Mission Call/Pre-Mission Advice

            I received an email that a new package had come for me while I was in the middle of grocery shopping. I was only expecting one package—my mission call! I was so excited that I think I started dancing and jumping up and down in the isle at Walmart. Later that afternoon, I was able to open among family and many friends. I didn’t feel scared or anxious about where I was going. I felt excitement and joy. The moment came where I slowly started to rip it open, and it felt so surreal. I’d waited so long for that moment, and it was finally happening. I was so surprised when I was called to the Florida Tallahassee Mission because that was a place that had never crossed my mind. I’d thought I would go somewhere on the eastern side of the U.S. map and speak English, but that was as close as I got. I immediately had the biggest smile on my face and knew it was going to be an awesome mission. I love the beach, I prefer the heat to the cold, and I love discussing religion with people who are already familiar with the Bible. I have since then felt so many confirmations that this is where I am supposed to go. I know it will be hard, and I will need to rely on the Lord, but I am so ready and willing to work and serve there. If you are preparing to serve a mission (and you should be, no matter what age you are—I heard senior missions are a blast), there are some things I would recommend you start doing now.

I started attending mission prep in my stake when I turned 16. I loved going out on splits with the sister missionaries, and I served two “mini-missions” in high school, where I was able to live with a pair of sister missionaries for 3 to 4 days and experience everything they did. This helped me learn that no matter how old I was, or whether or not I had a name-tag on, I could be a missionary. Also, in my mission prep class, my teacher invited us to start praying for our future companions, mission presidents, trainers, and the people we would serve. Pray to love them. Pray that they will be strengthened in whatever difficulty they are going through. As you do this, you will have a special connection when you finally get to meet them.

I love missionary work, and I want to be a missionary throughout my entire life, having the privilege to bear testimony of Christ. I know He lives and loves us. Through Him, all things are possible. I challenge you to begin building a relationship with Him, to ask for strength to share the tender feelings in your heart with others. You can do hard things.

Start a Serious Study

For an essay I had to write in my Book of Mormon class, I read Mosiah 3 (at least) five times. There were so many things that I learned as I looked up key words in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, read it in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, searched on bookofmormoncentral.org for articles about this chapter, and viewed how Mosiah 3 has been used in General Conference by vising scriptures.byu.edu. If you ever want to dig deep into the scriptures, there are so many helpful resources out there that will help enlighten your understanding and help you grow closer to God. My favorite verse from Mosiah 3 is verse 7, which talks about the Atonement of Christ:

“And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.”

I have come to realize more and more each day just how miraculous the Atonement is, and how much I need it in my life. In the Women’s General Conference session today, Linda K. Burton said, “Covenant keeping discipleship requires our willingness to sacrifice.” Life is hard and full of trials and sacrifices, but through this we can become closer to our Savior. Although hardship and sacrifice is required of us, we don’t have to do it alone because of the Atonement of Christ. I have felt God speak to me personally to help lift me up when I’ve had really hard days, and I know He gives me the strength to overcome my weaknesses. I love Him, and I know He loves each and every one of you. You can grow closer to Him as you start a serious study of your scriptures and pray sincerely. Have a happy week!

Engraven on your Countenance

            Today was one of the best and most exciting days of my life! After waiting for five weeks, I opened my mission call this afternoon! I have been preparing to serve a mission ever since I turned sixteen and started accompanying my sister to mission prep. Now the time is here when I will get my turn to be a full-time missionary in the Florida Tallahassee Mission! In my personal scripture study, I was reading in Alma 5, where a lot of deep, soul-searching questions are asked. With my mind in “missionary-mode,” one passage in verse 19 stuck out to me: “I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?”

As I serve the Lord as a missionary, I will have His name on a badge that I will wear constantly. I will have His name directly over my heart, and as I preach the gospel and come closer to God, I will have the image of God engraven on my countenance. I know that as we come to know the Lord better, our testimonies will grow and our countenances will become brighter with the light of Christ shining through our faces. You don’t have to wear a missionary tag to share the gospel or receive a bright countenance. I know that the Lord has called me to serve a mission for a reason, and I can’t wait to serve, grow, learn, and become who He wants me to be!

Readiness Meter

            I have one more week until I receive my mission call! My thoughts have turned to missionary work as I’ve been studying the scriptures. In Alma 17, my Book of Mormon professor taught us about the “readiness meter.”  By this, he asked, “how ready was King Lamoni to receive the gospel?” He was at a zero. He had just killed a bunch of his servants who had failed to watch his sheep properly. Perceiving that the Lamanite king is not ready to hear the word of God, Ammon becomes his servant—even though he was offered the king’s daughter in marriage. Ammon has no idea how long he will have to wait for the King’s heart to be softened, but he dutifully serves the kings by taking care of his flocks with the other servants. After the epic scene in the Book of Mormon that involves a lot of arm-chopping, Lamoni‘s “readiness meter” switches to 100%. Ammon is then able to teach him the gospel, and Lamoni tells Ammon in Alma 18:23, “I will believe all thy words.”
   

I love how this relates to missionary work. Sometimes people are not ready to hear the word of God when you first meet them, so all you can do is serve them and wait. As they see your dedication and love for them, their hearts will soften and they may accept the message you have to share with them. I know that a mission is hard, but I know with patience and faith in the Lord, I will be able to conquer every hardship I come across. Whenever you want to touch the heart of someone, serve them with diligence and have patience.

Witness of God

            This semester, I am taking a History of Psychology course, where I have learned a lot about the “philosophies of men.” Many of them try to make sense of the world around them and find comfort by “reasoning” God out of existence—if the world has always existed, and humans are random configurations of atoms, there is no need for a divine creator. While most of the ideas of early philosophers are completely absurd, this conflicting idea is still around today. Is there a Divine Creator? Does God really exist? Are we just made up of atoms without a soul, changing through time due to evolution and natural selection? In a world of so much confusion, it can be difficult to find these answers or stand strong in your faith. However, my Book of Mormon professor pointed out a verse that describes the important role of a faithful member of Christ’s church in helping others to find the truth.

In class, my professor read to us Mosiah 18:9, which describes the covenant we make when we are baptized into the church: “Yeah, and [ye] are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yeah, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God...” My professor then pointed out the phrase “stand as a witness” and said something I had never thought of before. If we are to be a witness, our duty is to testify—to bear our testimony. This places God “on trial” with us as His witness in a world that is accusing Him of many things—of not caring, or of letting bad things happen to them, and the most ironic one of all—of not existing.

In response to those philosophers mentioned above, and to anyone reading this that is in the “jury” of this trial, I testify that I know God lives. I know He loves all of His children, and He is there to comfort them when terrible things happen in their lives. I know He died for us on the cross. I know that he understands us perfectly. I am a witness of His infinite love and strength. I have grown so much closer to God here at BYU as I have trusted in Him, and I know I could not make it this far without His strength and guidance. I have one final question: where do you stand in this trial with God?