For Better Or For Worse?

For better or for worse, either way, Brian and I have already said "I do" to the idea of us committing to this eighteen month mission.  The hymn "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go, Dear Lord" keeps ringing in my ears.  It rang true the first time I heard that hymn and it still rings true today.

The FedEx truck finally pulled up to our driveway!   The speculation game was over.  Although, I must say that the "Speculation Game" seems to be every Latter Day Saints' favorite game!   We try to guess about everything.... new Bishops, new Stake Presidents, ward boundaries, new callings, deaths, births, basically who's doing what,when, and where!  It seems to be connected to our religiously inherent need to know truth.... FIRST!   I don't know.  I can't explain it!

But we played the game.... where would be re-assigned?   What countries were giving visas readily and quickly?   We knew the missionary department was working on some sort of visa, therefore, we were not being sent to somewhere in Canada.   In the past it has proven to take many months for Canadians to get visas into the United States.  I wasn't sure that my US citizenship would trump that process for Brian who would need a visa into any state.  Australia and New Zealand is equally as hard to get a visa, as well as, a 30-day waiting period for any visa to Brazil, so we had been told.   English speaking?  Non-English speaking?  Would we still be assigned as "office specialists" again? And so the game went on and on....  Until the envelope arrived!

 CAMBODIA!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Is this better or worse?   So THIS is the where the visas are readily available?   I am stunned, yet excited and ready to go.   I just need to breathe!

The mission boundaries even further shocked me.

CAMBODIA AND ALL OF VIETNAM!  My mind immediately took me back to 2 Feb. 1972 when several of my friends and I gathered around the television watching the US Draft lottery take place.   This was not the lottery that anyone wanted to win.   Getting a free ticket to Vietnam was not golden!  But here I am 43 years later and can hardly believe that this is my assignment.   I think I have found one of Willy Wonka's golden tickets!

I think this is certainly "for the better".  And this is why we just throw our hat into the ring.   India was WAY at the bottom of my list of countries to serve in but soon felt that I could, would, and was looking forward to serving there.  Cambodia never made the list!  I didn't even know that Cambodia could even BE ON the list!   It never crossed my mind and that is why you put it in the hands of the Lord.   Look what I would have missed out on if I had tried to control this call with the arm of flesh.

I have come to believe in a very short time about mission calls.... there is no "worse".