The call has arrived!

It's been a while again and I have no excuse. There were at least three times where I could have posted something up but I didn't because I didn't know what to write. I didn't really feel inspired to share anything so I didn't, which is a shame because I could have tried harder.

In any case I'm back to the routine of getting up at 6am to pray and read my scriptures. It really is the best time of the day to do it because everything is extremely quiet and you can really concentrate on what you are doing. I've been really enjoying my studying. I've been reading the Book Of Mormon ahead of my class because I really want to learn about the great people in it and figure out their stories so I can note them down for future reference on my mission. It is so remarkable that all of them are so humble and righteous and you can really see their personalities by the way they write. My Preach My Gospel is still pretty empty though so I have to work on that.

Mission Preparation class has been really good. All of the return missionaries are great teachers. We do a lot of role plays and I love hearing about their experiences. I prepared and taught a lesson with my friend Jenna as my companion and we really did a good job. It felt pretty good to only have a little preparation time but because of our simple notes we were able to really teach the lesson with the help of the Spirit rather than just reading.

Now onto my mission call. About a week after my meeting with bishop I had my meeting with the Stake President. The interview was very quick and similar to the Bishops, which was good and I was happily not intimidated by President Simpson because he has this aura of sternness which is a big facade. After that the Stake President sent my paperwork off to New Zealand for the Area Presidency to look at, which was then transferred over to Utah for the Apostles and then the Prophet to agree on my destination. Just on five weeks later (yesterday) I got the express post letter.

The miraculous thing was the way it got to my doorstep. Friday last week was horrible. I thought it had come because Bishop told me two weeks before at conference that it had been decided and the call letter sent. So I was really disappointed and focused completely on the scriptures and read conference talks to occupy my time. Then yesterday in the middle of the day there was a knock at the door. It was a man of pacific islander background and he was holding two damaged envelopes. One was small, a bill for my mother and the other was my white and yellow, large Express Post envelope. When I saw it I was stunned. He told me that he had found it on the road and thought he should deliver it. I thanked him profusely telling him that I had been waiting for this for quite a while and he said it was alright and he left. I looked at the envelop. There was a tyre mark in the top corner and all the outside was covered with indentations of gravel from the road. Needless to say a car had run over it and possible some people had walked over it. It must have fallen out of the Australia Post bike.

I took it upstairs and showed it to Mum and Natalie. Mum said I should open it and I really felt like I wanted to, but I decided to stick to my plan. I got everything ready, bought a cake, and got Uncle David and his family around for the opening. Once everyone was settled in the lounge room I started opening it mid conversations. The letter and booklet were slightly damaged with gravel marks all over it. My friend Nancy said when she saw the letter she saw her location right away because it was so obvious on the page. I wanted it to be a surprise so I started from the beginning and read it. I stopped reading right after the location. I'm going to the New Zealand, Auckland Mission.

I had not really thought about New Zealand at all. I knew Jenna's good friend Josh was going in July but even with his announcement I never thought I would be going there. Immediately there was a little disappointment I wasn't going to Japan and Europe, but as I thought about it more I was excited. The Lord obviously needs me there for a reason. Although I may not have family there or ancestors from the country, it is obvious that there is someone there I need to talk to. It is a beautiful country, my only problem is that I'm going to spend two winters there and I am very bad with the cold. I'm also excited to meet the people because I've heard they are very spiritual.

I leave on my little brother Max's 5th birthday, the 5th of July, 2012. Two months and there is still so much for me to do. I can't wait to hear a response from my friend Sister Nancy Alfaro who is now in her mission in Texas.

I love the gospel and can't wait to start my new journey in New Zealand.

~ Sister H. Phillips