Every time a missionary gets ready to report, everyone always asks the same big question: "Why did YOU decide to serve a mission?" Even in a mission prep book I recently read, the author says one of the most important things a future missionary needs to figure out is why they're going on a mission and to make sure it's for the right reason.
I'll be honest, even several weeks after I had opened my mission call, I STILL didn't know exactly why I wanted to serve .I don't have a cool, life-changing, on-the-brink-of-death story. I was born into the Gospel and so don't have an amazing conversion story. I didn't even have one of those experiences when Heavenly Father told me I should serve a mission halfway through college and suddenly all my life plans changed. Nope, it wasn't like that for me and it made me question myself!! It caused me to doubt and worry that maybe I wasn't supposed to go or that I really was going for the wrong reasons. These last three months have been the craziest, most up-and-down months of my life, but now I can happily say that I know why I'm willing to put my life plans on hold for a year and a half while I go talk to strangers about my beliefs, eat foreign, crazy food and only get to call home a grand total of four times while I'm gone.
Here is why I'm serving:
I'll be honest, even several weeks after I had opened my mission call, I STILL didn't know exactly why I wanted to serve .I don't have a cool, life-changing, on-the-brink-of-death story. I was born into the Gospel and so don't have an amazing conversion story. I didn't even have one of those experiences when Heavenly Father told me I should serve a mission halfway through college and suddenly all my life plans changed. Nope, it wasn't like that for me and it made me question myself!! It caused me to doubt and worry that maybe I wasn't supposed to go or that I really was going for the wrong reasons. These last three months have been the craziest, most up-and-down months of my life, but now I can happily say that I know why I'm willing to put my life plans on hold for a year and a half while I go talk to strangers about my beliefs, eat foreign, crazy food and only get to call home a grand total of four times while I'm gone.
Here is why I'm serving:
Wait....what? A sunset is why I'm serving a mission??? Read on.
....Or actually, listen :)
I was joking- I really can't say why I'm serving a mission..because.words could never describe it. What if I just said that the Gospel makes me happy? That the Gospel has made me a better person? That sometimes I just laugh out loud because this earth and God and life is just so awesome and exciting? What if I just said that my soul does indeed "swell up in hallelujahs" and that there is nothing else I would rather do than serve a mission because I love my Heavenly Father and the life He has given me?
In a time of mid-mission-prep-crisis, when I was seriously doubting if I was supposed to go on a mission or not (and this was two months after I had received my call!), Doctrine and Covenants 4:3 helped my mind be at peace: "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God YE ARE CALLED TO THE WORK." Sometimes I think we get too worried that we need to see a 'sign' that we're supposed to serve, but like the scripture says, if you desire to serve the Lord, go serve! The Lord will magnify your abilities and is grateful for your desire to help build His kingdom. Yes, it really can be that simple.
So that is why I'm serving a mission. It's because of sunsets and the color turquoise and beautiful night skies and warm laughter with family. It's because of music and sailboats and temples and sunflowers. It's just because :)
Love you all for eternity and back,
Sierra
In a time of mid-mission-prep-crisis, when I was seriously doubting if I was supposed to go on a mission or not (and this was two months after I had received my call!), Doctrine and Covenants 4:3 helped my mind be at peace: "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God YE ARE CALLED TO THE WORK." Sometimes I think we get too worried that we need to see a 'sign' that we're supposed to serve, but like the scripture says, if you desire to serve the Lord, go serve! The Lord will magnify your abilities and is grateful for your desire to help build His kingdom. Yes, it really can be that simple.
So that is why I'm serving a mission. It's because of sunsets and the color turquoise and beautiful night skies and warm laughter with family. It's because of music and sailboats and temples and sunflowers. It's just because :)
Love you all for eternity and back,
Sierra