Go Forward With Faith

One month exactly until departure!
Do you believe it? I am sure it was just yesterday I was opening my call with a whole three months before I left. Now, I am panicking to get everything I need in time, and wondering how I will emotionally handle leaving family, and certain friends for 18 months.
I have to say, my life did take some unexpected turns...
And yet some how, I feel that I will enter my mission with a great desire to serve, and before I know it, I will have forgotten about the fun activities with my friends, going to Singles Ward on Sunday, or the family parties. Atleast, that is what I am praying will happen.
How do you give up what has become a part of you, and your lifestyle over night though?
...

Anyways, about my week.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night were all spent with my friends.
Monday was our annual Christmas Dinner for F.H.E and then a movie at a friends house.
Tuesday was Singles ward Baptisms/Temple Trip (I love the temple!), and I loved this trip especially. Haha
Wednesday was another movie. I was going to go with Neal and Dallin to the Temple as a leader for their ward's baptism trip, buuuttt the weather wasn't looking so hot. It was snowing. (Get it? Har har)
Thursday, we left for Payson for our annual Stucki Family Christmas party. The party wasn't until Friday night so Mom, Neal, and I spent the whole day shopping. That is to say Mission shopping! At first I was skeptical that I would not find the clothes, shoes, and necessities I needed for my mission. But I actually had great success! I decided it was because I stopped trying to bargain shop for every needed item. Ha Needless to say, I spent (in my mind) a lot of money, but I got what I wanted sooo...
At the end of the day, the last clothing item I felt I was not successful in finding was black shoes. We where still at the mall, and I happened to notice a shoe store that seemed to have potential since all the others I went in did not have the shoes fit for a mission.

Here's the story (because this one is worth telling): a guy comes over to assist me in buying shoes, but more like, not leave my side until I had been convinced in buying a pair of shoes or two...or three...which I was fully expecting and so I didn't give myself away too early by telling him I was actually in NEED of shoes. See, that way he wouldn't know how to help me if I didn't have anything in mind and therefore would not pressure me into buying (You know how those "sales" men can be...)
It actually turned into quite an interesting thirty minutes of my life. First off, after asking multiply questions about me he finally had it out of me that I was going on a mission and needed shoes. The problem was, I told him I didn't have any shoes, but really I just needed black shoes. So he runs off leaving me with a, "Don't run away! I will be RIGHT back." The thought crossed my mind to bolt because I realized I had just set myself up, but personally the guy was really friendly and seemed super helpful so I stayed. He then proceeded to place shoe after shoe on my foot and whenever something didn't fit right he would run to my rescue to find something better. Now I know I am making this sound like I was a damsel in distress, but that is because that is honestly how he treated me, and it legitimatley cracked me up. There was more then one comment from him that I wasn't sure wether to laugh at or be weirded out about, because he was sure flirty for helping out a random girl....
Soon enough I was sufficiently supplied with two pairs of shoes even though I only needed one. But the second pair was sooo comfortable and the guy was so helpful how could I say no???
Great shopping logic, I know...
But when I was checking out he said if I ever get bored I can drive up there and we could watch a movie so it's all good! But hey....he is a returned missionary, studying at UVU sooo..... #prospect
I am totally joking guys! Haha!
That evening a little sense was knocked back into me, and I decided that the second pair of shoes should probably be returned.
The next day, after the Christmas party, I asked Nat, Josh, Sheena, and Tyler to take me to the temple for an endowment session. Nat and Josh decided they were too tired and then Sheena and Tyler got distracted (Though Sheena did take me to the mall to return my shoes. That was nice!) But I never actually did get to the temple and I was super disappointed because that was potentially my only chance to go to the Salt Lake Temple before my mission. :(
I will try to find in my heart a place to forgive them ;D
That evening, family and relatives met up again for a homemade Thai dinner, and I was able to have a good long conversation with my cousin who went to Fort Worth, Texas for her mission only 2, 3 years ago.  I really enjoyed talking to her. She had great advice and wonderful stories to tell me. I started feeling very excited for my mission and ready for the opportunities and experience I would have. I think it's important that we have those moments that excite us for a mission (not that I have lost sight, but because sometimes I get caught in my personal life, and need to take a few steps back to see the big picture.)
I really look forward to the next 18 months of my life on a mission! I look forward to the experiences, feelings, and lessons I will learn from it. And every single day I am thankful that I get to serve a mission right now.
We left the next morning at 6:30 for home so we could attend church in Moab.
Singles ward was wonderful. Sacrament meeting was all singing. I love singing the hymns, and the special musical numbers were so beautiful.
During relief society the teacher closed her lesson by saying she hoped we will think about Christ every single day in the up coming year. I almost started crying as I realized that every single day of my life for the next year and a half I will be teaching, and talking about our Savior, Jesus Christ to people I meet on my mission. What a blessing, and humbling experience that will be to not only talk of Christ but to represent Him every single day.