I am creating a new blog. This will be the blog that I have my parents post on for my mission. I am starting now so that I can go through all aspects of my mission...starting with PREPARATION. Mission Prep. I took that class once. My professor was a crazy old man who yelled a lot. I swear...true insanity. I didn't learn a single thing. Now I'm taking it from Brother Tamang and Brother Covey in my stake and they are AMAZING. Anywho...
I received my call yesterday. The post office usually calls between 6 and 8 in the morning to tell you that they have your call, but by 7:30 I was so anxious that I called them. I drove down immediately to go get it. I was SO anxious all day. But I knew my family would be disappointed if I opened it without them, so I waited :) Such a good person. I know. I K. That means, "I know." I'm cool like that.
By 7pm, Taylor, Bonnie, my grandma, cousin Amanda, and my immediate family were all there ready for me. We ate pizza. Just so you know. I sliced it open with a kitchen knife and was shaking. I pulled it out and since I've seen so many mission calls in my time, I knew exactly where to look on the letter and skipped the whole first paragraph. "KINGSTON, JAMAICA." Reporting Sept 15th, 2010. I read it out loud and there were a few seconds of complete silence, "is she joking?" Then some screaming and stuff. It was fantastic. I felt pure excitement. That is where the Lord wnats me and I KNOW it. It makes sense. It is my mission. I wanted to announce it to the world. And I did, thanks to our blessing of technology.
Today, I woke up again with that feeling of excitement. My friend Sam served his mission there, so I met him for lunch to learn as much as I could about the mission. It brought equal amounts of excitement and anxiety. I realized that Jamaica is not much different from Uganda. I loved Uganda, but it was very difficult for me. I was sick a lot and the living conditions were so hard. I definitely left a piece of my heart there and everything I do today still is based on what I learned there. It has had a huge impact on my life. But it was difficult. I was terrified of going to a place like Africa because a mission is already such a difficult thing and to be in a place with that poor of living conditions will make it that much harder.
I am so excited for the people though. God has a sense of humor. I told my mom a few weeks ago, "Since I am such an organizational, planning freak full of anxiety, I KNOW (I K) that I will get mainly companions who are procrastinators, chill, and laid-back." Instead of companions, I got a whole country full of the most chill people ever. I cannot WAIT for this. I hope I come back a little less anxious and a little less of a freak. Or maybe I'll just be a nervous wreck with a jamaican accent. That would be equally as cool.
Sam made me really excited about a lot of things, but a little nervous about a lot of things (maybe it was his stories of being held at gunpoint...multiple times, I don't know...). But everytime I think about something I'm nervous about, I just kind of get this breath of calm... I don't know how to explain it. I will just have to pray for peace and courage and a continuing feeling that this is where I am supposed to be.
A lot of people have brought up what is going on down there as well with the drugs and people burning down buildings and such. Wow, I don't know how to explain why I feel this way, but that is SO cool. It's not cool that this is all happening, but it's cool that I got called to pretty much THE most dangerous mission for Americans right now...especially white sister missionaries with nametags on their chests, haha. That's sweet! But...another reason to be nervous.
I got ready for bed and opened my scriptures. I decided that I was going to reread the entire Book of Mormon in the time between when I got my call and when I left, so I started my second section today. I just happened to land on 1 Nephi, chapter 3, verse 7. "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." If that isn't a direct answer, I don't know what is. I have felt that this is right. I AM supposed to go on a mission and I know that Jamaica is the place that I should go. I will go and do what the Lord wants me to do no matter how scary it may be.
After I read this, I go down to our office to talk to my parents. They are both on the computer and freaking out. "WHAT?" Of course I find out that my Mission President has been "honorably released" as of a few days ago and they have no leader right now in the mission. I guess the Area President is trying to get there but can't till Monday, so they are just in a bit of a limbo with transfers and everything. Crazy!! Then my dad starts trying to find out who the new mission president is and it's a man who is a former FBI agent, hahaha. Wow, I haven't even left on my mission and this is already an adventure.
I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for me. I know that He answers prayers and leads and guides us each by personal revelation today. I know that the Book of Mormon was written for many people, but especially for me and for you. It was written as another testament of Jesus Christ to bless our lives, answer our questions, and teach us about the past as well as the future. I am scared out of my mind but so excited to start this new adventure and my hand will be in the Lord's the entire time. He will lead me and be right beside me.
Love, Dani (can't sign as Sister Israelsen yet...111 more days)
P.S. The blog name: PATOIS IS NOT ENGLISH. They speak "Patois" or "Patwa" in Jamaica. It's english based but it is NOT english. Wikipedia it, I dare you. It is insane. They say it's an english speaking mission but it's not. It's patois.
ABOUT MY NEW MISSION PRESIDENT:
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/59317/New-mission-presidents.html
ABOUT PATOIS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patois
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN JAMAICA RIGHT NOW:
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/lead/
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