I'm feeling better about my call to Kirtland now. Spending a month out of the country really helped a lot. I've come to terms with it and am just feeling better overall, although I can definitely improve. It's REALLY entertaining to see people's reaction to it...highly entertaining! It ranges from people genuinely excited for me and think Kirtland is the most amazing place, to people who are trying to make Ohio sound fantastic, but you know they're faking it. hehe Adapting the famous words of Rachel F. B: It's okay, you don't need to pretend Ohio is a cool place, because I totally know it's not. haha. (again, not that I won't love it, just sometimes you need to make jokes, ya know?) And then there are the people who react like the elderly temple worker at Palmyra, who gets a gold star for awesome response to my call: "tough break, but I guess someone's got to go there." hahaha yesss. Thank you Bro. Cusolito!
It's been funny to look back to this entire mission process/preparation. From the end of December when I started my mission papers, everything has not gone the way that I had anticipated, or the way it goes for most people. Yes, everything. (minus going to the temple. the only thing that has gone without a glitch). This goes from waiting almost a month for my call, to having the sister missionaries transferred out of my area the week I came home from Ghana so I couldn't go on splits with them. Plus the very obvious reassignment. When I got the letter from the MTC that said we could not go to the temple because the one in Provo would be closed from the day I enter the MTC until the day I leave, I could only laugh. When my mom said that was ironic, all I could say is that it wasn't ironic, because with irony you don't see it coming. hehe. But hey, I like these trials. It's the only way to grow, right? Plus, it forces you to find the positive things! For instance, when your call is switched, it's remarkably easy to re-write an acceptance letter! I refrained from taking my original letter, crossing out San Diego and putting Cleveland, but hey, copy and paste is pretty darn easy too! :)
that's right. word for word :)
As for other mission stuff, I report two weeks from today, and so far I'm feeling okay with the preparations. I've bought most of the stuff that I need. There are some more things I need to get, and I really should look at all my clothes and make sure I have real outfits, but I'm not stressing out. My stake president told me that I should spend this time cultivating relationships that I want to last throughout my mission and long after, so that's what I'm doing. Spending most of my time with my family and my friends.
Along those lines, let me introduce Abigail! Abby has been my best friend since we were in 6th grade and both super short. I've grown, she hasn't ;) just kidding. Abby's birthday was in May while I was in Ghana, so for her birthday I bought her a Ghanaian dress and we decided to sport those dresses on a night out on the town! Only....we went for lunch...which would make it more of an afternoon. You know, we live quite the party life. We took our daily hour long walk in the morning and then got all dolled up to head up to Saratoga, where we were going to Wheatfield's for lunch. I know. We're classy.
Just because I started curling my hair 45 minutes before her and we finished at the same time doesn't mean ANYTHING! sigh. the curse of thick hair.
We had a lot of fun at lunch, then walked up and down Broadway going into various (ridiculously expensive) boutiques, shopping for mission shoes (an epic failure), trying on classic Saratoga hats (a "must" when in town) and getting hot chocolate from Uncommon Grounds to warm us up in the FREEZING rain.on that note, WHAT THE HECK NEW YORK?! Do you not realize that it is JUNE?! It's supposed to be warm. Not 40 something and raining. Some of us only brought two pairs of pants home, and would really like to wear something else! kthanksbye.
