1. Actually starting my papers! (My Mom knows that I can start them, and that I worked with my Bishop while I was in Ecuador to open them for me. But she doesn't know I've started them. Originally we were both keeping the secret from my Dad to surprise him, but I've lead my mom on thinking that I didn't feel ready to start them yet due to other pressing circumstances.)
2. Doing my Physical and Dental visits. (I told my mom I needed to do it since I hadn't gone since I'd been home from Ecuador and that I needed to get some check ups. I think she may have seen a paper in my car that said "Mission Physical" on it...ooops... but if she did, she may have forgotten about it. The doctors office took forever to send my "results" back to me, as I stressed to her multiple times, when really it was my paper for the Bishop. Turns out they were a bit smarter than me and actually sent them, to my Bishop. Oh well. It all worked out in the end. I think.)
3. My Counseling. (So after Ecuador, I started going to counseling with LDS Family Services. They were great and helped me so much. Since on my papers I had to be honest and tell that I have problems with depression, I asked my Counselor to write up a letter detailing what we had accomplished over the past months of counseling together and the things that I had learned along the lines coping with depression. It took a little bit of time to get a hold of my counselor, since I had stopped going to Counseling a few weeks before, but once I did, it was all down hill from there. I told my mom that I was having a bad week and needed to see if I could talk to my counselor for a bit, so it made sense I was going back in every so often.)
4. Getting my interview with the Bishop. (I told her I was getting a calling in my Singles' Ward, even though I'm not technically a part of that Ward as my records are with my homeward. Surprisingly, that day in Church, my Singles' Ward bishop pulled me aside and GAVE ME A CALLING! So God was on my side with that little fib, and I had a real calling to tell my mom after my interview with my Homeward Bishop. Crazy, but very lucky and divinely designed.)
5. Interview with my Stake President. (My mom wasn't even home when this took place, but I had a swim party right after, so I didn't even have to mention why I was wearing a dress! But had I been seen, I was wearing a very nautical outfit, so It looked like cute pool attire. And I made sure to park on the far side of the church so she wouldn't see my car in passing in case she did come home!)
6. The Mail this Week. (I took two letters that I wrote to my missionary friends to the post office under the pretense I was delivering them to be sent, which I did of course. But also, while there, I asked the Post Master to hold the mail at the post office! This way I can monitor what mail comes and goes, so we don't have the sneak accident of my parents getting the mail on a certain day of the week and finding a large White envelope addressed to me, from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yup, that'd would be a shocker. Haha! So the surprise factor will now be in my pocket, instead of the mail box!)
7. I plan to invite my siblings over once I get my call under the pretense of "Introducing them to Someone Special." I have a few guy friends I have gotten a bit closer to over the past couple of months (Don't worry, not THAT close!) and a few of my family members have taken notice, fortunately or unfortunately. But this can be used to my advantage, fortunately. Maybe it's a bit to far, but I'm gonna go along the lines of saying... I GOT ENGAGED!! But not really. But I'm going to talk about how this special person in my life has really helped me become a better person, and has taught me to love in a different way, and how we've been through so much together and we really feel like this is the next step in our lives.(So really, the person I am talking about here, is me! But I have a way of weirdly talking about myself in third person, so we'll see how it goes) I'll mention that I know that'd I've kept things a secret from a lot of my family members, and that some of them may have caught on to some rumors about this budding relationship of mine. (I made the ?mistake? of talking to my mom about how I really feel about some of the guys I am friends with and the ?mistake? of saying that I didn't feel like I needed a relationship in my life right now... but I don't think that it should be too big of a problem. The least she'll think is that I'm rushing into things and--who could blame her! But she'll get an even bigger surprise knowing that, I'm not really engaged! I'm GOING ON A MISSION!! Haha.) I am still working on how I can film these surprise reactions!!
Yup yup... I think that is all! Silliness, but I am getting really excited! #7 is my Game plan, but I am hoping all will go according to plan! My friends think I am crazy to wait to open my call until Sunday, but, Hey! The surprise is going to be worth it.
Lots of Love,
Future Sister Holly Howell.
Also, Check out this great talk by Elder Rasband
on How Missionaries are Called! I felt the Spirit very strong and imagined one of the General Authorities seeing my picture on the screen and listening to the Spirit of the Father to know where He has called me to go. It is such a powerful message! I love it!
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