Indianapolis, Indiana

Exactly a week ago, I was packing my little car up with all the stuff I had acquired at school.  It was different from 8 months ago when I packed all that stuff into my car to move three hours away...by myself!!  My parents shoved me out the door and I drove myself to school.  I had the time of my life! Going to school at Southern Utah University is the best decision I've ever made.  I left my home as a shy little girl and I came home with confidence and better yet, a testimony!! I learned stuff in my classes, but that stuff dwindles in comparison to what I was taught and what I felt in my institute and church classes.

I didn't want to serve a mission. It was the LAST thing I wanted to do until I realized the importance of the gospel.  I wanted to keep going to school, get my degree (or something), and teach people how to tap dance.  That's it.  When I told my bishop that, he thought it was a great plan. Then he asked me if I had prayed about that decision, or the idea of serving a mission.  It hadn't even occurred to me that maybe Heavenly Father had something different and better planned for me.  So I prayed, and I don't feel like I have to serve a mission. The blessings are just too great to pass up. :)

I think my bishop was pleasantly surprised to see me in his office a couple months later to start my missionary application. That whole process went smoother than I anticipated because I've had friends who have had to wait for months for things to work out.  Then I submitted my papers right before finals began in my second semester of college.  Talk about stress!

Also, in my interview with my bishop to submit my papers, he told me to take my tap shoes with me on my mission because that would help me find people to teach.  That was a huge blessing to me because I would love to make a career out of tap dancing someday and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving my tap shoes home for 18 months!  Well, the Lord works in mysterious ways and I can't wait to see how this promise will pan out.

Here's my wonky face and my unopened mission call! (I promise I was excited to open it!)

I opened my call with my family and closest friends there.  I was pretty chill about the moment, even though that white envelope addressed to Sister Jessica Gelien Fowler held news that would affect my entire life.

"Dear Sister Fowler:
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Indiana Indianapolis mission." 

I got pretty much exactly what I wanted.  Haha!  I wanted to stay in the US and speak English because I'm not comfortable with any other language.  I would have gladly learned one, it would have been difficult for me though.  I report to the Provo MTC on August 27, 2014.

I'm grateful for this opportunity to serve.  I thought I would feel anxious and nervous about the idea of going somewhere foreign to share the gospel but the Lord knows me and has given me peace.  I'm just pumped and I can't wait to get out there!!