Holy Guacamole

Pretty much sums it up.

Every few minutes, I think, "Holy guacamole, I am going to Peru in a week."  or "Dang Gina! In a week from this very moment, I will be in a different hemisphere."  or "I should probably eat all of the American food I can, because in 157 hours I will only get to eat guinea pig for 18 months."

And to top off my excitement level for the past two days, I got my mission travel plans yesterday!  I was walking outside to take a missionary letter out to the mail, and a FedEx envelope was under my doormat. Totally didn't realize what it was until I was halfway down the front walkway. I flipped and ran back up to my house to open it with my mom.

I am going straight to Peru!! Not Provo!!  I am leaving on the morning of September 11th from OKC to Atlanta.  Then I am supposed to meet up with other missionaries in Atlanta and fly from there to Lima.  I am pretty sure my Visa hasn't gone through yet, because my paperwork says that I'll be entering Peru as a tourist..and there wasn't a Visa included in my travel packet.  Hopefully it goes through soonish so I am not deported.

Things are getting real.

  

Single Digits and Miracles

First of all, can we please just take a few minutes to acknowledge that I am finally in the single digits of my mission count down? 9 days, people!  NINE!  Hallelujah!  I feel like I have been waiting forever!  I'm pretty sure the last 22 days have been the longest days of my life.  But I have finally made it into the single digits, and I am one happy girl.

Next I want to share a little miracle that has been happening in my life.  It started about a month ago when the missionaries texted me to ask me to meet them for an appointment.  I drove to the address that they gave me and rang the doorbell.  A Hispanic woman opened the door and started talking to me in Spanish.  Haha the missionaries were so excited that they found a Spanish speaking investigator for me.  I was able to return with them a couple times to teach this sweet lady.  I didn't spend much time with her, but over the next couple weeks I grew to love her so, so much.  She is an absolutely incredible woman and the light of Christ shines from her.  She has such a strong spirit.  I am beginning to understand what missionaries mean when they say they love the people they teach.

She agreed to come to Church this week, and I was praying that she would feel the Spirit and have a desire to return.  It was Fast and Testimony Meeting, and she sat with me and my family.  The Spirit was so, so strong.  Tears were running down her cheeks.  I know that Heavenly Father inspired certain individuals to say things that would touch her heart, and testify to her that the Church is true.  It was an amazing experience.  As I was sitting next to her, I realized that another of my prayers had been answered.  I had also been praying that my testimony could be strengthened, because lately I have been feeling a little bogged down with all of the things that I have to do before I leave on my mission, that I sometimes forget why I am going on a mission.  This testimony meeting reminded me of the why.

This experience strengthened my testimony so much, and made me even more excited to serve. (If that's even possible.)  I love this Church and I know that God loves each of His children and does answer prayers.