Nostalgia...

So I've been secretly planning a blog entry all week about the day I received my mission call (one of the girls at work is going to get her's on Wednesday).
The day I got my mission call, I actually went on a field trip to a corn maze. I was living with my friend Monique and her 5 kids. Wendy (the girl) needed a chaperone for her field trip. I had a good time-really didn't think I was old enough to be a chaperone, but 5th graders amused me. It was a rainy day in September so I hit the shower as soon as I got home. The only trick to that was that I wasn't actually home at that point. I was babysitting the girls through the back fence while their parents were at Lake Powell. I had just finished drying my hair and the phone rang. I andswered it to Monique screaming, "IT'S HERE!!!!" I had just submitted the papers a week before. I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. "I WENT TO CHECK THE MAIL AND IT'S HERE! YOUR MISSION CALL IS HERE!!!" I called my parents (they were in Nebraksa) and Mom said Dad was on his way home from work, but they would call Monique's as soon as he got home. At that point it all sunk in and the girls and I went home to Monique's. I got home to find not one, but two envelopes. The first was the standard big white envelope from the First Presidency. The second was a standard-sized mailing envelope from the Church Travel Office. Upon a second look I discovered that I could see through the smaller envelope. There was a piece of orange/peach paper with a big header across the top that said "Visa Requirements for Chile". I think I said something along the lines of, "Oh my gosh!" and ran down the hall to my bedroom. Monique followed me down the hall, "You cheated! You cheated!" and she confiscated BOTH envelopes until my parents called. When my parents finally called, I found out that I was going to Osorno, Chile. I was going to learn Spanish. I understood that missions change lives, but I don't think I understood the magnitude of the impact it would have on MY life. This morning I woke up to write and found out about the earthquake in Chile. Wow. Want to talk about a wave of nostalgia? All of a sudden I am concerned from those I met and loved. There's not really anything that I can do for them right now. I'll keep them in my prayers and I'll keep my eyes open for opportunities to serve and bless them like they blessed me. If I go back for a visit...so be it. I'm always up for a good trip.