December 8, 2011 Thursday

THE ARRIVAL OF MY MISSION CALL IN IDAHO

Two minutes before my 8:00 am class, I received a text from my mom, informing me that my mission call would arrive that day. President Kunz had called her and they always came on Thursday. Ahhhhh!!!!!

Honestly, inside, I was heart broken. My mission call was in IDAHO at my house and I was in UTAH!!! I wasn't expecting it to come until NEXT week when I was home. Thoughts started racing through my head. How and when would I get my mission call? I've been waiting for so long already. My dad had been very stern about what he wanted me to do. The options consisted of HIM opening my call over Skype or me waiting until next week to open it at home. OH MY FREAKING HECK, NO!!!!

So of course, I start crying over the phone. My mom tried to comfort me by telling me that she could overnight mail the call to me and I could open it with Skype if that was what I wanted. I sniffled, "But that isn't what Dad wants. He will be so mad!"

Over the next hour, I imagine the town of Driggs, Idaho was buzzing like a beehive. Bishop Moulton and hide wife found out what was happening and OFFERED to drive DOWN TO PROVO, take me back to open my call, then take me all the way back to Provo. When Mom told me that, my heart wanted to burst. That meant so much to me!

Next, my mom called my dad and was going to tell him our new game plan. She explained that she would immediately forward the ominous white envelope to me as soon as it arrived and I would open it over Skype. My dad, however, informed her that he had a different plan. He said that he would drive to Provo on Sunday and deliver the mission call to me himself. Everyone was shocked because he was set on not making any extra trips. When mom told me he was coming, I started crying again. =) My dad, a man who never cries, rarely shows any emotions, doesn't usually budge...was really a softie. I know that mission call is probably just as important to him as it is to me. He has been the only one that always believed I would serve a mission and he held true to that when everyone else doubted. Thus, we see that he INSISTS that he should be with me when I open it-and that means a lot to me. =)

2:00 pm rolled around and my phone rang again-it was my mom! I excitedly said, "Hello!?" She quickly responded,"I don't have any exciting news! The mail isn't here yet. I just wanted to let you know!" ...Good grief.

An hour later, she called-still nothing! Was the call not coming after all? I didn't remember a time that I've felt like I was on more of an emotional roller coaster. It's coming, it's not! Dad's bringing it to me now! I was going to a Polynesian dance performance, so I told Mom to send me a text if it came.

Halfway through the performance, my phone buzzed. AH!

There on that screen was a teeny, little picture of a beautiful, white envelope with "Sister Heather Ripplinger" typed on the front. IT FINALLY CAME. Now I anxiously wait until Sunday, for Dad and my mission call. =)