Dear Sister Neilson,
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Texas, Lubbock mission. You will report to the Provo MTC on October 26th. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language.
These were the words I read on Sunday night as I opened up my mission call. I was NOT expecting Texas at all, but never thought it would be so fitting. I knew that's where I needed to be. Also, I'm so excited to preach the gospel in the Spanish language! I know some from high school and just speaking it with friends, so I'm excited to further develop my language skills. I love this gospel so much and I can't wait to share it with the people of Texas!!!
Something cool that happened like 2 nights before I opened my call was really interesting. Friday night (the day I had gotten my call in the mail) I had a dream that I was going to get called to the Oklahoma/ Texas area Spanish speaking. I didn't really think much of it, but just thought it was funny. When I opened my call and then saw the mission map, I knew that's what my dream was. I couldn't even begin to describe that feeling. It just solidified that Lubbock is where I need to be!
I've already met a couple people going to my mission, and I think I know about 1-2 people already there. I've talked with RM's and they say that there's less than 10 hermanas (sisters) in the ENTIRE mission. This mission is the biggest in the United States. So no pressure, just got to teach all those Spanish people down there in the south! I will be biking on Thursdays, and will have a car on all the other days of the week. My mission goes from the bottom of Colorado, to the middle of New Mexico, to the border of MEXICO, to the left of Oklahoma. It's HUGE! My mission borders my best friend's mission (Quincy). So I thought that was pretty cool! Also, most of my mission is just fields and fields and farms. The city population of Lubbock is 220,000, and the county has about 280,000 residents total. In Orange County (where I grew up) the population is 3.1 million residents. So it will be quite a change!
I know this gospel is true and I can't wait to serve in Texas and New Mexico. I am so happy and thrilled to be going there, and I can't wait to meet all the people there and my future companions. I have loved every minute of this process and know that this is the true church and that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is true because I've read it myself and can testify of its power.
