OUR CALL

          We received our mission call at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, 2011.  Startled, surprised, disappointed were some of the emotions and feelings we experienced. Several months before we had been interviewed by Elder Carmack of the Seventy to go on a Perpetual Education Fund Mission.  He had told us we were perfect for it and 98% of the time when he requested someone, they are called to that position.  He told us we would probably go to Mexico, Central America, South America, or the Dominican Republic.  We were excited about going.  We couldn’t believe our eyes when it said the California Los Angeles Mission.  Neither one of us wanted to tell anyone.  I finally reconciled myself to the fact that I either believed in revelation or I didn’t.  After praying and thinking about it, I felt right about our call.  I will let Dale relate how he felt.  

Dale: I was in a state of shock for the rest of the day and into the night. I was restless during the night. Finally around 3:30 a.m. I got up, prayed for what seemed a very long time, reread my patriarchal blessing, and prayed again. Then I read my blessing another time. This time the first sentence of the third paragraph stood out. It said “Your pathway shall lead you among a strange people—a people with many ways.” I could not think of a better description of the city of Los Angeles than that. This confirmed for me that the California Los Angeles Mission was where Heavenly Father wanted us to serve and that the apostle who chose this mission for us was inspired indeed.