On March 5th I had the blessing of opening my mission call to serve as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!!! I have been called to serve in the WASHINGTON KENNEWICK MISSION Spanish speaking!!!! I leave for the Mexico MTC on June 4, 2014 and I CAN'T WAIT :)
Deciding to go on a mission wasn't as easy for me as I would have hoped it would have been. When President Monson made the announcement that the age sister missionaries could serve was now 19 it was a humbling experience for an 18 year old girl to see the change in so many girls for the better! I felt so blessed that some of my best friends knew that they were to serve and within a few months they had mission calls. I prayed, and I prayed to know whether or not going on a mission was right for me.
School was going really well for me and I loved working as a CNA, but I knew in my heart that there was more in store for me. A few months went by and Brooke and Kate left on their missions, and I had a few good cries because I MISS THEM but for some reason I just didn't know if I wanted to go on a mission because so many girls my age were or if it was really what the Lord wanted me to do.
I continued to study my scriptures and pray... boy did I pray.. Heavenly Father is a mission the right thing for me? Because I know that this is the true church and I love this gospel but is a mission right for me?... I honestly didn't know and I was so confused but I just kept going with school and work and then I get this opportunity to go to Africa and I had been wanting to go to Africa for as long as I can remember... so I went!! Africa is one of the most humbling places in the world and as cheesy as it sounds I found myself when I was there.. doing service and serving those people made me realize that if I was as happy as I was serving these people in Kenya, then imagine the joy I would have serving the Lord.
I continued to pray though for the next couple of months. In the mean time I had a few more friends leave on missions who I love dearly. Through much thought and prayer I came to the realization that the Lord was leaving it up to me... I read a quote that said, "when we don't receive an answer to our prayers we should offer a prayer of thanks.. because that means He trusts us."I don't know why but this hit me hard... He trusts me with the choices I am making because whether I continued going to school (which is a good thing) or chose to go on a mission (another good thing) I was living righteously and seeking good things. I knew then that I had a desire to serve and that I wanted more than anything to serve.
I was so scared the day and even the week of receiving my mission call but I said a prayer in my heart and I felt comfort that I was making a good and righteous choice to go on a mission. When I read Washington Kennewick I was a little shocked but so overwhelmed with joy that this was going to be such an amazing experience and I could not wipe the smile off my face. That night before I went to bed after an extremely long day of anxiously waiting, I took a few minutes and read my Patriarchal blessing and immediately started crying because I was (and still am) so humbled and grateful that I get to be a missionary and I get to bring people unto Christ, and I get to be a representative of our Savior Jesus Christ.
I know I have got a lot of work to do especially the whole learning a new language thing haha but I am so excited and so so grateful for everyone who has gotten me to this point in my life and for a loving Father in Heaven who trusts me and who loves me.
