Sorry for not writing for a fairly long while. the plans I had to write regularly kind of went up in smoke. Despite my best intentions, and my several recurring attempts, I never seemed to manage converting the thought and intent into reality.
...Continued
As I left the temple that day, I was riding in the passenger seat of my friend's car. I pulled out my iPhone 4 and called my boss at the time. In a concise way, I informed him of my decision to quit, that I felt it was right, and that I'd be willing to work it out to make it as smooth of a transition as possible. We decided that it would be best for me to give it a few weeks, and I decided that it was okay not to be hasty.
When you quit a job without a contingency plan, it can be a very stressful experience. All of a sudden you have bills that you know you're not going to be able to pay, the things that you've become accustomed to will vanish. But despite all of these fears and worries, I knew everything would be alright. I ended up receiving a very generous offer to live with a family that I had become great friends with over the summer to be able to save some money. My parents sacrificed and adjusted their budget to help me pay for my car expenses, and everything seemed to just work out. I didn't have a lot of money, or good cash flow anymore, but I was surrounded by great people, my needs were met, and I knew that my Heavenly Father had helped to put me where I needed to be.
Over the next few months, I would spend a lot of time trying to find short term transitory work. I took a part time job at Hollister (a clothing store). It paid minimum wage, and I didn't get many hours, but I enjoyed it, and any income was better than none at this point. I also spent a good deal of time trying to get everything prepared for my mission application, including trying to find funding, because I hadn't saved anything at all (if you remember, I hadn't really planned on going). With the kindness and generosity of some really great people, I was able to get the necessary medical checks done. I worked closely with my bishop to get the paperwork in, and finally in the beginning of December, the application was submitted.
My mission call came while I was in Oregon for Christmas. A close family friend had paid for my ticket and I was really grateful to have the opportunity to spend my last Christmas at home with my family before I was to be gone for 2 years. The Lord really had provided while I was trying my best to live by faith, follow his counsel and do what he had asked. That Wednesday, my call arrived in California. I had asked my friend to open it and without disclosing the information, to scan the letter and email it to me. I received a call from the friend that it had arrived and that the email should be in my inbox shortly. The only people there when I "opened" my call were my mom, my sister, two of my nephews and I (the people who were already at home). I read the letter out loud and the only thing I caught were, "Australia Melbourne Mission" and "Vietnamese". Both of those things in my mind at the time were exciting and new, but I was also filled with a lot of trepidation. I wasn't sure if I could do it. I didn't know anything about Vietnamese culture, I hadn't ever really thought of Australia, and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to connect with the people that I was going to encounter. Once again I was in a situation where I wasn't going to get what 'I' wanted. But I was happy that I was going to be able to serve, and I wasn't going to let all of that preparation go to waste.
After the Christmas holiday, I headed back to California. Now that I had a timeline of when I needed to be ready, I set to work. I ended up having to move again, but once again the Lord placed me where I needed to be. A very kind and generous couple allowed me the use of one of their rooms for the last month or so before I would move back home to Oregon. That last month, I spent a lot of time with the people that had come to mean so much to me in my time in California. I was buying the things that I would need before I left, and everything really just worked so well. I would not have been able to do it of myself.
The last month before I went to the MTC I spent with my family in Oregon and Washington. This time was very special, and I was grateful for everything that had been done; for all of the love that had been shown. I knew that everyone supported what I was doing (even if they didn't, no one told me so (I wouldn't have cared or listened anyway)). It was just a great time.
To give my mom a memorable experience, and an opportunity to visit with family that she hadn't seen in a long while, we decided to take a road trip to drop me off at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT.
...Continued
As I left the temple that day, I was riding in the passenger seat of my friend's car. I pulled out my iPhone 4 and called my boss at the time. In a concise way, I informed him of my decision to quit, that I felt it was right, and that I'd be willing to work it out to make it as smooth of a transition as possible. We decided that it would be best for me to give it a few weeks, and I decided that it was okay not to be hasty.
When you quit a job without a contingency plan, it can be a very stressful experience. All of a sudden you have bills that you know you're not going to be able to pay, the things that you've become accustomed to will vanish. But despite all of these fears and worries, I knew everything would be alright. I ended up receiving a very generous offer to live with a family that I had become great friends with over the summer to be able to save some money. My parents sacrificed and adjusted their budget to help me pay for my car expenses, and everything seemed to just work out. I didn't have a lot of money, or good cash flow anymore, but I was surrounded by great people, my needs were met, and I knew that my Heavenly Father had helped to put me where I needed to be.
Over the next few months, I would spend a lot of time trying to find short term transitory work. I took a part time job at Hollister (a clothing store). It paid minimum wage, and I didn't get many hours, but I enjoyed it, and any income was better than none at this point. I also spent a good deal of time trying to get everything prepared for my mission application, including trying to find funding, because I hadn't saved anything at all (if you remember, I hadn't really planned on going). With the kindness and generosity of some really great people, I was able to get the necessary medical checks done. I worked closely with my bishop to get the paperwork in, and finally in the beginning of December, the application was submitted.
My mission call came while I was in Oregon for Christmas. A close family friend had paid for my ticket and I was really grateful to have the opportunity to spend my last Christmas at home with my family before I was to be gone for 2 years. The Lord really had provided while I was trying my best to live by faith, follow his counsel and do what he had asked. That Wednesday, my call arrived in California. I had asked my friend to open it and without disclosing the information, to scan the letter and email it to me. I received a call from the friend that it had arrived and that the email should be in my inbox shortly. The only people there when I "opened" my call were my mom, my sister, two of my nephews and I (the people who were already at home). I read the letter out loud and the only thing I caught were, "Australia Melbourne Mission" and "Vietnamese". Both of those things in my mind at the time were exciting and new, but I was also filled with a lot of trepidation. I wasn't sure if I could do it. I didn't know anything about Vietnamese culture, I hadn't ever really thought of Australia, and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to connect with the people that I was going to encounter. Once again I was in a situation where I wasn't going to get what 'I' wanted. But I was happy that I was going to be able to serve, and I wasn't going to let all of that preparation go to waste.
After the Christmas holiday, I headed back to California. Now that I had a timeline of when I needed to be ready, I set to work. I ended up having to move again, but once again the Lord placed me where I needed to be. A very kind and generous couple allowed me the use of one of their rooms for the last month or so before I would move back home to Oregon. That last month, I spent a lot of time with the people that had come to mean so much to me in my time in California. I was buying the things that I would need before I left, and everything really just worked so well. I would not have been able to do it of myself.
The last month before I went to the MTC I spent with my family in Oregon and Washington. This time was very special, and I was grateful for everything that had been done; for all of the love that had been shown. I knew that everyone supported what I was doing (even if they didn't, no one told me so (I wouldn't have cared or listened anyway)). It was just a great time.
To give my mom a memorable experience, and an opportunity to visit with family that she hadn't seen in a long while, we decided to take a road trip to drop me off at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT.