So, after 4 weeks of an incredible MTC experience, it was time for everyone in my district to head out! There were 6 of us in my district all heading to the Louisiana Baton Rouge mission. As it turned out, there were complications with our flight. It had been canceled so we had to go back to the MTC. They were then able to arrange half of us to fly out later that evening and the other half would fly out early the next morning. I was among the lucky few who got to leave that night. We arrive in Louisiana close to midnight. I remember getting off the plane exhausted and scared. We didn't know who to look for, what to expect, anything. But as it turned out, our mission president, his wife, and the assistants and office elders were all there to greet us as we came! My mission president, President Wall, informed us all that us sisters would ride with him and Sister Wall, and the elders would ride with the assistants and office elders. We took pictures with President and Sister Wall, and then it was off to the mission home.
It was hot and humid the moment we walked outside. I'd never experienced anything like it before. Within minutes, I was covered in sweat, despite the fact it was dark and late at night. We climbed in the car and President Wall thankfully turned on the AC. And then we headed out. We all talked a bit. At one point, President Wall told us that one of us would be going to a more urban part of Louisiana with a good, solid ward and the gospel firmly established and the other one of us would be going to a more rural area with a branch and a branch president that would make his missionaries work hard because he wanted it to become a ward. I secretly hoped I'd be going to the more urban part. I know. Very selfish of me. At the time, my plan was kind of to get my mission done and move on with my life. Yall have read my previous posts about the motivation behind my serving. It was only because the Lord made it very clear that I needed to serve and I just wanted to get it done. Goodness did I change. But that's for a future blog post!
Needless to say, the next morning came bright and early. We had interviews with President Wall and then Sister Wall was kind enough to let us go back and take a small nap before heading to transfer meeting. At transfer meeting, all of us new missionaries sat together, not knowing what to expect and all of us scared out of our minds. The unknown is scary! I don't like not knowing. So I was really scared going into all of this because I literally had no idea what would happen. We had a short meeting beforehand with all the new missionaries and the missionaries assigned to be our trainers. I remember looking around, wondering which sister missionary would be my trainer. And then the actual transfer meeting began. President Wall went from zone to zone. At one point, he got to the Lafayette zone and he announced that a Sister Spencer would be serving in Opelousas and would be training me! We stood up, gave each other a hug, and sat down together. After the meeting was over, we packed all my things and loaded my bike on the bike rack on our car, and headed out. It was about an hour and a half back to our area. None of us had eaten dinner so we stopped by a place called Cane's and ate there. My trainer had a bubbly personality and seemed to know everyone and had so much energy! It was all kind of overwhelming. I was excited but scared and overwhelmed all at the same time. I just didn't know what to do, but eat my Cane's and answer questions directed to me and listen to everyone else talk.
We got to Opelousas and ran to walmart to pick up a few things I needed, like bedding and such. Then we settled down, did nightly planning, and at 10:30, called it a night. I was scared out of my mind. But my mission had officially begun.
My trainer and I
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