The Call to Serve

I think that a lot of people would agree that during the waiting of your call to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the longest and most difficult wait of your life!!

When I finally received my call I was in the car with my mom. When she pulled it out of the mailbox she was screaming all the way up our drive way and all the way into our house! Not gonna lie I was freaking out a little too… okay A LOT!! This was the biggest moment of my life. I was about to find out where I would be serving for the next 18 months of my life. People of course made guesses as to where I would go but for me I couldn’t make a guess. I honestly had no idea!! 

But of course I got my call while my Dad was still in Alaska!! I couldn’t possibly open it up without my Dad there, no matter how much my Mom begged me! I decided I would wait till midnight when my Dad got home. What was I going to do to get my mind off opening my call? I was driving myself crazy!! So I left my call at my house while I went out for the rest of the day. But, Oh no! I had made a mistake. I had left my call just out in the open unprotected on the kitchen table. How foolish of me! As I walked back into my house my mom came up to me and said, “I am so sorry Devyn I couldn’t help it, I had to know where you were going. You are going to Germany!!” My heart immediately sank… that was my call… I was supposed to open it. Then I looked over and saw my call unopened on the table!! It was still alive and untouched!! YES. My Mom was just teasing me. I think if that really happened I would have died of sadness.

And so the Wait continued! My dad finally got home. Everyone was tired and cranky but they all stayed up to share this special moment with me. I sat in the big comfy chair slowly opening my call with my beautiful family surrounding me. What a wonderful moment! As I pulled out my call my eyes went to directly where I was going… I was in shock!! I was pinching myself cause I didn’t know what to do. I slowly said I’m going to Brazil. Then finally snapped out of it and read the letter out loud to my family

Dear Sister Phillips,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Sao Paulo Interlagos Mission..

I will report July 17, 2013 and be speaking the Portuguese language. Considering it was only February when I opened me call! I’m definitely going to have a long wait… 5 months! But, more time for preparation, I am really grateful for that.

I know this is where my Father in Heaven needs me to be. I know I was meant to share the gospel with the people of Sao Paulo Brazil. This may sound crazy but I already have such a strong love for the people in Brazil and for the place I will be serving. I can’t wait to get out and serve all ready!