40 Days but who is counting?

May 10, 2014

We are at 40 days…but who is counting? 

The past week has been so very busy.  Each day closes long before we have accomplished what we had hoped!  Excitement is growing and we kind of feel like Joshua when he said: “Give me this mountain.”  Funny how it is….you look at something that is going to take you far from your comfort zone, your family, and your home, but your heart races with anticipation as you approach.  I must say that excitement is still outweighing fear!

On Monday of the past week, our mover who will take all of our things to Mexico backed out.  That’s okay – that’s a church problem!  On Tuesday, we received a call from the missionary department and we needed to make a quick trip to Las Vegas for our Visa’s to Mexico.  We did that on Wednesday.  I have never boarded a plane without taking luggage.  And in fact, I’ve never boarded a plane wearing nylons and high heels either!  Both were firsts for me.  Las Vegas consisted of sitting at the LDS institute at UNLV, filling out papers, and going to the Mexican consulate.  Oh yes, we did stop at Del Taco!  Great memories of Las Vegas! 

Thursday and Friday involved doctors and an MRI for Keith.  He had a fall at home a few weeks ago and tore his rotator cuff.  Too bad he wasn’t skiing or doing something with a better story!  Surgery is scheduled for him on the 20^th.  He gets to add a sling to his mission attire.

And then the week had the “routine” stuff also: 3 language coaches, meetings with the missionary department, packing up the house, and “sort of” refinishing kitchen cabinets.

And to top off an awesome week:  Keith and I will be set apart by Elder Russell Nelson on June 7^th.  We could not have asked for more!  We are so blessed!

We are going on a mission!

April 22, 2014

Going on a mission….this has been a goal that Keith and I have shared for many years.  However, we had no idea what was awaiting us!  When President Eyring (a counselor in the First Presidency of the Church) called Keith to serve as a mission president, and me to serve a 3 year mission as his companion in November, 2013, he told us that Heavenly Father knew many years ago that we would be receiving this call.  He told us that Heavenly Father had been placing opportunities and challenges before us so that we would be ready for this day.  Even those comforting words don’t completely erase our worries about be “up for the job.”

It’s hard to believe that we can do this…but at least we can have faith that our Heavenly Father has faith in us!  After all, this calling would be impossible without Heavenly intervention!

We started this journey over 2 years ago.  We had our first interview with Russell M. Nelson (one of the Church’s 12 apostles) in October, 2011.  We talked about our family, our obligations, and our experiences.   Keith had a dental practice to sell.  I needed to retire from Paradise School District.  We would periodically receive a phone call from Salt Lake City checking on our circumstances.  2013 turned out to be the year.  The dental practice sold and I had retired.  All things pointed towards a mission.

In October 2013, we had our second interview with Elder Nelson.  He told us we would know about a mission call before Thanksgiving.  In the same time frame came the possibility of a surgery that would return me to full mobility.  Our call to serve a mission came in the middle of November.  We were told it would be Spanish speaking but the location had not yet been decided.  We received the location letter the first week of December.  We were sitting in a hotel room in Dallas, Texas.  I was six days out of surgery and already walking better than before surgery.  We knew the Lord’s hand had been in that surgery, guiding that doctor.  We never looked back – we were soon to be off to the Mexico City South East mission.

And so, very soon, we will be off to Mexico City.  We are so excited to meet the Elders and Sisters who await us there.  We know there are currently 168 Elders and 22 Sisters.  This will be our greatest adventure ever!!

This blog will be dedicated to the shared experiences of Mexico City.  I will blog at least once a month while still in the States, with an update on our progress.  Once in Mexico City, I will aim for every week.  Hasta luega.