I have never felt so blessed or felt like My Father in Heaven is so near and aiding me in every step as I prepare for my mission! Every single day I have witnessed seemingly small miracles from the Lord, and it makes me feel so comforted to know that even though I feel like my family is not always on the supportive side that I have my Heavenly parents' support and that they are helping me to prepare. I know that the Lord is using so many of his servants here on the Earth to help me as well, so many friends, "adopted family", and even my real family, have extended a helping hand to me in the last few months.
1. The Hofeling Family. Most people know that I consider them my "Mormon Family", since I have looked up to Bro. Hofeling as a kind of Mormon father figure since I joined the church and had him as an institute teacher. This family has been such a blessing for me! They have always been willing to help me with anything, usually just answering the million questions about various church related topics and an occasional delicious Sister Hofeling dinner :) I am even more grateful than usual for them for the time they took to prepare me for going to the temple for my endowment. A few days before I went through on Aug. 4th The Hofelings sat down with me and talked about the temple, read scriptures, and answered the questions I had that were okay to discuss outside the temple. Then on Aug. 4th Sister Hofeling was my escort as I went through for my endowment and both of them were on either side of me during my session. They really have been like a second family to me and I know that having them with me for my endowment was a huge comfort to me, since making such a huge step of faith without the support of my real family was somewhat disheartening.
2. The King Family. Corey King is a manager at my work and I met his family after I started baby-sitting their awesome kiddos. They also were there for my endowment and were also a huge blessing of added comfort and support. Lately they have been such a huge help in preparing for my mission! I recently went to their home for a delicious sunday dinner and Corey and I went through his mission stuff and talked about his experiences, and it was so nice to have someone to in a way pass down their knowledge and experiences in serving a full-time mission. I think most missionaries have a parent to coach them as they prepare to serve, and since I obviously don't have that, I feel like the King family has filled that void and has contributed so much to making sure I am a successful missionary. Last week they did the nicest thing ever! I had to fight back the tears while in the backroom at my work when Corey handed me a bag from him and his wife that contained a brand spanking new set of scriptures (beautiful triple combo and bible in maroon with my name on them), a scripture case, and a journal (and exactly the kind I wanted with the 3-ring binder style). I felt so loved and supported and I am just so grateful for them! They even had their kids draw me some pictures! Caleb drew my rocket ship that I told them I fly to their house, eliza drew an abstract piece (aka scribbles, she is only like a year and a half old), travis drew a car, and westley drew a picture of me teaching a cowboy on my mission :). AND since the Kings are moving to Utah in Oct. they have also offered to pick me up from the airport in Salt Lake and take me to the MTC! I am so grateful for them and love them so much!
3. My Mommy. Although she is kind of on the fence concerning my membership in the church, she has been relatively supportive of my decision to serve a mission. When I got my call she said, "Why couldn't you go to Maine? I really want to go there on vacation!" After some careful explaining that she can't come find me during my mission she said, "So...are you happy about Texas?" and I said that of course I was, and she said, "Well, if you are excited than so am I, WOOOOO!" (while jumping up and down). My mom is the best. Even though she doesn't understand why I would want to pay to go get doors slammed in my face for a year and a half she is supportive of me and knows that I am making good choices for myself. Last month she called me, while I was at Marshall's looking at the luggage, and said, "I was just at Last Chance and saw this awesome Swiss luggage set and bought it for you! This guy tried to fight me for them but I got them!" She got me the nicest luggage! And it is all exactly within the requirements of what I can bring on my mission! Then last week my mom, my sister and I went to Last Chance and we all tried on coats together and picked one out to bring on my mission (it is SO nice, long black Calvin Klein winter coat for only 40 bones!). They were so much fun! My mom was trying on snake skin coats and Alli tried on some neon yellow one, and we were all laughing and having fun, while doing something that was related to my mission, which is weird since usually Alli has a really bad attitude about me leaving. While at Last Chance my mom also found me some PERFECT missionary shoes! They are black Kenneth Cole shoes with a legit sole for walking and they aren't ugly! They are actually quite trendy! And they were only 30 bucks! YAY! And to top it all off, when we got to the register, my mom took my stuff from me and said she would buy it as a mission present :) She really is the best, and I know that I chose her to be my mother in the pre-mortal world and that she is the perfect mother for me and that she will always be a great example to me of a mother, regardless of whether she joins the church or not...but hopefully she does.
I am so grateful, and so excited!!! I can't believe how fast time is flying by! I have so much more to do and a whole new wardrobe of frumpy clothes to buy!
adios mi amigos,
Hermana Taets
