C'mon, Laura, it's just like learning how to drive a car.
How many people get to think that to themselves when learning how to ride a bike?
That's righttttt... I don't know how. Some people struggle with their mission language. Fortunately, I speak both of the major languages they use in Florida! I may be called in English, but if someone talks to me in my second language... voy a responder. You know how it is. Rather than mission language... my struggle shall be... MISSION TRANSPORT.
Yeeps. How's biking down Heritage Hill for a welcome to the mish world. It's been an interesting and rather draining day, so I decided to treat myself to Panda for dinner. I told my roommate Tia that I was going to walk there. It's about 1/3 of a mile. Tia's like... "if you're careful, do you want to take my bike?"
Gulp.
I have been dyyyying to learn. Tallahassee is a big biking mission, and I need to practice. So I said yes. I unlocked Tia's bike and wobbled around and down the hill. Poor Tia. Little did she know I hadn't ridden a bike since I was like
THIS MANY
I made it though! Turns out anything is possible! I may or may not have stopped an entire busy intersection at one point as I struggled with the concept of the pedal. oh well. Had me a lovely dinner sitting outside with my bike like some kind of health nut/ biking bum. I think the hardest part was toting that GIANT lock Tia uses... toting it on my shoulder bag. Ouch. Hopefully copies of The Book of Mormon aren't that awkward to carry. We can use backpacks! The best mission in the world, people.
"Past inspirations and experiences will be helpful in your job."
At least, that's what they tell me in Mission Prep.
Maybe this will make a good story of trial and triumph someday. Tallahassans who like... biking stories... I'm coming for you.
Just kidding; I've gotten myself into an awesome opportunity...paired with lots of meetings!
Thug life. But, really, is there a single, girlier calling in the whole church?!?! Let minnow.
This is what happens when you make friends with the newly called President.
Thus, with 78 days left until The Mish, I take my binder in stride and prepare for many hours of number recording and loving of people. Sounds like the perfect prep to me! On Sunday we took 4 hours to assign callings and visiting teaching assignments--and it was fun! When you've got good people (like my presidency sisters) working on a good task--it has to be, well, good.
This next 6.5 weeks while I'm at Spring Term should be interesting because I am now officially That Girl. I am in Max Credits, working a part time Grease Pit job, preparing for The Mish, and now.... Relief Society Presidency.
Holla.
I'm not Supergirl, so prepare some good jokes for the day when I start to lose my sanity.
It is currently 3 months and 3 weeks until the mish, but I am posting today because...
a) I wanted to make sure I started one of these before things get crazy.
b) I really don't wanna study for my Chem 107 exam. (not to worry though, I will after I finish this!)
So this will be the blog to watch for updates from me during me during the mission. That is sisterlauratallahasseeflorida.blogspot.com-- notice the slight rhyming scheme. Follow it. :) Or else crazy glue that name inside your head or something.
So I figure today would be a good day to write about the call. The call. It was like, gosh, two weeks ago. But in case anyone who doesn't know me ever finds this blog, which they should because all of friends will love my blogging so much they will not be able to restrain sharing on Facebook, I guess I should tell the whole story of the day. It was Thursday, but I guess the story starts a bit earlier-- when I put my papers in three weeks earlier. Three weeks. Not two. Three. ._. Not only had it been three weeks already, but the night before, my newsfeed suddenly flooded mission calls from all around Heritage Halls. And no such package for me. (The calls for the week almost always come in a big old bundle on a Wednesday, sometimes a Thursday, but always together. You know you your call has arrived when you get this email like "New Package at the Central Building!").
So I went to bed on Wednesday night just praying that I would somehow end up with a slightly delayed in addition to the week delay before... mission call.
Thursday morning I woke up about 15 minutes after my alarm. I quickly got ready, skipped breakfast, and ran off to my 8 am religion class. I barely had a moment to decide that I had a good feeling about that day, but I did a bit. Anyway, I got to New Testament and took notes and all that, then I headed back to the apartment. I usually had Asian Humanities at 9:30, but it was cancelled. So I walked back to Heritage to chill until my next class at 12.
Chill I did not.
I got home, changed into more comfortable clothes, and I made a peanut butter and sugar sandwich for breakfast. As I sat down to eat, I realized I hadn't checked my phone all day. So, I'm finishing breakfast when I unlock my phone, see email alerts and... New Package at the Central Building
I ran around the apartment and then the floor, looking for someone to come with me and take pictures. Duh, everyone is in class. I run down a floor and hear voices out of one apartment. So I knock on the door like "does anyone here want to run to the Central Building with me to get my call and take pictures..." and one person there is like "I'm waiting for mine too." I was like "check your email", and within like 15 seconds, she's like... RUN. WE ARE GOING TO THE CENTRAL BUILDING.
So we ran. As we did, I learned her named was Kalissa. She'd been waiting a week and a half and I was like lucky freakin freaker. So basically, ran into the Central Building. Found the only receptionist having a lengthy phone conversation. Employee I ended up asking to record it was like... O.o what is exciting about you staring at a lady on the phone...
Finally, she hung up, me and Kalissa grabbed our calls... Only I am in this pic, but... yes Kalissa is real.
And... then I went home and stared at it for a while, took it to class, wore this dress while cleaning the apartment, then came 7:30 and it went a bit like this....
Yowza, it's getting late, but I must respond to this video ^. I know the right place for me to preach the Gospel is none other than Tallahassee, Florida. I can't wait to share what truly brings joy to my life. Write y'all soon!
--Sister Laura Cooper
P.S.
If you're reading this, and your having a call party at any point in your life, heed this advice. You will be looking at a paper, not at the crowd, and when it's all over you may have no idea who was there. So don't stress if Good Friend A can't make it. They'll understand and like your status all the same. Oh, and three week calls are just as good as two week ones. :)
