Patience is a Virtue

This is where we begin.

Greg and I set a goal to submit our mission papers by the end of September 2016. I was so excited, my application was ready the end of May. On Monday September 26, without notice Greg surprised me when he shaved his mustache. Wow! First time I saw Greg without a mustache. I knew it was time for our missionary photo, clean shaven with suit and tie.

Wednesday, October 12, we meet with the Stake President. He signed our mission papers and forwarded them to Salt Lake City (SLC) the following day.

Our bishop watched our status change from “waiting for assignment” to “assigned” He informed us this changed November 11, just one month after the application was filed.

Great news… right? Well, not quite. We sold our house and were moving that day and it was Veterans Day, a holiday. I filed a change of address with the post office. It was one week later when I got my first mail with the yellow forwarding address sticker. But nothing from SLC. Another week passes and still nothing from SLC. I am hopeful the envelope will be forwarded to our new address before Thanksgiving so we could open it as a family. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

Finally, Sunday November 27, Greg calls the mission office to advise them of our address change. He learns the envelope would have been returned before another is sent out. He also learns about our assignment and when we report. I told him don’t tell me, I want to wait until our mission papers arrive. I want the opportunity to open the envelope and be surprised and learn where I’m going like other missionaries before me surrounded by family.

One thing Greg did tell me was “we are not going to Africa.” I guess he wanted to warn me so I wouldn’t be in complete shock. We had anticipated, looked forward to, and put Africa as our first choice on the application. Many people have told us that if you hint you might consider Africa - they will send you to Africa, but we learned that’s just not true.

As of today, we have not received our mission call. It is still out there in the United States post office’s care. The Mission President reached out to Greg via email and they are corresponding. Tuesday, November 29, the missionaries in the mission office in SLC called me probably to congratulate us and give instructions. I promptly advised them we have not received our call, unaware of our assignment, and want to keep it that way until the envelope comes.

What a test of patience! Twenty-seven days, two escrow closings on a house we sold and a house we bought concurrently, two holidays, one mission president, one mission office elder, one travel missionary, and I’m still in suspense!