Dear Sister George: 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 Brazil Florianopolis Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. You should report to the Brazil Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, June 3, 2015. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Portuguese language. I cannot even begin to express the whirl of emotions that I felt before opening my call, the second I read the word Brazil, and every minute after that even up until now. I have never felt so many different emotions over one thing in my entire life. I can say one thing. I have NEVER been so excited for something before. and I can say one more thing, I have NEVER been so nervous. From the second I submitted my papers, until today.. two months out from leaving to Brazil all I can think about and talk about is my mission. A few days before my call came in the mail, Sophie (my roommate and best friend) and I were up all night talking about the possible places I could go. We had a list from google of every mission in the world. All I could think was, I hope I go stateside. I lived in Germany for 6 months of my senior year, so I have already experienced how living foreign can be amazing, but sometimes, very frustrating. Culture differences and language barriers are not an easy thing to cope with. So I knew I wanted state side. I knew I wanted to be able to relate to people on a level of similar cultures and same language. I just kept saying; “I hope I don’t go to south america, I hate the heat.” little did I know that Heavenly Father had different plans for me. Deep down, I truly didn’t care where I got called, because I am a firm believer in everything happens for a reason, and I would love wherever I got called. I just know a mission is hard work, in fact, easily the hardest thing I will ever do. So deep down I hoped at least for english speaking. Thursday my call came in. I had to go all day knowing that my call is sitting on my kitchen counter at my home in layton. I had 6 hours of art classes that day, and I couldn’t not concentrate. I had the feeling of uneasiness and excitement in my gut all day. Kind of like right before you have to get up in front of a big group to give a talk, or the second before the gun goes off in a track meet to start the race. FINALY class ended. Mikaela (our other crazy amazing roommate) Soph, and I got in the car to take the hour trip from Logan to Layton. The second I walked into my house I said “guys I’m going to Brazil.” and on the map of where people could make guesses I wrote my name next to Brazil with a sad face (haha) and a state side guess next to New Mexico. Holding my call was weird, knowing that the next 18 months of my life were right behind that piece of paper was such a surreal feeling. It was like waiting to get the list to see who would be your teacher and classmates in elementary school. But just a tad bit more exciting i’d say. The time finally came to open up that letter I had been talking about for weeks. Everyone gathered around and I began to read; “Dear sister George…” Reading those 3 simple words was SO weird. and SO cool. I think reading that out loud is when it really hit me that I have the amazing opportunity to serve. I have been called to serve a mission. I am a missionary. I continued to read, and the second i saw Brazil, Florianopolis the warmest, most comforting feeling ran through my entire body. Never before had anything felt so right and perfect. I knew that this is where I am supposed to go. This is where I need to be. I wouldn’t be called here if it wasn’t something I was capable of. I am so excited to serve. I am so excited to give 18 months of my life serving the people of Brazil. I can not wait to see everything the people of Brazil have to teach me, I can’t wait to have successes, to struggle and to grow. I cannot wait to help the people of my mission, and to watch their testimonies grow along with mine. I cannot wait to serve my Heavenly Father and his children. D&C 31:3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.
Sammy and Hailee
Brazil… Im coming for Ya!
Jessi George 