Talisha Gets Punked

Missionaries are sneaky, yo.  Super Sneaky.  Sister Howells and Sister Waite have been telling me for weeks that I would meet LOTS of interesting people and have good stories to tell.  But I almost didn't believe them until today.  

So I'm sitting at home just chillin, staring blankly at my Spanish Book of Mormon wondering how on earth I'm EVER going to speak this language when the sisters texted me and asked me to go to a lesson with them. That's totally normal.  They've had me teach lots of lessons with them! But they don't always tell me the whole story.  Like today, for example.  
Here's the text I got: 
Do you want to come to a lesson with us at 12:30?  We are teaching this lady named Katherine, it's our first lesson with her and we think it would be super fun for you to be there!

Sounds enticing, right? I've learned that missionaries are really good at sugar coating things.  "super fun for you" may have been a liiiiiiiiiiiiittle bit of a stretch.

So I decided that if I was going to participate in this "super fun" lesson that I should probably shower and you know, look presentable.  So I got ready and was on my way.

I called them because they spelled the street name wrong and I couldn't find it.  They gave me directions, and all was well. I showed up and they were already there, just waiting for me.  

Sister Waite gets out of the car, and she goes "So this will be a really interesting lesson.  We just met this lady last week for the first time.  And we didn't tell you this on the phone, but she just got out of jail for murder..." 

umm, Discúlpeme?! (for you non-Spanish speakers, that means "Excuse Me")

"...We didn't wanna scare you off and we thought that we'd be safer if we had a member with us so we called you!" 

Oh, why thanks for thinking of me when you meet a convicted felon, sisters! How kind of you :) 

So we knock on this lady's door, but she didn't answer.  Then Sister Howells goes "Well, maybe she told us the wrong apartment number when we talked to her.  She was a little under the influence of alcohol when we talked to her"

HAHAHA perfect.  She's not just dangerous.  She's dangerous AND drunk.  I feel better already. 

So we knocked again, but with no luck, we headed out. Blessing in disguise? I think yes. So we knocked some doors, and met some interesting people, but it wasn't nearly as exciting as being tricked by the missionaries to walk into a trap of imminent death.  

And now I believe them when they tell me I'll have some interesting stories.  Stay tuned for those! I hear they're inevitable :) 

Talisha Gets Antsy

Here we are, in the home stretch of time before I leave to Mexico and Virginia, and I am straight up panicking.  I keep thinking about how easy it would be to just back out--to go back to college and play with my friends and to just do what is already comfortable.  I keep doubting my abilities.  I keep doubting that this is ever what I actually wanted to do.  I have separation anxiety like you wouldn't believe.  I keep thinking about all of the things that I am giving up to go.

But then I think about the gospel.  I think about the way it's blessed my life and about how badly I want to share those blessings with the people of Richmond.  I think about how rewarding this journey is going to be.  I think about this wonderful opportunity that I have to put my life on hold for a year and a half in order to change even one person's life.  I think about all the times that I have seen the Lord's hand in my life and how all of that has led me to be exactly where I am today.  There is no part of me that could deny that this is the right thing to do.  I just need to trust that the timing is as right as the call.

In my life, I have learned that every person I ever meet leaves an impression on my life.  My heart is not like the sand of a beach with footprints that are washed away with each new wave.  The footprints that have been left on my heart are infinite and permanent.  This new wave that I am going to experience is not going to erase any of the footprints that are already there.  It's only going to add more-- more people to change me and impact my life, more people to love than I could have ever imagined!

I am not going to lose anything by going on this mission.  I only have things to gain.  Lessons to be learned, people to love, messages to share, and a testimony to bear.  In preparing to serve, I have realized that perspective is everything. And as much as I'm going to miss everyone and everything that my life has blessed me with so far, the adventure that awaits me is going to be worth all of the heartache that will inevitably ensue from leaving my life here behind.  But thinking about the exciting adventure that I have ahead of me almost makes me wish that the days would go by even faster than they already are! Except not. because I'm not ready.  I'm sure the next 15 days will go by plenty fast!!!

Dear Mission Field,
Ready or not, here I come.
Sincerely,
The Sassiest Missionary Virginia Will Ever See (: