Called to Serve

I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:  I am a Mormon.  I've been a member of this church for my entire life, and it has in every way helped me become the person that I am today.

I'm so grateful for everything that my church has taught me and for the knowledge that it has given me.  I know without a shadow of doubt that The Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I've read and prayed about the words in The Book of Mormon countless times, and I know that they are true.  I know that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove, and that through Joseph the gospel was restored once more on this earth.  I know that families can be together forever.  I know that I am a child of God.  I know that Jesus Christ came to this earth to pay the price for all of our sins.  It is through Him that we are able to live with our Father in Heaven once more.  He made it possible for us to overcome all of our shortcomings.  I know that He knows me personally and that He is my Savior.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet on the earth today.  I know that this church is true.



As I'm sure a lot of you have heard, I'm preparing to serve an eighteen month mission for my church.  I've been planning on serving a mission for some time now, but I thought that I was going to have to wait a couple of years until I actually got to go (before October 2012, boys had to be 19 to serve a mission and girls had to be 21).  But on October 6, 2012 the prophet Thomas S. Monson made an announcement that changed the course of my life: young men could now serve missions at 18 and young women could serve at 19.  When I heard the announcement I burst into tears.  Suddenly the opportunity for me to serve a mission was right around the corner!  My heart was full of joy and I knew that serving a mission was what I was supposed to do.

I know a lot of you guys aren't Mormon, so I just wanted to take some time to explain exactly what a mission for my church is.  :)

While all worthy, young Mormon men are expected to serve a mission, it's an optional choice for young women.  But for the first time in the history of the church, the tides are turning: more and more sisters are preparing to serve missions.  I find it truly amazing how many young women are willing to put their lives on hold to serve the Lord.

A mission is two years long for a young man and eighteen months long for a young woman.  After completing the required paperwork, including doctors and dentist appointments and interviews with church leaders, the missionary will receive a letter from the headquarters of the Church.  That letter will tell the missionary where in the world they will be serving, what language they will be speaking, and what date their mission starts.  Missionaries can serve all over the world.  My dad served in Guatemala, and one of my best friends has been called to serve in Korea!  Finding out where you're going to serve is so exciting, and I can't wait until I receive my call in a couple of weeks.

Before the missionary actually goes to their assigned area, they report to a Missionary Training Center (MTC).  They stay there for anywhere between a couple of weeks to a little longer than a month.  In the MTC, the missionary prepares to go out and teach the gospel: they learn their assigned language, practice teaching, and master doctrines.  After their time in the MTC is over, the missionary then reports to their area to begin their mission.

Missionaries follow a strict schedule in the mission field.  They wake up at 6:30 every day and spend two hours studying and pondering the scriptures.  They then go out and try to find people to teach!  They oftentimes will go knocking door to door, asking people if they would like to learn more about our religion.  Missionaries devote their entire lives to serving the Lord.  When I'm on my mission, I won't spend time listening to music, watching TV, or texting.  In fact, I won't even have my phone on my mission!  I'll be able to keep in touch with everyone through letters or emails though, so don't worry!  In fact, the only times I'll get to even call home are on Mother's Day and Christmas.  Every waking moment I have will be spent helping and teaching other people.  It's a sacrifice, and it's not going to be easy, but I know that serving a mission is going to change my life.  While lots of people might think that I'm throwing away eighteen months of my life, I don't see it that way at all.  I know that it's going to be worth it because not only will I be helping other people, but I will become a better person.  My mission is going to teach me how to serve and love others and how to see people the way that God sees them.

I can't wait to serve my mission because I know that it's going to be one of the most remarkable things I will do in my entire life.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve, and I know that I will never regret it.  I'm counting down the days until I can go out and bring the world His truth.