You are assigned to labor in the...

“Dear Sister Hargrove:

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 São Paulo South Mission…

You should report to the Brazil Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, April 24, 2013. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Portuguese language…”

Best. Day. EVER.

So, my mission call finally arrived today. And I will be serving the good people of Brazil! Who would have thought?! I am so, so, SO excited for this. I know that this is exactly where God needs me. Brazil. 

Here’s the video of me opening my mission call. Enjoy!

Mission Call arrival prediction.

I predict that my mission papers will arrive this Thursday, December 20. It has been exactly two weeks since I turned my mission papers in, so now, I’m just playing the waiting game until they get here. I’ll probably camp out by my mailbox on Wednesday night. Also, in the past week, I have moved back to my hometown of Cathlamet, WA, so I’ve been busy… but all I can think about is that letter in the mail! The anticipation is killing me! I’ve made a map and a Facebook group containing all of the guesses as to where I will be getting my call to. So far the United States, Germany, and the Philippines are trending. We’ll see!

My mission papers are turned in. Huzzah!

On Sunday, December 2, 2012, I turned in my mission papers. President Lee, my Stake President, told me that it usually takes about two weeks to have a decision made, and then almost a week for them to send it out. So if that is true, then I should be receiving my mission call on December 27. So, now it’s just a waiting game. Good grief. I’m so anxious, it’s not even funny! In the mean time I’ll be spending the next two weeks working like crazy, registering for classes, and moving back to our house in Cathlamet. Good times.

One more step towards paper completion.

So, today, I had my meeting with the Halls Lake YSA Ward Bishop. He was fantastic and I can officially say, “I’ve started my mission papers!” I met with him a little earlier than planned, about 3:00 PM. Mostly because I was so nervous and excited that I got to the church 45 minutes early. But, it all worked out. He asked me questions about my mission preparations, my testimony, my conversion, my parents, even my roommates back at school! All I have to do now is transfer my records and then he can help me continue the mission process.

I work two jobs.

So, since I am working two jobs right now, about 50 hours per week, I wasn’t able to meet with my bishop on Tuesday. Instead, I will be meeting with my bishop on Sunday at 3:30. I am excited and nervous and nervous and anxious and I can’t wait until Sunday! AHH!

My decision to serve.

This is me. Nicole Michelle Hargrove. This photo was taken on October 6, 2012, and one of the most profound days in my life thus far. Today is the day that Latter-day Saint Prophet, Thomas S. Monson announced that the ages that LDS missionaries can enter the mission field has changed. Let me tell you my story…

I had planned to sleep in today. It was one of the only mornings that I had had off in a while and I was excited to catch up on my Zzz’s before work tonight. At around 9:00 AM, my mom came into my room and said, “Nicole! You better wake up! Sister Bingham just texted me and told me they changed the missionary age at General Conference this morning!” Immediately, I was wide awake and reaching for my laptop. This is when the waterworks began. All of the sudden I was ugly crying and searching frantically for the video of General Conference. Here is what he said: “…Today, I am pleased to announce, that able, young women, with the desire to serve, may be recommended for missionary service, beginning at age 19, instead of age 21.” (Here’s the link if you want to watch it.) Just writing about it makes me teary!

I have never been so effected by a single sentence in my entire life. This may sound a little selfish, but I feel like this revision was made specifically for me! The timing could not have been anymore perfect. For the past year or so, I have, unknowingly, been preparing for this! From my wisdom teeth and passport, to my social life and higher education, I have been preparing to serve a mission a little earlier than I thought!

So, to start things off, I Facebooked my Bishop’s wife today, and set up an appointment to begin my mission papers and I am ECSTATIC!