How it Came to Be

I figured that I'd start off this whole blog by telling you how I came to the decision to go on a mission. It definitely wasn't easy for me. The thought of going on a mission had never really occurred to me before. Then in October of 2012 President Thomas S. Monson announced that the previous age for sister missionaries to serve, which was 21, was now being lowered to 19 years old. Even then my initial thought was "meh, whatever". However as I continued in my college education I realized that I  was kind of burned out of school, and I wanted to do something else.

Then the thought of seriously going on a mission came to me. I still wasn't sure but after a couple months thinking about it, I decided I would start my mission papers and see how I felt about it. So I started them in February of 2013 and finished them all the way in May. I still had good feelings about it, but I hadn't had that personal confirmation from Heavenly Father that I needed to go.

So I waited and waited, and struggled. I read my patriarchal blessing a lot in this waiting and struggling period. A part of what kept me from committing to a mission was a particular line in my patriarchal blessing that said "You will not be one who has to teach or preach the gospel, but you will be a good example." To me that made no sense with missionary work. As a missionary you kind of have to teach and preach the gospel. However other things in my blessing suggested that a mission might be the right thing. So I was royally confused.

Then about three months later, in September, I had that famed light bulb moment. Now I hadn't done anything that spectacularly spiritual that day so I can't credit myself with doing anything other than being patient. And maybe being a little more alert in my scripture reading that night. I was reading in Alma, particularly Alma 17 verse 11. This verse is about Ammon and the sons of Mosiah, it happens as they are traveling to preach the gospel to the Lamanites. The Lamanites were a wicked people and their journey was long and hard. So as they traveled, they prayed and fasted that they may have the spirit with them so that they may better teach. This is what the Lord told them.

"And the Lord said unto them also, Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of the in my hand unto the salvation of many souls."

Ding ding ding! As soon I read that I was like "Oh crap! I have to go now."

However, Heavenly Father wasn't satisfied with my concept of understanding at that point. So he made sure that the same story was repeated to me two more times within the same two weeks. Once in general conference in Elder Holland's talk, and once again in my sacrament meeting through a talk given by my Bishop. Well, I had prayed for an obvious sign.

Ask and ye shall receive, I guess.