These last few months I have deserved an "F" on blogging. I've just had so much going on. It was an absolute crazy summer full of a lot of heartache and confusion and drama and at times sadness. But I am happy to say I have come out on top. And, as I'm sure you've all heard by now, I have been called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I will be joining forces with several other missionaries in the Italy Milan mission to spread the happy message of the Restoration of the Gospel. I am so excited. So, as this is my first blog post on the topic, I've decided to go through each step that got me to where I am today and record it here. It's a long post, so I don't expect you to read all of it...just sayin'...
THE DECISION
This was NOT an easy decision for me. The idea of a mission first came to me last spring (of '10) when I was sitting in church with my roommates and I had the idea. I mentioned it to a few people, but as I was just under a year away from turning 21, no serious talk or thought was put in to it. I returned to the idea in the fall of '10 and mentioned it to my parents, but for some reason I couldn't get really excited about it then, and felt there were things I needed to take care of and I needed to go to school for winter semester. My 21st birthday passed, I started dating someone and lost all thought of the mission for a few months. A few weeks after that relationship ended, I felt extremely confused about what step I should take next. I had had a few professors talk to me about applying for grad school and beginning in the fall. I was excited about the idea, but something about it didn't feel right. The same went for trying to find an internship in New York City, and then a humanitarian trip to India that I had planned for in July and even started raising money for. Nothing felt right. I had no idea what I needed to do or even what I wanted to do. My confusion must have been obvious to my parents, because one night we sat down and talked about what I was doing with my life, and they brought up the idea of a mission again. After lots of prayer and a couple of visits to the temple, I knew that it was a good idea and I needed to really start considering it again. I started my papers and they were done within a week. However, I was still unsure about life and, to be honest, quite afraid of the idea of a mission. I didn't feel like I was ready and prepared for such a huge step. But after two months of worrying and stressing and avoiding talking about it with anyone, my bishop pulled me into his office and we had a nice chat. He said exactly everything that I needed to hear, and I knew without a doubt that I needed to just take the leap of faith and I would receive the help I needed as I went. The next week, my papers were submitted to my bishop, and the INSTANT I pressed "submit," relief washed over me. I felt so incredibly calm and knew without doubt in my mind I had just done the right thing. The week after that I had my stake president interview and my papers were submitted to the mission department.
THE CALL
10 days after my stake president interview, I was at work stamping out cakebites at about 3:40 when my mama sent me a text with a picture of a big white envelope with a caption that said something like "look what came today." It was a Friday. I wasn't expecting the call until the next Wednesday, so you can imagine my surprise. My parents had been concerned about being gone when my call came, as they were leaving for Europe the following Tuesday. We had been praying all week that there would be a way we could get my call before they left, because I wanted them there and they wanted to be there when I opened it. My mom remembered she had a friend that worked in the church office building and had asked if there was anything she could do. She said there wasn't, because the calls were issued on Friday and they wouldn't be printed out until at least Tuesday morning. My parents thought of every possible thing they could have done, and even started thinking about postponing their trip, which we didn't want to do because it would have cost a pretty penny. My brother showed my mom how to work skype so they could at least see me do it. We kept praying. Friday morning, my mom received a call from her friend at the church office building. She said she remembered she had a friend that worked in the office of the First Presidency. She had contacted her and told her the situation. Her friend informed her that they were issuing the calls at that moment and she would see what she could do. My mom got a call just a little while after and was told she could come pick up the call at the office building right then. The call had been sitting in the office of the First Presidency. About an hour later, the call was in my mom's hands. Tender mercy. It wasn't until a few hours later that I got the text. My mom knew that if I knew the call was at my house, work would NOT have been a possibility. And she was right. Within 20 minutes of getting the picture text, I had set things up at work so they could finish everything without me, I cruised home, had texted my friends and family that I had my call and would be opening it at 5:30. The family and friends came, made their guesses on the "where in the world" board, and enjoyed Sweet Tooth Fairy treats while we waited for all necessary family members to be there.
I was so nervous. It felt surreal. This big white envelope I was holding in my hands couldn't be what it really was. I kept thinking "I'm really doing this. No turning back now." The excitement was also building up inside me. I thought FOR SURE I was going to go stateside, and I kept saying that as I twirled the envelope over and over in my hands, because let's face it, I wanted to go foreign, and I knew if I got my hopes up, I would feel disappointed for even just a moment. I didn't want that. And besides, everyone I knew had gotten a stateside call. Which is great! But you know me, I like the world outside of the good ole United States. And I wanted the challenge of learning a foreign language and adapting to a foreign culture. So there I was, sitting on the fireplace, waiting for Uncle Jim. The second he walked in, I started ripping the envelope open. I opened it, flipped it around, and covered the letter with the booklet so I couldn't see where I was going before everyone else. I started reading "Dear Sister Forbes," and had to stop for a second. This is real! "You have been called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." Whoa! Oddly powerful. "You are assigned to labor (the booklet slipped and I saw the Italy part...JOY) in the Italy Milan mission." NO FREAKING WAY was the first thing that went through my mind. Italy. ITALY. I'm in LOVE with Italy. The second thing that went through my mind was "Will and Anna." Two friends who just returned in the last couple of months from the exact mission. Crazy!
I was so overwhelmed with joy and excitement, as was my family. My mother quickly rushed up to hug me. I think she may have been even more excited than me... if that was even possible. Italy Milan. I depart November 16 for the Provo MTC.
THE PREPARATION
So far the preparation has been pretty slow, as I was working full time and haven't had much time to do everything I need to do. I've been shopping and I think I have all the clothes I'll need (thank goodness they now encourage sister missionaries to look GOOD...ha). I have most of the books I'll need. I've been reading Preach my Gospel, trying to get really familiar with it. I go through the temple next week. I'm trying to gradually wean myself off of facebook, hip hop music, and my phone. And I've received a letter from my mission president in Milan. I get more and more excited as I go. But the time is flying by SO fast and I'm feeling more pressed for time every day. I'm realizing how hard it is going to be to say goodbye to my close friends and family. I have had my first real goodbyes this week (had to say goodbye to my dear friend Patrick who I won't see again until I come back, as well as my brother-in-law). Tomorrow morning I'll have to bid farewell to one of my dear sisters and her two kids. And then next Tuesday to another sister, her husband, and their three kids. It's rough, to say the least. I know we'll still be able to talk on the phone until I leave, but not seeing each other in person for at least 19 months will be rough. Good thing I know what I'm doing is the absolute right thing. Hopefully that will make it easier... I hope...haha. Once I return home from the midwest next week, we'll be really trying to hit the preparation hard. I have a lot to do to get ready for this great call.
THE MISSION
The Italy Milan mission covers all of Northern Italy, the italian part of Switzerland, and spreads south into Tuscany. There are four stakes and two districts within my mission. I will be joining the ranks of approximately 150 missionaries in the Milan mission. I have been reminded that I will be joining the important work of not only sharing the message of the restored gospel, but preparing the Italian people for the temple that will be arriving in Rome in the future. What a great responsibility! I can't wait to get started on this great and important work I have been called to participate in. It is sure to be the greatest experience of my life.
