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