BETTER THAN A HOGWARTS LETTER

I am a huge fan of Harry Potter, and my whole life I have secretly hoped that I will find out that Hogwarts does exist and that I'm really a witch. Unfortunately, I'm almost 19 and my chances of receiving a Hogwarts letter are pretty much zero. BUT two weeks ago, on Saturday, January 31, 2015, I received something even better than a Hogwarts letter. It was a letter from the church offices with my mission call!!! This experience has been incredible and has changed my life and I would love to share it with all of you. I mean, if it's better than Harry Potter it's definitely worth sharing, right?

About a month before my call arrived, I ordered two maps on Amazon; one of the world and one of the United States. I let all of my friends and family members have a foreign guess and an in-state guess of where I would serve, and then I added the guesses to my maps.

I used small, colorful sticky notes to post the guesses, writing both the person's name and their guess. I found tape also helped them stick to the paper better.

Once, my mission papers were submitted, it was absolute torture waiting for my call!!! I didn't want anyone to ever talk about missions because that only made me think about how much I wanted my call to come. I had written for the call to be sent to my home in Twin Falls, Idaho, and then my family would come and open my call with me in Provo. After what felt like an eternity, it finally arrived 12 days after I submitted my papers. I was so excited to check my phone on the way to the gym on Friday and see a picture of my smiling parents WITH MY MISSION CALL in their hands!!!

Well after I knew my call had arrived, the plans were made for my family to make the four-hour drive to Provo the following day. I have heard many different stories of how missionaries have opened their calls. Some wanted to open it with family and close friends. Others drove to the temple or hiked up a mountain to open it alone and be with God. Others couldn't wait another minute and ripped it open as soon as it touched their hands. I am a total people person and I love to feel the support of my friends and family. So naturally I wanted as many people there as possible. I reserved the multipurpose room of my apartment complex and advertised all over Facebook and through text messaging. I was so excited when about 20-30 people showed up the next day!!! I felt so loved!!! If you are about to receive a mission call, make sure you open it the way YOU want to, no matter what anybody else says. If you would rather be alone, then that is how it should happen. If you want to be with friends, that will be an amazing experience too.

I had been preparing to receive my call by praying whenever I got the chance that I would be able to feel the spirit and that I would be excited about the place I was assigned to. As much as I tried to be open to wherever the Lord called me, I really really wanted to be called foreign. I was honestly so terrified that if I got called somewhere in the states I wouldn't feel the same excitement. So I prayed about it daily and read my scriptures and my patriarchal blessing. I also fasted the day of the opening of my call and wrote in my journal about my feelings before and after. Before I continue any further with my story, I want you to know that God truly knows us individually. He knows what we need. He knows where I need to be, where I will grow the most and will be able to influence others the most. No matter where you are called on a mission (or even if you choose not to serve a mission), God knows. Even if the path seems hard or uncertain, believe in him and push forward with everything you've got, and you will always have him by your side.

So.......the moment had arrived! I was so blessed to have my friends and family with me, and I even got to skype a close friend from Indiana. I was so very nervous that I was shaking. And now I will bring to you a video of me opening my mission call.

And after you have watched the video, here is a digital version of my call:

"Dear Sister Mix,

You have been called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Ecuador Quito Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You will report to the Colombia MTC on June 17, 2015. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language."

You guys, I am so so blessed. I love this gospel and I love the Lord and I already love the people of Quito, Ecuador. I know that this is where I am meant to serve and that if I prepare myself I can become an instrument in God's hands.

#mission #letter #called #serve #Ecuador #sister