Preperation Time

Now that I have my call it's time to do one thing that I don't like to do: shopping.
We held off going and getting anything until a letter from my mission president. After it arrived the shopping started.  We've been doing it in spurts, thankfully my Mum understands that I don't last long shopping, unless it's for books.
So far we've gotten good water proof shoes and boots (apparently it rains a lot in Boston), a full length coat (I wasn't so sure about it when we bought it but now I love it), a new set of scriptures with my full name on them, a sling bag that I have dubbed the Mary Poppins bag (seriously that thing has so many pockets within pockets, and it's a lot bigger than it looks), the missionary "library", sheets, professional looking shirts, undershirts, a small sewing kit, laundry basket, and other little things I'll need.  I'm glad I'm going in the states though, at least I know the general stores where I can buy things I forget to take with me.
I'm also trying to re-read the Book of Mormon before March 28th.  I completed my goal of the summer of finishing it before the end of the year so re-reading I am.  I'm already in Alma but I still have 300 pages to go.
This next story relates to preparing I promise:
I've been ward hopping ever since I got back from school.  Maybe hopping isn't the right word.  I'm only attending two wards.  My singles ward and my home ward.  I love the singles ward but since I'm "leaving" from my home ward my records are there.  The singles ward starts at 10:30 and the home ward starts at 1.  I usually make it to both.  Sacrament and Sunday school at the singles ward and the full block of meetings at the home ward.  It's a little tiring but I figure I might as well get used to it, I have 18 months of this kinda stuff ahead of me.
Anyway, about two weeks ago I got a call from one of the members of the Bishopric in the singles ward.  I didn't really think anything of it until he told me why he had called.  He wanted me to speak in Sacrament meeting.  I really wanted to blurt out that I wasn't even in the ward.  I get really nervous about speaking see.  The first time I had to talk in Sacrament meeting I got hives, I was so scared.  But I said I would do it.  After all I need the practice right?  My subject was Doctrine and Covenants 115:5.  I spoke with a guy that I had known in high school, who just got off his mission.  It really was my pre-farewell talk.  A missionary leaving and a missionary coming home.    The best part was my heart decided it didn't want to escape this time, so my legs weren't shaking as bad as they usually were, my voice was a lot steadier, and I didn't cry through the whole thing.  Yay!

 Oh and the other thing I did in preparing for a mission?

I cut my hair, surprise!!