You Have Been Called To Serve . . .

Today my best friend got his mission call. He'd been waiting for a few weeks and was very excited. I thought his bladder might burst. We were are all dying with anticipation as we watched him open the envelope. I was given to involuntary yelping and gnawing on my hand. Where would he be sent?? Questions zipped through my head like lightning.

Would he be sent out of the country? Would he get some lame-o stateside mission? Will he learn a language? Will he get a better mission call than me? Maybe the last question is very shallow, but it was still a legitimate concern.

I've been worried for the last few months. I keep hearing about guys getting called out to exotic missions with foreign languages and shocking cultures. With every mission call I hear it reaffirms my believe that I will be sent to a States mission. This belief terrifies me. It's not that I wouldn't mind serving in the States, even if it lacks the superficial glamour. I had a roommate that got called to Louisville, Kentucky -- not exactly a mouth dropper. He was called stateside because he has a fairly serious heart condition. I also have a heart condition, although very minor, but it still red flags me on my mission forms. I just don't want to deal with stupid people patronizing me with forced congratulations and feigned excitement about some lame-o mission call.

Then Andy opened his call. He slit the envelope and pulled out his paper. Immediately he started crying, tears of exquisite joy. I've never seen him in such a state. In between sobbing gasps he muffled out his call, "Boston Massachusetts," then paused and said, "I can't even pronounce that language!" Haitian and Creole, the paper said. Andy Mecham will be serving in Boston, Massachusetts with the Haitian and Creole people. Amazing! As it began to sink in, I realized, wow, what a freaking awesome mission. Maybe it's not on an island or in Europe, and he probably won't live in a hut. But seeing him so happy made me realize it really doesn't matter where you serve. I'm going to love it no matter what. I've almost got myself convinced I want to serve in the States. If anything the mail would get to me faster and I could drink the water.