Timing...

These past few months have been a test of faith in the Lord's timing. Allow me to explain...

The typical process for submitting mission papers goes a little bit like this:

• Decide to go on a mission

• Talk to your bishop

• Fill out paperwork online

• Go to the dentist/doctor and walk away with complete forms

• Submit complete online forms to bishop

• Interview with bishop

• Papers submitted to stake president

• Interview with stake president

• Papers submitted to church HQ

• Wait impatiently for a big white envelope to come in the mail

Christopher has had a slightly different experience:

• Decide to go on a mission

• Get told papers can't be started until 3 months before 19th birthday

• Start paperwork online the day they become available

• Visit doctor, passing exam with no problem

• Visit dentist...

• Listen as dentist explains procedure that must take place before papers can be submitted

• Listen some more as dentist suggests recovery time of 2-3 months

• Visit oral surgeon

• Learn recovery time is closer to 5-6 months

• Register for a semester of school, as there is no way availability date will be before finals week

• Surgery step 1 of 3... including 40+ Novocain shots...

• Slowly work on remaining paperwork, feeling no rush due to surgery

• Surgery step 2 of 3...

• Begin school

• Finally get a date of availability from dentist/oral surgeon

• Finish paperwork online

• Realize the only thing missing from papers is a picture

• Get haircut and shave, ask sister to take picture

• Get distracted on scheduled photo shoot day

• Several weeks later, get another hair cut

• Shave on day of second scheduled photo shoot

• Wait for another day because sister purchased a cooler camera

• A few weeks later, get another haircut

• Shave, corner sister and force a photo shoot

• Submit papers to bishop

• Share a special Sunday with family and bishopric

• Realize that membership has switched wards mid-process, and papers did not make the ward switch...

• Pray really hard that the papers can be found from their lost location in cyberspace

• Call home bishop, current bishop, home bishop again in mad search for papers

• Have home bishop and current bishop individually call church HQ to find papers

• Find papers!!!

• Interview with bishop

• Papers sent to stake president

• Call stake executive secretary to schedule soonest possible appointment with stake president

• Learn stake president is out of town; eta: unknown

• Groan

• Pray some more

• Receive call from exec sec, schedule appointment with stake president the day he arrives in Logan

• Submit papers to church HQ

• Watch the mail like a puppy dog, waiting for that big white envelope!!!

Crazy, huh?

Stay tuned...