LUBBOCK TEXAS

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.

I Hope They Call Me On A Mission!

 These past 2 weeks have been an amazing journey for sure. I have come to a decision that has taken a lot of prayer, fasting, and support. My decision was to serve a mission. I'm an a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and I have such a strong testimony that this gospel I'm a part of is the true gospel and that it only can lead to happiness. I was baptized when I was 8, and had my younger siblings sealed to my family & I when I was 12. I've grown up in this religion all my life, and I am so beyond happy with this religion.
  In October 2012 President Thomas S. Monson made an announcement that all worthy 18 year old boys and 19 girls would have the opportunity of serving a mission for our church. It used to be 19 year old boys and 21 one year old girls! When I heard this announcement I was so mad. This meant everyone was going to be leaving and that people were going to expect ME to serve a mission. I made it known to a lot of people that I would NOT be going and had NO intentions of going. I know what you're thinking, but just keep reading.
  Winter semester of my senior year of high school rolled around and all my friends were getting their mission calls. I informed everyone that I would not be going and that I would be here when they got back from their missions. All these girls in my grade were talking about how they were so excited to go on missions and they couldn't wait to work hard and wake up early and work work work. I didn't understand the hype.
  Graduation from high school then came, and I was leaving on a 15 day road trip across the United States with 80 seniors my age. It was a church/American history tour called Origination. On this trip about 90% of the boys had mission calls, and a couple girls had received theirs too. I realized while sitting on this bus that all my friends were going to be leaving in the next month or 2. I asked myself, "should I start praying if I should go?" I starting praying and soon after got my answer. We got to the first testimony meeting of the trip and I got up to share. I immediately knew from that moment that I needed to go. It wasn't anything I said that made me go, it was how I felt sharing what I believe with everyone else. The feeling was so overwhelming.
  As we kept going on this trip I had confirmation after confirmation saying I should go. We stopped at an amusement park on the way there called "Cedar Point". I went on one of the roller coasters at the end of this visit and ended up hurting my ear super bad. The next day when we were in Washington DC I was in immense pain when I woke up that morning. I was talking to my friend at breakfast and asking her what I should do. She insisted I get a blessing, and that it wouldn't hurt to get one. I was being stubborn, but then proceeded to ask Austin Hammond for a blessing. During the blessing I started crying, not because of the pain I was in, but because I got to see 3 young men use their priesthood authority to help me. All 3 young men had their mission calls and were already serving. I knew that this church was undeniably true.
  At the end of the trip we stopped at the Sacred Grove. The place where Joseph Smith had the first vision where Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father told him to not join any of the churches but to restore the gospel. I had 3 chapters left in the Book of Mormon when I got to this grove. I finished the Book of Mormon while sitting on a bench in the middle of the grove while rain fell. I was expecting an answer so strong just to hit me. It didn't. The only thing I felt was calmness. That was all I needed. I then proceeded to get back on the bus, and I told my friend, "I'm going on a mission".
  Fast forward to college and now, I went to submit my papers last Tuesday. But instead of everything going perfectly the Stake President informed me that I had some medical work that had not been reviewed. He said this could take up to 9 weeks for it to be all done. I was crying and felt so sad that I wouldn't be getting my call any time soon. The next morning I woke up to see I had a text from the Stake President. He said my medical forms were clear and that I could submit my papers on Tuesday!
  I am so excited to get my call and to see where I'll be serving. I know wherever I go is where the Lord wants me to go, and where I need to go. I'm so excited to preach to the people and to share MY testimony of this gospel. I can't wait for those hard days out in the field and those trying moments with my companion. I'm so excited to learn and edify my learning of the Book of Mormon. I know this church is true because I wouldn't be leaving friends, sodalicious, and boys if it wasn't. To learn more about what I believe, visit lds.org .