It's Official!

My new leave date is September 1, 2010. MTC here I come! So now I have an entire summer to ... not sure what but I am figuring that out. I know it will most definitely include golfing, backpacking, reading and road biking. A sailing trip is in the works and maybe a trip or two to California.

Here are a few pictures from the "grand opening!"

**Out of nearly 60+ guesses of where I would be serving there was only one correct guess! This was me pointing at the "winner!"

Oh! And I won't be making this face anymore (this is when I read that I would be leaving October 13, 2010)...

Change and Plans

The other night I was reading a talk by President Monson called “Finding Joy in the Journey.” He spoke about how change was inevitable, just as time continues to pass every day, every minute, every second so to does change happen. The life of a dear friend of mine changed yesterday, and quickly. She had spent the last four months of her life planning her wedding only to have it postponed when her husband-to-be was seriously injured. Planning. We all have plans and dreams of how life ought to work out.

Two days ago for this friend of mine life was planned like this- wedding on Friday, honeymoon in Mexico, summer married in Idaho and then back to school in the fall. Every single one of those plans is now up in the air. Just thrown up there to hang out and then fall down in some order at some point in time. Plans, our plans, should always come with a disclaimer. Something that reads “BEWARE- may explode” or “Don’t get too attached, things change” or how about “DON’T PLAN!” I have a hard time with this odd relationship between plans and change. How much are you suppose to plan and how much do you leave to change and circumstances out of your control? Help me, help me. I need to become better at this, accepting change. For myself and to help others. All I really know is that there is a plan for our lives, a really big one and really good one if we (I) can just accept change and handle the best way I/we know how. The only thing is that sometimes this doesn’t quite comfort the way it should. When you are in the thick of uncomfortable change that thought of a big plan is sometimes really hard to grasp. So I still need to work on this and learn more about coping with change. If only just to help others because change comes in all forms to everyone, this I know and this I suppose we can all count on!

**But hanggg on! Maybe I don’t because for the next 18 months (after the next 2 and a half while I wait to leave) I will be doing the same thing everyday- waking up at the same time, going to sleep at the same time, essentially talking about the same stuff everyday. Ok, that I can handle!**

A Smattering of Thoughts

I have absolutely loved everything about the last 24 hours. They have been perfect.

I love life at the present moment. I love loving people and I love the relationships I have and the relationships I am building. If I were to write a letter to life it would be this.

Dear Life, (!!!)

I love you! Thank you for being good to me!

Love,

Bekah

p.s. sometimes when it gets so good I feel as though I could burst out of my skin, just burst with happiness.

Have you ever noticed how you respond to seeing someone else smile?

Try to notice it next time. Pay attention to what you think or feel at that exact moment. To me there is a quick, pure moment that can't be defined as you see someone smile. Quicker than a second, quicker than a nano-second even. That quick, undefined moment- well I like it.

Something I love is this:

While we practice conscious breathing our thinking will slow down and we can give ourselves a real rest. Most of the time we think too much and mindful breathing helps us to be calm, relaxed and peaceful. It helps us to stop being possessed by sorrows of the past and worries of the future and helps us to be in touch with life, which is wonderful in the present moment.

- Thich Naht Han, Zen Buddhist Monk, Vietnam

Sister Rebekah DeMordaunt

I have been called to serve in the Taiwan, Taichung Mission. I will be speaking Mandarin Chinese. My report date is pending. Salt Lake just may let me sneak in a bit earlier- July 21 as opposed to October 13. We will see!! Wow though! I can't hardly believe it. I can't believe that there is someone in Taiwan waiting to hear the message of the restored gospel from ME. I can't believe that I will be speaking (more like learning) one of the hardest languages in the world AND I especially can't believe I GET to go on a mission. Unbelievable.

P.S. Here is a picture of Taichung at night!

FSM Therapy

So a friend of mine, who happened to be very instrumental in my decision to go on a mission, is giving a talk this weekend to a bunch of recent high school graduate girls. She, of course, is speaking on choosing to serve a mission and she asked me what some of my concerns were before deciding to go and even after deciding to go. As I thought and begin to type up my concerns it turned into more of a therapeutic venting session. I am going to post what I wrote to her as part of that therapy. Sometimes it feels so good to just get things out there. So here goes:

-the old stereotype that I am going because I couldn't get married. yes. That stereotype seems to be one that I can't seem to shake and that I think a lot of girls worry about, regardless of how dumb or untrue it is. I honestly believe that is Satans way of tripping girls up and keeping them home from missions. Over and over I have been told that sister missionaries CAN be the best missionaries. That mission presidents (and my grandpa who was an MP in South Africa) want more sister missionaries. But mentally I have countered that stupid stereotype with just thinking about how many awesome experiences I will get to have as a missionary.... More than that though is the opportunity I get to share the gospel, the most precious gift I have, with people. I literally get to have a hand in saving souls. The souls of my brothers and sisters.... At times when I get really carried away and (unfortunately) prideful I think of how selfish I would have been to get married before now.

-Another concern is that I will become a dull, awkward RM who is frumpolicious. Automatically I say no thanks to that! 18 months will not change my desire to have fun and be crazy and laugh at corny jokes or even crack corny jokes. I have become confident in myself and my personality for the last 21 years I'm pretty sure its not possible for me (or any other girl) to become lame and awkward in 18 months and then stay that way for a lifetime. not possible. Also, I don't think that being set apart as a missionary means you can't have fun. I will be me as a missionary. Me with a personality that I have developed for 21 years, just with a name tag and a specific mission.

-This may be particular to my situation ... but I have worried about how my life will work out after the mission (this includes concerns about being older, single, unmarried, etc.) . My answer to this has come from a good friend who has repeatedly said to me that the Lord recognizes our sacrifices, especially on his behalf. How many times in my life have I worried about how things would work out or tried to plan my life the way I think would be best? Every time the Lord's hand starts moving things around and life works out better then I could have EVER imagined. Every time I am happier than I thought possible. He truly knows us better than we know ourselves and isn't it brilliant that if we live close to him he will lead our life to happiness through his plan rather than ours. The Lord is not going to abandon me after 21 years and especially not after 18 months of service on his behalf. After the mission will be taken care of just as before the mission was taken care of. Things will work out better than I can even imagine right now.

- And then that I won't cut it as a missionary. That I don't have a strong enough testimony to teach others or to convert others. I have been told 3 things to counter this. The first is that I am simply an instrument. The Lord doesn't really need us to convert because he has the spirit. He just gives us young adults that opportunity to learn from a mission and to be his instrument. The second is that if I am obedient then I will be a good missionary. With obedience comes the gift of the spirit and with that gift I can find people and with that gift I can teach people (or rather the spirit can teach people through me). Third is that if those you teach feel your love then it works. Love brings people to the gospel.

FSM (future sister missionary) signing off!

Ode to the Grad

Mer graduated a little over a week ago.
I love this girl. She really is one of my best friends and never fails to be my "brick wall." She is off to rock BYU's world this fall and I don't doubt that there will be a few hearts broken along the way.

p.s. next summer she will be in Jerusalem (according to her five year plan- which yes! she does have) and I am oh so excited for her to have that experience.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day was rainy but enjoyable. Goldy's Breakfast with friends. (Their Eggs Benny was delish!). BBQ with the Reeves and lounging with the fam as the rain came down.

*Sidenote* The words used in the above description like "enjoyable" and "lounging" may be a bit deceiving. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mission call which Salt Lake has guaranteed will be arriving this week. Lounging requires patience. Exerting patience right now is just a bit difficult but something I should have gotten used to over the past FIVE weeks of waiting.

This was terrible... I woke up this morning thinking it was Wednesday. Shoot. I skipped a whole day mentally. An important day in fact- Mere is graduating from Eagle High School today, Tuesday.

So I will keep waiting. And listening to this song: