The Importance of Being Lauren

I have never written down this experience before but I feel like it is time for me to accept the facts so I can move on. In 2014 I was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was assigned to labor in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission for a period of 18 months. I was asked to learn Spanish in 6 weeks through an intensive training course in Mexico City. At first I thought it was funny. I had literally prayed the week before that I could go somewhere cold because I was tired of the Houston heat. When filling out the preferences with my Bishop I clearly put that I was not interested in learning a language. I had just failed college Spanish and I knew that there was no way I would be able to learn a new language. So God put me in one of the hottest states and asked me to learn a language that I thought was damn near impossible to learn. As a naturally positive person, I thought about all the people I could help and I accepted the call. I spend 6 long ...

Okay so this picture was actually taken the day AFTER I got my mission call. I got a text Saturday afternoon from my dad saying that it was in. A few minutes after my mom, and siblings started texting. Needless to say, I. Was. Excited. But I was scheduled to work until close, and I wanted to wait to share it with my family. So it was closing time, and the LDS kids who just got out of the dance ALL came in. My milkshake making hands were killing me, and I really wanted to get home and hold my call. But if there is one thing that I learned these past couple months is that patience is everything. All the things that happen, are done in the Lord's time, and I just need to be prepared! I opened my call 7:00pm on Sunday. My boss Kassie, her son Sterling, Loren (from work), my Hawaiian grandma Sister Johnson, my grandma and uncle, my bestie Janice, and then my dad's family all came!! Oh! And my friend Alexis (Panama City) was on the phone!! I loved having the people that ...

The two boys who were interviewed the same night as me, already have received their mission calls!!! I've never been more excited about anything in my life!! I seriously cannot wait to get mine. Last night I had extremely vivid dreams about getting my mission call. In both dreams, I was called to the Arizona, Tempe mission. I don't even know if that is a legit mission! How crazy is that!? Anyway... I am literally counting the seconds before it comes!! Ahhh! I can barely sleep I am so excited!!

Okay. So the title makes me sound more fancy than I actually am....  I am officially done with my associates degree!! I have been blessed with amazing experiences as I have spent most of my teenage years in college classes. I love most of my professors, and still keep in contact with some of them. I also have made awesome friends who are inspirations to me! I have learned so much from them! Also I thankful for my parents who have listened to my whining, complaining, stressing, procrastinating, and helped me through all the other generally unpleasant things that arise in college.  I. Am. Freeeeee. (Ya know, until it is time to get a degree for my career...)(The pink blob says "grad info")  **if you find weird grammatical and spelling errors, please don't judge me. I write all my blog posts from my phone, and my autocorrect is pretty much the bane of my existence! :)  

Last night I had the opportunity to go to my friend Maddie's farewell! She has been called to serve The Lord in England!!!  While I was there I was talking to one of my friends and I found out that the boy who had his mission interview the same day as me, got his mission call yesterday!! Which then means that mine is either ON ITS WAY, or that it will be here soon!! I seriously feel so nervous and excited. I could barely sleep last night! I am so ready to go and serve The Lord.  I love reading about my friends missions from all over the world. I am seriously thankful for missionary work. I have been reading about a lot of different people in the emails, and how The Lord has prepared their hearts to receive the gospel. I am  grateful for the opportunity that I  have to serve my brothers and sisters, and my Father in Heaven. 

So I have been home sick the last couple days. I've been using this time to watch all the LDS missionary videos. (Click on the link below, you won't regret it!!) Hastening the Work of Salvation (Missionaries and Members) I feel the spirit so strongly as I watch the videos about those who are choosing to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I literally have been sobbing like a baby all day. Seriously, each video makes me so happy that I burst into tears. (I know, I am ridiculous. Judge me later, man.) I am so thankful for the knowledge that I have of the saving power of the Atonement! One of my favorite General Conference talks of all time is  Jeffery Holland 's talk, "None were with Him". If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and read it! I cannot get enough of it. "Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so ." I a...