I would like to toast...my mission.

Missionary (noun): someone who leaves their family for a short time so that others can be with their families for eternity.

In case you weren't aware, I am waiting for a mission call.
I was never one of those girls who had always planned on a mission--it wasn't until about a year ago that the thought started squirming around in my mind and it wasn't until a few months ago that I knew it was right for me. But for these past few months that I have known it was right, waiting to finally go has been excruciating. Thank goodness that I'm finally to the point where my papers are ready. I was planning on putting my papers in Sept. 22 because my birthday and availability date are Dec. 22, but my bishop, of course, had to go out of town, resulting in an extra week of waiting before putting the papers in. Perhaps there's a reason for the delay--I don't know. Hopefully they will be put in this week and I will soon know where I will be sharing the Gospel for the next year and a half.
I have to chuckle when I am asked the classic question, "Where do you want to go?!" People, if I simply had a place in mind that I wanted to visit and sight see, a mission is not the way I'd go about it. Sure, I love speaking French and have always wanted to visit Africa, so I'll usually tell people that a Francophone country in Africa would be amazing, but we all know how likely that is. Many assume that a mission in the states isn't as cool, but after giving it a lot of thought, I've been struck by how incredible it would be to teach in your own language to your own people the greatest gift and knowledge you've been given. That hour of language study could be put toward and extra hour of Gospel study. I would have no qualms with that. Needless to say, I am excited to serve a mission, no matter where I go, what language I speak, or when I leave.
So...stay tuned to hear the most exciting news of my freakin' life.