My Farewell

Five months ago... I received a white envelope addressed to Sister Cara Nicole Larsen. I got to open it at 9:00 sharp ish that night. I got to sit through a class that night, that's why I was opening it later. Torture. FINALLY, I got to go home to that white envelope. My whole family was there waiting anxiously, along with my very best friends on face time and there in person.

I was shaking, I was so nervous and excited at the same time. This white envelope held where I was going to be living for the next 18 months, no big deal. I opened it.

Dear Sister Larsen:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

You are assigned to labor in the Peru Iquitos Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

 

You should report to the Peru Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, October 9, 2013. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language.

 

Uhhh, what?! Let's just say I was pretty excited! Then my dear friends on my couch of course had to look it up on MY smart phone.

"It's the 4th largest city in Peru!"

"It's in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest!"

"There's a quarter of million people that live there!"

I was so excited and all their statements just got me more pumped.

 

Five months later... We've learned my mission is brand new, just opened July 1st. So the list of stuff to bring was... let's just say... vague. I got all my clothes, which was quite the chore. Like, how do you shop for the Amazon Rainforest? Especially being in a skirt. :) I got practical shoes that weren't that bad looking, thank you very much. Oh, and let's not forget my yellow rainboots.

 

So it came time for my farewell Sunday. Not only was I speaking, but I was also singing. With my parents. To be honest, I would have rather just sang and not spoke. Ha :) beggers can't be choosers, I guess. I feel it went pretty well, I cried. So, I'm guessing I touched some spirits. Yeah! :)

What I did realize though, is that I have a huge family! Combined with my mom and dad's we filled up most of the chapel. Go us :)

My adorable nephew. I think he looks like me :)

I have such amazing cousins that drove down just to come hear me speak. Thank you.

And of course. My amazing parents and siblings

He really wanted a picture like this.



 



I also had all my family send the bag I'll be putting all my laundry in :) Thank you for doing it.
Bring on the amazon!