International Phone Calls

I've been making calls this week to get contact information for a project. It's been really interesting. I've noticed that when I'm speaking to non-native English speakers I speak louder. Because, obviously, if I speak louder they'll understand me.

I found a international calling cheat sheet, which has been saving my life during this time of making calls. It tells you what numbers to press before dialling the number you have (aka country codes and such). It's genius.

I talked to a funny Frenchman who as he was looking for a number was making a funny sound, and I wanted to laugh. He making the sound "bom, bom, bom, bom" in a nice little tune.

Another thing I've noticed. Calling California from Germany is never convenient. Really. We are never working at the same time. Sneaky California.

So I called this one place and the lady answered the call and I said, "I'm from blah blah blah and do you know who could help me with blah blah blah" and she said "no". I paused, a little confused because no one had told me no yet. So I said, "really?" because that's all I could think of. She said "where are you from again?" so I said the name of the company. She paused and then started to apologize explaining that she thought I was a junk call person and she feels horrible. I had to laugh, because I've been feeling like a telemarketer making all these calls. Plus, I've been a missionary, I've seen rude, and that didn't even phase me. Oh good times.

Also whenever I hear people say "Ipswich" or make a call to someone in Ipswich, I laugh to myself. All I can think of is Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch. That's been my only Ipswich exposure, and it has made an impact. I love it.

Oh and the awkward phone calls are the best, where the people on the other end just seem really strange and sketchy. It makes me wonder what they are doing, because I imagine them having very shifty eyes. Plus, when things get really awkward, it makes me feel super uncomfortable and I want to run away. So I'm trying to be professional while trying to get off the phone ASAP because the phone vibes just keep getting more and more awkward!


Lessons Learned:

• Attitude does matter. 
• You choose to be offended. It doesn't matter what happens, you choose how you react. 

Best Letter Ever Received!

News: My friend Terrence got his mission call to the England Manchester Mission.

Terrence got his mission call earlier today and posted it on facebook. He said he would open it at the Institute building at 6pm. Honestly I don't know how he could wait soooooo long. When I got my call...well, I tell you about that in a bit. But at 6, I was there. Too bad Terrence wasn't. :) But seriously, he showed up and we waited for some more close friends who were running late. He brought a map and we all put little tabs on where we thought he would go. When everyone arrived, he opened his letter. The foyer became quiet as the spirit grew stronger and Terrence read his letter. When he read "you have been called to serve in the England Manchester Mission..." everyone went nuts with cheering and clapping. He continued to read his report date when he will arrive at the Preston England Mission Center and continued to read the mission call from the prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I was just brought back to the time when I got my mission call and how wonderful that was. I remembered the feelings of joy I had. Everyone cheered for and hugged Terrence. Then someone started singing "Called to Serve" and I almost lost it. I wanted to sing along but the sight of all these Returned Missionaries gathered around singing:

"Called to serve Him, heavenly King of Glory,
Chosen e'er to witness for his name,
Far and wide we tell the Father's story,
Far and wide his love proclaim"

It was so beautiful and the Spirit testified to me of how the message the missionaries teach is true. It reminded me of the joy I felt as a missionary to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Terrence is going to be amazing. I remember meeting him and talking to him about going on a mission. My thoughts have not changed; it will be the most amazing, wonderful, beautiful, life-changing experience ever. Terrence is a man of faith and inner strength who helps me be a better person.

As I left I started remembering the day I received my mission call. It was 17 October 2009. I just had gotten back home from Ottawa, Canada a few days before, where I was visiting Christina and we both caught the swine flu. It had progressed to bronchitis by the time I got to the doctor back in the US, so I was sick and on antibiotics. It was a Saturday, and for some reason my dad didn't go to the ranch to ride horses and rope cattle (which is a miracle in and of itself). For some reason, I went to the to check the mail, which is not something I normally do. I got the mail, and as I was walking back to the house, I was flipping through the letters and saw it. The Letter. My mission call. I went home and called out for everyone to come down so I could read my letter. I called my brother to see if he could come home, but he wasn't answering the phone. I called a couple of times, and no one picked up, so I left a couple of messages. Then I made the wonderful decision to just open the call! I remember reading the mission call to go to the California Santa Rosa Mission-Spanish Speaking and was so excited along with my parents and little sister. After the excitement wore off, we all looked at each other and asked, "Where is Santa Rosa?" True story. We google-mapped it (it's in northern California), and I was excited. I was excited to serve a mission and to learn Spanish, a language that alluded me for years!

I look back at the 18 months I served as a missionary on behalf of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, teaching people His gospel, and it brings me such joy. I think of the answers I would hear when I asked people who had just received a testimony from God that there was a living prophet on the earth, "What does that mean to you?" I think of people who had a desire to know for themselves if the Book of Mormon is scripture from God and prayed; the happiness and clarity that was in their countenance after they received the confirmation of the Holy Ghost was life-changing. I remember talking to a boy who had never prayed in his life, and we taught him how to pray; the next time he talked to us he told us of his experience and how he felt a comforting presence he had never felt before in his life. I love my mission. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it has been restored to the earth and is found, in its fullness, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know that God still talks to the world through a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ and tells of Gods dealings with His people on the American continents. I know God loves us and will never leave us without guidance.  I know it, and I cannot deny it.

"Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

To be honest, my mind has been blown and my heart is full of awe and love. Really, I feel unworthy of how amazing my Heavenly Father has been to me. Seriously. I feel like he is just giving me things and giving me things and I think my friend, Ben, said it best when he quoted Malachi 3:10, when the Lord says, "Prove me now herewith...if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." At times, I feel uncomfortable when people give me gifts of compliments, so I don't know how to react right now. Let me explain...

1. I have been given this dream job, where I was told a few weeks ago that during the first year of employment, I would be sent to live in Missouri, Italy, Brazil, and China. I know, right? I'm still waiting for them to call me back and yell "Gottcha!" (Yes. Being offered a chance to travel the world is exciting, and I cannot wait for the many adventures that await. But I'm still looking forward to settling down in a year to more permanent location)
2. I went to visit my mission this past week. Words cannot describe how amazing that was. Literally. I'm not even going to try right now. All I can really verbalize is it was exactly what I needed and wanted. I love the people of Northern California. 
3. I got a call from my boss yesterday and he say, "Natasha, there is this great project going on and I want you to be a part of it. We're going to have to change your plan around. I want you to not go to Missouri right now, but go to the UK and the Czech Republic." It was a little funny, because I got an email from him earlier to call him when I have time, and my immediate thought was, "Oh no. What did I do?" Silly me. I didn't do anything. So when I heard the news, I was so excited; I couldn't believe it. So now, I'm going to be sent to England for a bit and then the Czech Republic and then to Missouri. Seria una fiesta.
4. I walked into institute 5 minutes late and sat down between two people I haven't really talked to before. Then I hear a girl behind me announce that she is from Sacramento, so I turned to say that I served in Woodland. When I turned around, the girl looked really familiar. I realized that I was looking at Jessica, a girl I knew when I was 16 for one week and have had of-and-on communication with over the past decade(ish). After class we just hugged and I was super excited. She invited me to go to lunch with her and her brother, and we just headed off into the sunset. (hyperbole. it was around 3pm.) So I went over to hang out with her for a few hours. It's amazing how after around 7-8 years of not seeing each other, it was as if no time had passed. It was a real life Alma and the sons of Mosiah experience. It was really to my astonishment, I met Jessica...and I did rejoice exceedinglye to see her, and what added more to my joy, she was still my sister in the Lord (see Alma 17:1-2). She's amazing and wonderful. We shared mission stories and life stories, and it was a great reunion.

Really. I feel so spoiled with how much the Lord is opening the windows of heaven and pouring out blessings. I am so happy right now, even if I still have 40 pages of textbook reading to do tonight, along with some PowerPoint slides I need to create and an essay to edit. I am so happy right now.