new beginnings

Dear Sister Smith, 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 New Mexico Farmington Mission.

Never in my life have I been more overwhelmed with emotions. Excitement, fears of inadequacy, shock, surprise, anxiety, but most of all, I felt an overwhelming sense of comfort. It sort of felt like how it must feel when there's a stove fire and the only way to put it out is to smother it completely with a wash cloth or blanket.  Weird analogy, but I feel like that fire was inside of me. All the fears and anxiety building and burning, growing stronger and stronger as I continue to add to it, when suddenly Heavenly Father sent me the Spirit saying, "It's gonna be OK" and the burning fire of fear is transformed.

And I really do know that everything is gonna be OK. 

Sooooo New Mexico Farmington?! Where even is this place?

map of the mish

So the gist, from what I have been able to gather, is that this mission is basically a foreign state-side mission. 2/3 of the mission is the Navajo Nation and there are only a few dots on the map so I think I can safely assume that this will be a very rural mission! Also, this mission is called the “Four Corner’s Mission” since it includes the four corners of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.

here are some of the things that people have told me about the mish…

EAT THE FRY BREAD

“it’s a desert so good luck with that…”

you’re teaching the Lamanites!!!

“bitter winters and miserably dry and hot summers”

DID WE MENTION FRY BREAD

how is my face not completely puffy

This call really did come out of the blue for me, honestly. I never thought I would get called to the desert, let alone the Navajo reservation! However, even though this may seem like a random assignment now, I know that it’s going to make sense by the end of the 18 months.

I know that Heavenly Father knows what He’s doing. I have no fear in my heart anymore because I know that he has my back. I have faith in Him and I can’t wait to start this new adventure and find out who exactly Heavenly Father wants me to be.

By the end of the 18 months, I hope the Lord puts me through the “refiner’s fire” so that I can become more like Him. New Mexico, new McKenna.