Plans...

Remember when I said that my plans never work out? You thought I was kidding or exaggerating, right?  I wasn't.

Ever since I decided to go on a mission, nothing has really gone as planned. My plan was to get my papers done quickly and leave as soon as possible. It started off great. I talked to my bishop, we got things set up for me to start my papers online. I set up my doctor's appointment, and my dentist appointment. After that all  I needed to do was meet with the stake president. I was so excited.

I went home for my medical appointments about a week after I started my papers. When I got home I found out that my dad had the stomach flu and he wasn't doing so great, and my mom was in the hospital. GREAT... That's not how I wanted my visit home to be.

 My doctor's appointment went great. I was healthy, and I got out of there quickly. The only problem is that they didn't have the TB test  there, so I either had to go to the health department, or I could wait until they ordered it. I couldn't wait for that because it's hard for me to drive four hours away for a TB test. I decided to go to the health department.  They got the TB test done, and told me to come back in two days to have it checked.

The day after my doctor's appointment, I had my dental appointment. That was not fun at all! We had to do the bite-wing x-rays to see what needed to be done. The assistant didn't know that I had TMJ (http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders), and that my mouth kept locking every time I bit down on the right side. She read the left side just fine. When she did the right side, she forced  the bite wing out of my mouth, and it popped really loud. I told her that it hurt and what was going on. Apparently it didn't read correctly so she had to do it again. I thought that she would be more gentle that time, but again she forced it out of my mouth without me being able to fully open it first. Again, it didn't read correctly. I didn't count the times that she had to do it because I was in so much pain, but she had to do it at least five times. I don't really blame her because you don't really know how bad it hurts or how it is unless it's happened to you, but it was just rough.

After the x-rays, I thought that would be the worst of it. Turns out, I needed more work than I thought. That was definitely a disappointment. On the papers, it asks what still needs to be done and the date that it's scheduled to be done. As long as they fill out out then they can send the papers to the bishop. The assistant said that they have had people schedule the appointments and never show up for them, and they've gotten in trouble for it. They said that they weren't going to send my papers to my bishop until all the work was done.

I was very disappointed. I live four hours away from the dentist, and I work two jobs. It's not easy for me to get mutual days off. I have to schedule days off at Walmart at least three weeks in advance. I wanted to get my call as soon as possible, so this was forcing me to get work off right away, and it's not that easy. If they were to send my papers in to the bishop, we could move on to submitting my papers and getting my call. If I got my call it would be a lot easier for me to plan when I was moving home, and when I could go down for my dentist appointments.

I scheduled all of my appointments all in one trip so that I didn't have to come back down more than once.  I requested the days off from work, and everything was good to go.

The next day I was super sick. I got the stomach flu from my Dad. I had been puking since two o'clock in the morning. This was the day that I was supposed to go get my TB test checked, and I was also supposed to go back to Logan. There was no way that I could not get my TB test checked. The only way that they could send the papers to my bishop was if I got that done. I spent the money on it, and I didn't want to spend more money to take another one.

At about four in the evening, I got a tiny bit of strength to go to Price (30 minutes away) to get my TB test checked. It was really hard to drive there because I was so nauseous, but I had to do it. I got to the health department and the door had a sign on it. The sign said that they were closed that day and the next. WHY did they not tell me this, and why did they tell me to come back if they weren't going to be there?! I drove over to the doctors office to see if they could check it. By the time I got there it was about five minutes to five. They close at five, so the doctors were gone because their appointments were done. I told the nurse what was going on. She didn't know what needed to be done, so she just checked it and left a note for the doctor saying that I was good, hoping that I wouldn't have to do another one.

I didn't end up having to do another one which was a good thing. It was still hard for me to drive all around panicking when I was so sick. I had to stay another day in Castle Dale because I couldn't drive back to Logan. I had to call in sick for work the next day. It just wasn't a fun experience.

I received a priesthood blessing from my father and our home teacher. In the blessing it said that my Heavenly Father was proud of me and the decisions that I'm making. He also said in the blessing that I needed to have patience and faith. Scripture study was reiterated in the blessing as well. If I were to read my scriptures and study them, then I would be less stressed.

I'm so thankful for priesthood blessings. I know that the priesthood is real. I'm thankful for my dad's example and that he has lived worthy to hold the priesthood. I know that if we have faith, that God will direct us. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that it is there for our benefit to guide and direct us. I know that by praying and reading our scriptures, that we will have peace and we will be blessed. I'm so grateful to be a part of this gospel and to know of the truth. I'm so excited to be able to go on a mission and to share of that joy and that truth with the people that are ready to hear it. (: