Seriously???

Last night I couldn’t sleep. I felt like a giant ape had some how crawled down my throat and was practising his break dance moves on my fundus (upper portion of the stomach for you non anatomy people, but that’s not quite as poetic). Every time I closed my eyes my mind was buzzing and chirping and squealing… what if it comes, what if it doesn’t, what if I’m disappointed? Wait… how dare I be disappointed… NO I must be positive… but seriously what if I can’t help it and I’m disappointed… these were the commentaries keeping me up despite my exhausted body. Eventually after a few chapters of reading I fell asleep.

I woke up nice and early at 6 am and practically jumped out of bed. I decided to go running and got ready. I wore a fluorescent yellow shirt, to symbolize the happy day I would hopefully have. I must have looked like an exploded highlighter. I ran for about half an hour. Oddly enough a couple hours sleep, no food or water, and running isn’t a good combination. After a shower and then watching Downton Abbey, despairing over Mary, swooning over Matthew, and despising Thomas I started my skyping sessions. I skyped with a friend and with my parents and was on and off the phone with Ana until 10.30… THE TIME!!

I hurried to the mail box. My contingency plan was to obtain a copy of Princess and the Goblin and watch it a couple times before work just to improve my mood. Maybe if I could act out Curty’s singing then I might not be so grumpy. But my plans were unnecessary… there it was… the big white envelope of joy :D I immediately called Ana as I walked back to the house, but the silly girl had left her phone in another room. I sent her a message very calmly and sweetly expressing the importance of her presence immediately. Fortunately she was able to detect the pinch of haste in my voice and jumped in her car to speed to my house.

After sorting out skype and phone calls and cameras… it was time.

I had been determined to cover the letter and read it as I got to the line, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to be first. So as I began… “Sister Rivera…” I shuffled the paper down a little and caught the glimpse of “Romania/Moldova Mission”. Unable to contain myself, of course, I started screaming and had to quickly contain myself long enough to read it to the family haha. Ana was in tears, I was just screaming. I honestly still can hardly believe it.

I prayed and fasted last week that I’d receive a testimony that my call really was from the Lord, sent especially for me. But I don’t think my prayers have ever been answered in such an obvious way. I love the Lord and I can totally see his hand in my life. He had been preparing me for longer than I knew.

For those of you unaware of the significance of Romania in my life… allow me to give you a snapshot. When I was 17 I went on a trip volunteering to Romania working with children with Special Needs. I fell in love with the people, the language, and the country. I returned just a few months later and again the following summer to work with disadvantaged children. I loved everything Romanian.

The following year I went to BYU and then decided to spend the summer in the Sacramento area. Here, I made friends with a girl named Anamaria Costea. Ana, is Romanian, her entire family, church and friends are Romanian. I think my heart has a magnet for Romanians.

Just before opening my call my Brother said to me that the best missionaries are the ones who just love the people. As I prepared myself to learn to love the people of Birmingham, Provo, or Boise, I had no idea that I’d be given the one place on earth where my heart is already full of love. I will work for my heart to swell and overflow with even more love for the Romanian People. As of right now, my heart is overflowing with love for the Lord. He knows me so well it’s unbelievable. He answered my prayers far beyond anything I could’ve imagined.

A few people have said yeah it was obvious, of course you’d go there… but for me I couldn’t believe that the Lord would actually send me to my one dream mission. I’m excited, nervous, shocked, anxious… you name it. But there it is folks… Romania!!