St. Louis Missouri, English-speaking, April 16!

SO EVERYONE!!!!

I knew my mission call would come Wednesday, today, my mom's birthday. I just knew it would. But 6 pm rolled around and it still wasn't in my hands, though neither was the day's mail. I was about to go console myself with a milkshake when I heard a knock at the door. A knock? No one knocks at my door except the UPS man. So I went down the stairs and saw a hooded man through my peep hole. A hooded man? With a messenger bag! What? I opened the door and that man, my postman!, was holding the most beautiful white envelope I've ever seen. Sister Lisa Marie Ruefenacht, it said, from the Office of the First Presidency. "Sorry it's so late," he said, his eyes gleaming, his mouth smiling. "Thank you so much!" I said breathlessly. I ran upstairs as fast as my still-fatigued-from-Jump-On-It! legs could go, clutching those precious papers to my bosom. I ran like a scared mouse for the next minute, called my mom squealing, began making a mental list of people to call. By 6:30, I'd called everyone in the Provo area, and even had a webcast set up for my friends who couldn't make it. (My degree IS worth something!) So with that, I opened my call around 7:15 pm among excellent company. There was Regan, Carl, Britt and Brett, Katie, Andrew and Liz (Alex's brother and sister), Sam, Jim and Laura, Dave and Chris there with me; plus Alex, my parents, my Aunt Diane and Uncle Jack, my brother Michael, Jeff, Bob, and Becky, Brandon and Trevor by phone; and then there was Megan, Luke, Capree and Brady by webcast! Wunderbar!

Megan captured the whole thing perfectly in her blog. My oh my, do I love that girl. She is a champion blogger!!

Even though Alex wasn't there, Robert won't know until probably Saturday when my letter reaches him, and my parents were 850 miles away, it was the best mission call opening I'll ever have, and I can't wait to do it again when I'm older!

Watch the whole webcast here.

I think it's easy to be disappointed when one isn't called to a foreign mission, but where in Europe can you buy Rap Snacks? For the record, I'm not disappointed one bit! The St. Louis mission will be my home for 18 months and I can't wait!

I am so excited and honored to be serving in the St. Louis mission!! Sister Home Girl--here I come!

I'd better go study my Bible now!!!