Disclaimer: I thought I published this on January 14 but 5 days later it seems not have have properly published. So, will try again and hope it works this time.
The great news is that we finally have a date to report to the MTC! I thought it would be sooner but surprisingly we do not report until February 20 with other Self-Reliance missionaries who will be reporting as well. Maybe we missed a January intake. So, almost 6 more weeks to go. By the time we report it will have been 10 months since we received our mission call!
Apparently FBI background checks expire after a certain amount of time. A new investigation was required which included another batch of fingerprints. On Tuesday we met with our friend who can take fingerprints. This time I came armed with Corn Husker's Lotion and Tabasco sauce!
Steve went first while I gave my fingers several applications of Corn Husker's. Then I soaked my poor fingers in Tabasco Sauce a few minutes. After wiping it all off our friend completed 4 fingerprint sheets in the hopes that at least one of them would be acceptable. We thought they looked pretty good and were hopeful.
The fingerprints cards were sent that same day by priority mail to Accurate Biometric in Illinois. They arrived on Friday and WERE ACCEPTABLE!!!! I passed the first "go round" this time thanks to copious use of Corn Husker's and Tabasco sauce!!! and our friend's skill.
Apparently our visa was already issued with our old dates and is set to expire November 11, 2018. With our delayed departure our release date is now in January 2019 which means an extension must be filed when the time comes if we are to fulfill our 23 month mission assignment.
In the meantime we have more opportunities to spend time with our family, attend the temple and visit with friends. Limbo is much more manageable with an end in site. Steve's hip has been acting up and giving him grief so we are hoping it will calm down before we leave and allow him to move forward.
It just seems like we have had a lot of opposition as we have prepared to serve this mission. We are getting lots of opportunities to learn some things we need to learn - just not sure what we are supposed to be learning. Not sure I am doing very well in learning to be patient.
Heavenly Father always has a plan for us, that I know. He just does not let us know in advance what that plan is. We are moving forward and hope we will be able to learn/accomplish whatever it is that Heavenly Father requires of us.
This amazing Self-Reliance Initiative is so exciting and we are anxious to begin our work. The various opportunities are wonderful and have such a great impact on the lives of those who participate. The more I learn the more excited I get.
Our plane reservations are set for February 13, leaving Bellingham International Airport about 11:30 AM to fly to Seattle. Then a short layover and a flight to Salt Lake City. We will have a week to visit our Utah family, tie up loose ends and even meet our new niece and her family who live just north of Salt Lake City before we report to the MTC in Provo on February 20.
Thank you for the many prayers offered for the healing of Steve's eye. It is humbling to know that so many people are concerned for us.
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