Advice to those Who are Preparing

Serving a mission takes lots of spiritual and physical preparation. Here are some things I did to prepare. 1. Read and STUDY The Book of Mormon: this along with your belief in your Savior Jesus Christ should be the foundation of your testimony. Reading it will invite the Spirit into your life and will bring solace when you are faced with temptation and trials. 2. Read Preach my Gospel. It not only has the lessons you will teach on your mission but also tells you how to be a good missionary. The lessons may seem overwhelming but if you memorize the key points for each lesson, it will become easier. 3. Go to the temple as often as you can. There is a special peace you receive in the temple and it helps you develop your relationship with the Lord. Also going to the temple can be an overwhelming experience if you allow it to be, so going back several times helps increase your understanding. 4.Go out with the missionaries. I think the unknown is one of the things that makes a mission scary. However, if you go out with the missionaries you can see what you will be doing and they can answer any questions you have. Going out with the missionaries was a big comfort for me because I saw that missionaries are imperfect people and the as long as they are trying their best, the Lord will help them. 5. Spend as much time as you can with your family. (Obviously!) Your family will probably be your biggest support. Cherish those relationships and allow them to flourish before you leave. 6. Start shopping for missionary clothes EARLY. Finding cute, affordable clothes that meet the standards in the missionary handbook can be difficult so it is wise to look early. This also gives you the opportunity to wear them before you leave. By wearing your mission clothes before you leave, it gives you time to find other options in case something isn't comfortable, needs to be altered, or fits strangely after it is washed. DI, Target, Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, J. Crew, Banana Republic, Wal Mart, Talbots and Forever 21 are just a few of the places where I found my mission clothes. You can find affordable and cute clothes. You just have to be patient and know where to go when they are having sales :) 7. Join the Facebook page "Many are Called but Few are Sisters" or something similar. It was really helpful to hear questions and answers from other preparing missionaries. It was also comforting to see other people who were called to my mission. I talked to some and went to lunch with others. Knowing a few people you'll see throughout your mission before leaving can alleviate some of your fear. I highly recommend it :) To those of you who asked, I hope this was helpful. We are so lucky to get to serve during such a great time. Do your best to strengthen and prepare YOURSELF BEFORE you leave so you can focus completely on strengthening and uplifting OTHERS DURING your mission. The Church is true. Good luck!

Called to Serve

On February 21, 2013 I opened a letter that would forever change my life. It was on that day that I was told where I would be serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I opened my call amongst my friends and family, I could not help but feel somewhat anxious. This letter would drastically affect the next 18 months of my life. Although I was somewhat nervous, I was also excited. I could not think of a better way to spend the next 18 months of my life than to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary and to testify of Jesus Christ. With this thought in mind, I ripped open the envelope, pulled out my mission call, and read the following words: "Dear Sister Adorable: You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Georgia Atlanta North Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. You will be prepared to preach the gospel in the English language." Wow! ATLANTA, GEORGIA! My mission call was assigned on February 14th (aww Valentine's Day!)and in the days following, I thought of all the different places I might serve. I considered foreign and domestic locations but I can honestly say that Atlanta never came to mind. However, as I read those words and saw the signature of our prophet Thomas S. Monson at the bottom, the Spirit testified to me that this was exactly where I needed to go. It is now a week before I enter the MTC and I have been through an emotional roller coaster over the last few months. The first few weeks after opening my call, I was on a spiritual high and all I could feel was excitement. I think the craze of mission call openings at BYU due to the recent missionary age change contributed largely to my excitement. I probably was attending 2-3 mission calls a week and heard about dozens more. How could you not feel excited that you would be serving the Lord at the same time as all of your friends? However, as the wave of mission call openings slowed down a bit, my excitement likewise dwindled. It finally hit me that in just a few short months I would be leaving my family, friends and school, and would have the responsibility of teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That realization was terrifying. Everyone always talks about the excitement of serving a mission but I had never heard anyone really talk about the fear that sets in afterwards. If there is anything I can say I have learned as I have prepared for my mission, it is that Satan is real and he will do anything he can to prevent you from serving the Lord. He made me feel inadequate, unprepared, insecure, and fearful of serving a mission. He does everything in his power to tear you down because he knows how great of an instrument to the Lord you will be as a missionary. My advice for combating against that is to develop your relationship with the Lord. As you do that, you remember to always stay humble and the Lord will make our weaknesses strengths (Ether 12:27). Many of my nonmember friends and family have asked me why I am serving a mission. I have wanted to serve a mission my whole life. I will forever be in debt to the missionaries that brought the Gospel to my parents and I want to be able to share with others the blessings that I have received as a result. I am serving a mission because I know this is Christ's church on the earth today. I want to share this Gospel that has brought so much peace and happiness in my life with others. The Book of Mormon is a true book. Its words will bring solace to the uneasy, and comfort and guide those who are lost. Although I am giving up a lot, there is much to be gained from this experience. Even if I am only able to help a few people, that is enough for me because the Gospel will make a difference to those few people. It has blessed my life profoundly and I am ready to share that blessing with the people in Atlanta, Georgia. My Mission Call Opening Video! Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiFCLs03hzA