My Mission Decision

I have always been a member of the church but never had any real desire to serve a mission. Well, I should say serving a mission was never part of my original plans for my life. My world changed when my mom passed away in 2009. I graduated high school and then moved to Ephraim for my first year of college down at Snow College. During the next summer in 2010, I worked at Oakcrest LDS girls' camp, and this opened my eyes to the Gospel in a way it never had before. I knew it was true before, but now I had a passion and excitement about it. I wanted to share my happiness with everyone. 

Almost another year later, I was getting ready to transfer from Snow to UVU. I was really struggling with dating and just wanted to serve a mission, but I was only 19, and at that point still, sisters could only go at 21. I also received a distinct impression to go to Orem and date. So that's what I did. 

I met a boy who was really good for me. We dated for two years. Many times in those two years I thought we were going to get married, but people change and it just wasn't right anymore for us to get married. We broke up, and I'll tell ya, it was a tough summer. 

Even though there were rough times this summer, I was very blessed. I got a job as a counselor at BASEcamp, a new LDS youth conference summer program, and that same excitement and happiness about the Gospel was ignited again. I received a distinct impression during this summer to start thinking about a mission again. I was baffled because in the last two years, I had worked toward getting married and pushed the idea of a mission aside, but the Lord knew better than that. After the three weeks of working at BASEcamp, I moved, changed wards and started another year of school, all with the simple idea of a mission being a possibility in my future. 

The desire for me to go serve a mission has been there since that first summer as a camp counselor. My reasons for going have changed. For awhile, I honestly wanted to go simply because I wasn't getting married. As of right now, this is NOT the case. I want to go because I feel like it will be the right thing for me to do at this time in my life. I want to make a difference for people. I want to share my testimony, my happiness, with others. I want them to have the same hope and same faith as me. I want them to know they have a Savior. Even though I haven't met Him, I know He's there, I know He's real and that He loves me and every person on earth. No one should ever feel alone, and the Savior makes it so we never are.

I wanted to tell you all that I have started filling out the paperwork to serve a mission. It is now a reality.

I don't know how I am going to financially pull off going on a mission right now, but I'm willing to make sacrifices to go. I really want to go because of the love I have for my Savior and for His children. Someone out there needs me, needs my spirit, to help bring the Gospel into their lives. I know the Lord will provide a way as I do my part.

This is only the beginning of my story. Follow me on my journey as I prepare to serve and share my testimony with others. If you have questions or know someone who has questions about serving missions or about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please be brave and ask. It all began with a question to bring the Gospel to the earth. It's a good place to start in your own life.

Everyone's journey is different and is filled with their own detours. This is where my life's detours has led me. I want to follow Christ wherever He leads me in my life. 

Photos from Google Images; Photo Grid from Fotor Photo Collage