birthday!

HLJ all the way. I'm going to miss this place like nobody's business.

 Today is my birthday! Yay. I've been lucky to have two p-day birthdays! It helps it actually feel like a birthday. Man. I love my birthday. I woke up an extra 20 minutes early today because I was so excited that I was able to open my package and everything else. You wouldn't know I was turning a whopping 24 years old. Sheesh. Mid-twenties. I'm over the freak-out stage about that though.

 

We had plans to go to the Shatto milk dairy. I know, nothing says 24 like a good ol' milk farm. But unfortunately the place was booked up with school tours. Lame. So instead we went to Kansas City. The Brenchley's, who are the directors of the VC and the Stevensons, one of my fave senior couples joined us and the other sisters. It was the best impromptu birthday... and Sister Brenchley's birthday is tomorrow! Fun, fun, fun. We stopped by the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art and it was closed. Lame. But they gave us a really cool free photo book. Then we went to the Hallmark Museum and they gave us a free gift too! The best! 

Sister Harding and I at the Nelson Atkins Museum

 I can't believe I have spent my entire 23rd year in the service of the Lord. It feels like a dream the time has gone by so quickly. I have loved every minute of it and I am so grateful for this time in my life. I count myself lucky to have had two birthdays on a mission!

 

Transfer calls come tonight. Bah. Stressful, but not as stressful as normal. I've been feeling for awhile that I'd be transferred, and train a new missionary, and go full-pros, and open a new area. I don't know where I'm going... I'll find that out tonight, but I do know that all of those premonitions are going to come true. Whoohoo! Adventure time. On Friday I got the training call and the assistant was like, "Sister Call, I'm not even going to pretend like you are being called to be a potential trainer, because you aren't, you are going to be a trainer. For sure. It's happening." Then during the trainers meeting President Keyes was like "Yeah, some sisters at the Visitors' Centers have crazy schedules. Sister Call here has served her entire mission at the Visitors' Centers and knows lots about that, and now she will be going full pros for the last two transfers of her mission and she won't even know what to do with herself and all this free time. She'll probably be feeling like a brand new missionary." True story President. I was really grateful for the confirmation that I will indeed be leaving. I was able to give everyone a heads up on Sunday and then tonight I'll find out for sure all the details.

So here we go onto the next adventure. I'm really going to miss this place. Really, really going to miss this place. I love my area. I love going to church right by the temple. Most of all I love serving at the Liberty Jail. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve here. I have gained such a strong testimony of trials and adversity. I'll be able to put all my knowledge to action in these next two transfers. I have a feeling its going to be a bit of a learning curve and probably pretty hard. I'm used to being surrounded by missionaries and people-- I've lived in a house with 8 girls for over a year now. So that will be new if it is just my companion and I. But I am grateful. I feel like I'll be pushed out of my comfort zone and really be forced to rely on the Lord. That is where real growth takes place. I am excited.

In other REALLY exciting news J.R. and Sherry and Emily are planning to be baptized December 7th. I AM SO EXCITED! They are seriously the best. They are also planning on getting married sometime before their baptism. They are so excited about that too and mostly for the chance to change and learn and grow. Holy moly. I can't believe how awesome they are. I am bummed I have to leave before all the wedding planning happens, but I'll be able to come back for all of it. Hopefully. 

So all in all I just feel really really grateful. I've said really a lot in this email. I suppose I just feel like I need to add that because I am just really excited and full of emotion about everything right now. I honestly feel like I am starting this amped up version of missionary finals week in these next two transfers. I will get to put all of my training, all of my studies, everything that I have become into helping my next area grow and helping this new missionary become an effective instrument in the hands of the Lord. I am grateful for this chance to give everything that I have. I can't even express how grateful I am for the opportunity that I have had to have served a mission. If you were to have asked me when I was 12, 16, 19, 21, where I would be at age 24... serving a mission in Independence Missouri would have been far beyond my thought process.  I am so grateful that the Lord intervened and led me down this path. The growth I have experienced in this past year has been immeasurable. So here on my 24th birthday I want to express my gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father that knows me better than I know myself. My mission has been perfect for me. Perfectly tailor made for all that I needed to learn and experience, it really amazes me at times. I am grateful for His influence in my life, and the opportunity that I have had to share that influence in the lives of others. I am grateful for his Son, Jesus Christ, who has made all this growth possible through his atonement. I am grateful for this time that I have had to serve them, and for the one on one training that I have received on how to be a profitable servant for the rest of my life. I know this is truly Jesus Christ's church. His gospel changes lives. It has changed mine. So here's to two more transfers and another great year!

Look at this dead bunny. Just kidding. It's alive. I'm seriously obsessed with this thing. It's the best bunny in the world