if it was me or him that said, "New Zealand Wellington Mission."  I was so excited because it was one of those places I didn't dare think of.

We had both decided independently that it didn't really matter where we went but to have it be some place we both had dreamed of going was almost beyond belief.  Sometimes when you put it in the hands of the Lord, He really does surprise you with something sooooo amazing that you didn't dare to dream.  I sure hope we live up to His trust in us and our dreams.  We really do want to be good and faithful, profitable servants.  I can't wait to become a "kiwi" and start working in a beautiful place with more of God's wonderful family.