The Time Has Come

"The time has come," the walrus said

"To talk of many things: 

Of shoes-- and ships--and sealing wax--

Of cabbages--of kings--

And why the sea is boiling hot--

And whether pigs have wings."

     Lewis Carroll

The time has come...after four months of waiting to begin my mission the day has finally arrived. 

I spent yesterday on my last "girl trip" for a while (me, my mom, my older sister and her daughter). It really can't be classified as a trip, but rather a day. It began with running all my last errands, picking up the things I had forgotten. We also managed to fit in my last time to indulge local food cravings by beginning and ending with pit stops at respectfully, J Dawgs and Taco Amigo (Waffle love was the night before). We finished with a trip to the grocery store to prepare for my last chosen meal with my family. My mother prepared barbecued T-Bone steak (home raised), risotto, green salad, and parker house rolls (the bread of life). I understand that most missionary apartments in South Korea do not have ovens. This will be the hardest thing to do without as I am a baker. Later in the evening we had a movie night. We watched Anastasia (to my mother's dismay), ate popcorn (my comfort food), and topped it off with a little chocolate. We finished the night off by going to the stake house where I was set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This afternoon I will enter the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. I couldn't be more excited. I can't wait to begin my service. I am ready to learn all I can. I am so happy and I feel so blessed to be given the opportunity to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with the incredible people of South Korea. Like Alice, I have heard of things about shoes (sore feet), cabbages (kimchee), and how sharing my testimony may be received as well as the tales of flying pigs. However, my grandmother shared something with me this morning. She said that she just had an epiphany about the equality of souls in the Lord's eye. I know this seems elementary within gospel principles, but do we really internalize this concept. I know that I am a daughter of God and that my life has a divine purpose. But she reminded me that every soul on the earth fought in heaven along side of me for the opportunity to follow Christ's plan. It helped remind me that every person I encounter, whatever nationality, ethnicity, gender, social status, and position on the path back to God, was His valiant son or daughter in Heaven. I, however, received the gospel early in my tenure on earth. This has made all the difference in recognizing how blessed I have been. I never had to spend time looking for the gospel, and that puts 18 months into perspective. It is little that I give bringing hope, blessings, and the message of salvation to Christ's valiant servants living on the other side of the world in South Korea.  

Check back soon for stories of my foreign adventures and spiritual experiences.  

n. Martin Gardner argues that the Alice books were not always intended as symbolic literature, and rather than made for "mad people" they were written for the imagination of children. 

In other words: Don't try to read something not intended into the things I quote.