Sister Missionaries, What Made You Decide to Serve?
I reached out to several friends and family members, all women who served a full-time mission, and asked them what caused them to decide to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here are their answers:
JoLynn Hansen, Texas, Houston East Spanish Speaking Mission: “My patriarchal blessing talks about me serving a full-time mission. After I graduated from Ricks College, I turned 21, and I wasn’t dating anyone at the time. I knew what my blessing stated, but felt I should still pray about serving. It took a few months before I got my answer. It was during my scripture study. I KNEW that I was suppose to serve, and I had the desire to serve. I felt so blessed to have the gospel. I felt in debt to the Lord.”
Emily Craghead, Arizona Tucson Mission: “Growing up I always felt like I was going to go on a mission and had the desire to go. When my 21st birthday was approaching I prayed about it and got the impression not to go. I was shocked and mostly frustrated that my righteous desires were being met with an answer that I didn’t want. About 6 months after that I then felt the urge ‘Go and go now.’ I fought the feelings off for about 3 months until I finally talked to the bishop. I always had the feeling God would ask me to go when it wasn’t easy for me to go, when I had finally been accepted to a major I wanted and I finally felt like things were going ‘perfectly’ in my life. I’m so glad I listened– even though it was hard. My mission has blessed my life and will continue to bless me and my future prosperity forever, I know this.”
Laura Daniels, Argentina Neuquen Mission: “When I was about 12 another sister from my home ward went on a mission and I thought she was a great example. Since that time I knew I wanted to go. My patriarchal blessing also confirmed this decision.”
Jessica Rex, Arizona Tucson Mission: “My family means the world to me, and it is a huge blessing to know that I have the opportunity to be with them for all eternity, and I wanted more people to know of this opportunity that Heavenly Father has given to us.”
Katie Gividen, Russia Rostov-na-Dony Mission: “I had always thought that it would be really neat to go on a mission, but I never thought very serious about it until one day during a study group at BYU. We were studying for a final and one of the girls there had served a mission. I asked her a few questions about her mission, and the only thing that I remember her saying is that it was the best decision that she had ever made. I immediately felt a strong impression that I needed to make that decision for myself. I prayed about it shortly after that study group and felt so strongly that I needed to serve a mission. I have NEVER regretted my decision to serve a mission. It has blessed my life in ways that I never would have imagined. I would do it all over again, and hope to one day when I am able again.”
Kristin Wardle Sokol, New York Utica Mission: “The spirit pestered me for years until I finally gave in at age 23.”
Patti Rokus, Temple Square Visitors Center Mission: “God. I didn’t plan to go, but when fasting for direction in my life, I got a distinct impression to serve. And so I did. I’m SO glad I did.”
Wendi Condie, Montana Billings Mission: “When I was 19, I knew some missionaries who were just awesome. My dad had served a mission, and I have an aunt who served. Those missionaries had a light and life about them that was so contagious, and I wanted that, and I wanted to share it. One of the biggest reasons I decided to serve were some statistics I heard about returned missionaries and their children being married in the temple. They said that if the father was a returned missionary, about two thirds of the children were married in the temple, but if both mother and father were returned missionaries, it jumped up to over 90%. I thought there was no greater blessing I could give my future, (and now current) children, than that extra boost towards temple marriage! Now this doesn’t mean that if you don’t serve, your children won’t be married in the temple, but for me, it was an impetus and a blessing! I had the desire, and the Lord blessed me with the ability to serve a mission, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that!”
What are your thoughts? If you’re a returned sister missionary, what made you decide to go? Please share your comments.
I never planned to serve a mission. While I was away at college in another state I had the chance to talk often to my friends and peers about my religion. I became so excited about serving that I decided to give up an athletic scholarship in order to go. I had the most wonderful mission experience. My testimony of the gospel grew exponentially and I made so many wonderful friends. I will always be grateful for my opportunity to serve a mission.
That’s fantastic Lindsay. Where did you serve your mission?
When I prayed honestly about it, I knew it was the right thing for me to do. My mission experience was so valuable to my life and testimony of the gospel that it’s beyond my ability to express it. Although my mission was tough– no doubt about that– it was a life-defining, wonderful experience for me. -Christel Lane Swasey, Scotland Edinburgh Mission
The Resson I want to go on a mission is I cant stand know that there is someone out there who does not kknow how much God And Christ love them and everything that they have done for them and how they are there for them. also I get so …exsited…happy..thrilled.. but a little scared all at the same time when every i shar about the gosple and i never want to go with out that feeling. I love being able to see what i feel and know come out of my mouth and into there eyes i saw it slighty once .. i cant wait till it happens again. i want to grow from my mission but mostly i what to help the lord regain his children and i want them to know they are loved
I have wanted to serve a mission since I was young. Out of fifteen family members (including my parents and half siblings) I would be the first in my family to serve. When it came time to decide I couldn’t bare the thought of leaving my widowed mother and wonderful family, my scholarship, and my jobs so I put off the thought. I would feel an inclination and just push it aside. I went to a preparing missionary seminar and never in my life have a felt such a strong prompting. I couldn’t deny nor ever forget what I had felt. I know the Lord can take care of my family better than I can so I have to just put my faith in Him.
Oh and I am called to serve in Washington DC North mission visitor’s center! Spanish speaking:)
Congratulations Hermana Allen! You are going to be serving not far from me! I live in the Washington DC South Mission area. The DC Temple is about an hour and a half from my house! 🙂 I’m super excited because this sunday I get to start attending a temple prep class! Ever since I heard about the temple from the missionaries, I have wanted to go. And now it seems closer than ever! I wish you the best of luck on your mission! ~Sister Baum, to be.
That’s great I live around here and its a great place to teach
My grandmother served a mission back in the day that not many women served. I always looked up to her and wanted to serve. I’ve never regretted my decision, it’s been the preparation for my marriage and being a parent.
I just graduated last october from college, Im 24 now. I had made up my mind that I would not serve a mission. Now that I graduated, Im just working, not dating either. Planning on getting my master though. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about if I should go on a Mission now. Unlike these other girls, they have had the desire to go. I haven’t. Now, I just dont know if the lord would want me to go. I feel very confused. I do pray about it, i dont know if its me or what, but i just dont feel that i am receiving a response.
Gaby, Thanks for writing. Getting answers to our prayers can be difficult at times. Often times we find apparent conflicts between head, heart, and Spirit (i.e. what we think we should do, what we want to do, and what the Spirit is telling us to do).
Here are a couple of things you might want to consider: You say you’ve been thinking a lot about a mission lately. Perhaps that is the Spirit of the Lord working on you. You also say you haven’t had the desire to go on a mission, but it sounds like your thoughts are wondering if you should go. Please know that you are loved regardless of what you choose. The Lord does not require women to serve missions, but some have the desire and can go. Those women meet a need and experience personal growth.
My advice would be to do as I heard Elder Richard G. Scott once counsel: When you have sincerely prayed and sought for guidance yet still don’t know what to do, just make a decision, in either direction, which ever you think is best. If the direction you choose is not right, the Lord will not let you continue down the wrong path.
And this is some advice my dad once gave me: Live righteously and stay close to the Lord, then you can trust your feelings.
Good luck, God bless, and let me know what you decide.
Thanks so much for the reply… Gaby’s situation is just like mine at the moment. I’m done with university and thinking of putting in for masters… I’m in a confused state… I wish to go on mission and another thought is coming to just sit since its not compulsory for sisters.
Thnaks for sharing. Always good to find a real expert.
Gabby, I can totally relate well kind of.. I’m 24 too finished my degree, I’ve started my Masters but it’s been on and off for about 2years due to work commitments, so I feel like my epic studies are never comming to an end! I’ve always had the desire to go I love everything about Missionary Work each time I go to a return missionary fireside, meet a RM, listen to all the stories from my missionary friends and read all my letters and emails from my sister on the field I can’t help but feel like I’m missing something in my life. I’ve always wanted to go and everyone has always assumed I was preparing but the truth is I haven’t really made an real effort to ask the Lord in sincere prayer about my decision. After finishing my undergraduate I’ve really been strugling to finish my masters and for some reason its taking much longer than planned to finish. The pressure to finally attain a professional job and to settle down (because according to the mormon timeline 24 and still single is pushing it) has made it much harder to make a decision.
But then when I come across websites like yours, I feel like serving a mission is going to be one of those things I’m going to look back on in life and regret deeply! I have prayed about it a few times and I too have not recieved a distinct answer and so I continue to move on in life instead of exploring that feeling more.
Jimmey your answer was short, sweet and to the point and once again the missionary spark in my heart has gone off only this time I’m going to be sure to do something about it! I’m gratefull for your thoughts because it leads to inspiration. I hope you figure out what you want Gabby because I think I did too..hehe Good Luck xo:)
If I were to list all the wonderful and amazing people who have influenced me in some way to choose to serve a mission, I would be here all night! However, here is a small amount of backstory. When I was first investigating the church, I was dating a guy who happened to be very Anti-Mormon (I wouldn’t find that out until AFTER I started meeting with the missionaries, over a year into our relationship). My family took a trip up to the Washington DC Temple visitor’s center with a member from our branch. One of the sister missionaries who was serving there (I will never forget her, that wonderful Sister Hamblin!) came over and talked to us. I’m sure we looked quite overwhelmed and lost just standing there in a corner by ourselves. But she came over all smiles and bubbles and the first thing I noticed about her was that she was practically glowing. When I look back on it now, I realize that that glow came from living the gospel and having the Holy Ghost as a constant companion. But she latched onto me and she said “Amanda, I just know that your going to get baptized. I know that the Lord has wonderful things in store for you.” At the time I brushed it off, but no truer words have ever been spoken. That was March 8th, 2008. Two months later, on May 10th 2008, I was baptized (I should mention that two days after our visit to the visitor’s center, my boyfriend and I broke up. His ultimatum “If you go Mormon, I’m walking.”, made joining the church the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. But at the same time, it was single-handedly the best decision I ever made.). Because of people like Sister Hamblin, I was able to find the peace and joy that my soul had been searching for my entire life. And as a result, I have a burning desire to share that peace and joy with those who don’t have it. There is a very real war being waged for the souls of mankind, brothers and sisters. It is our job, especially as full-time missionaries, to go out onto the frontlines and find our brothers and sisters who have been wounded by Satan, and help them find the healing that they need. They need to have the gospel in their lives, or like the inhabitants of Jerusalem in Lehi’s time, they will perish in unbelief. Do we really want to get beyond the veil to have our friends and neighbors turn to us and say “Why didn’t you tell me?” I know that the Lord knows and loves each and every one of his children, and if me serving a mission can help just ONE person come home to Heavenly Father, it will have been more than worth every sacrifice made to get there. ~Sister Baum, to be.
YOU. ARE. INCREDIBLE.
Anti mormon what’s not.to like we glow and we are bubbly
heeyy,
when I was 20 i was preparing for a mission had the first talk with my bishop and had the papers home to fill in see the doctor and dentist and stuff… but then I had a strong feeling it wasn’t the time yet… so i kept praying about it and fasting and never got the answer so it slowly moved to the back of my head and stopped thinking about it… now last week there was this ysa camp for 6 day’s and the first day i was talking to my friend and she said it would be so good for you to go on a mission still… and the question came back in my head and after we finished the conversation i went to my room and knelt at my bedside and started to pray… I did this quite a few times during the day when i knew nobody would walk in… and me and my friend who made the comment talked more about the subject during the week i didn’t tell her about me thinking about it but she kept making the same comment and we talked about her mission and friends going on a mission and then yesterday (saterday) morning we had a testimony meeting and i listened and at one point without even thinking about it i closed my eyes and started to pray in my head and when i was finished some guy who is leaving on a mission in about a month (I didn’t had the chance to meet him during the week) he said and you should go on a mission if you haven’t served yet and it will be the best time of your life and you won’t regret and he was looking right at me and i was feeling the spirit so strong and i knew it was meant for me… it was the answer to my prayers during the week.. at that moment I knew I needed to see my bishop and talk to him. I walked up to the guy and told him i was grateful for his testimony and he is gonna be an extraordinary missionary and he will change the heart of so many people… (he will be the very first dutch missionary to serve in Poland)… and then he had tears in his eyes and i gave him a huge big hug…
but now: it’s time to tell my parents and talk to my bishop and tell him what I need to do… this is scary because it’s the same bishop as I had when i first started filling in my papers…
I think that the Lord will guide you and stand by you no matter what and if a mission is your path than I believe you will.touch the hearts of all you meet because the.lords.presence is very obviously with you good luck and don’t be scared
I have always wanted to serve a mission. Last Thanksgiving when visiting home, I got a yes answer to my prayers about serving a mission. I still had months before I turned 21 and I was going to wait until closer to that point to turn in my papers. I made the mistake of telling some people my plans and they thought they knew better and convinced me to start them earlier. Well everything started falling through and nothing was working out with that so I prayed about it again and the answer was no. I was so sad and confused at how could I get two conflicting answers like that? And I pushed thoughts to the back of my mind. Then one Sunday at church I heard the words now is the time. I immediately went to my bishop and told him that I wanted to fill out my papers and everything worked out perfectly and filling out my papers went smoothly. I know I will never regret serving a mission. And the lesson I learned is that it is all on the Lord’s time table and that you just have to trust in Him.
Hi.. it was really touching having to read your stories.. they have touched me greatly….. I am 25 and just waiting for my mission call i am expecting it this week, i am soo nervous yet excited at the same time.. i know that this time has been very difficult for me, i see so many job offers and get soo tempted but i have to remind myself that Mission is important and i should FOCUS.. it hasn’t been easy for me at all as i am the only memeber in my family, and it feels like i have the world on my shoulders but i have felt my heavenly father’s love thru out my weeks of prepartion.. The gospel had brought so much joy in to my life i woulf like to bring that to someone out there somehow that keeps me going.
I am 25 years old. Served in the Army when I was 19-21. I am now medically retired and growing up I felt I needed to serve a mission. I fell away from the Church while I was in the Army and have been in the repentance process since 2009. It has only been a couple months now that I have felt complete forgiveness and worthiness to serve although I fought the idea for a while. My problem now is that I have to wait anywhere from 13 to 19 more months because I started Braces treatment and can’t serve until I am done with them. But I know that gives me time to really prepare and know that through our Lord I will have the strength to follow the plan I feel that He has for me to serve a mission. I had three confirmations (if you will) to serve. First started with a prayer about Temple attendance which led me to search the scriptures and doctrine of the church and seemed like every time I read about missionary service it seemed to stand out, then I met a young woman in my winter ward that shared her experience of deciding to serve a mission, then I attended the Mesa Arizona Temple Easter Pageant a couple weeks ago and spoke to a couple of sister missionaries that urged me to pray and seek an answer about serving. I worried about my age as I will be at least 26 when I send in my papers but the sister missionaries at Mesa told me they have a fellow sister missionary that is 26 and my Brother in law served with a sister missionary that was 35 (Inspiring as that mission was her fourth). So I am assured of the call to prepare and serve no matter my age.
I also worried about my past but also through study and prayer and the repentance/forgiveness/Atonement I know without a doubt that I am worthy to serve.
I admit that I am somewhat scared to serve but I know it is not because I will have the separation from family and friends as I already went through separation while in the Army. It’s more that I know that Satan is trying his hardest to deter me from preparing. But my main prayer these days is for strength to overcome and avoid temptation and the workings of Satan.
I have started a new journal and for the first time have been writing in it each night which I know has given me strength.
I hope this all makes sense. It seems a jumble to me but I will have time to prepare for sure and know that I am doing the right thing. I know it is and will continue to be a struggle but I know with Heavenly Father and Jesus and my family and friends standing by me I will withstand all that Satan will try and I will make it through everything and serve.
Oh and did I mention I have a terrible time learning languages and one of my sisters thinks I am going to be called to Germany which is interesting as that is where I have felt is going to be where I will be called (had that prompting on the morning of the day my sister told me of her thoughts). But we will just wait and see I think.
Thanks
~Jamie Ann (Sister Taylor-to-be)
Wow! What an inspiring story! You have an incredible story that I hope you will share again and again on your mission. Thank you for sharing an incredible story of faith and endurance. I served with a sister that was 29 and she was the best missionary in our whole mission because she had some valuable life experience that made her worth listening to. You WILL be THAT kind of missionary. KNOW that Satan WILL try to deter you from your goal but perservere, because many people are waiting to hear from YOU! God Bless you
I’ve always wanted to serve a mission ever since I sang these words in primary; I hope they call me on a mission”. But, I truly decided I wanted to serve a mission when I was 14. I remember sitting in a byu classroom while attending efy. I don’t remember what the class was on, but I remember the impression that came to me from the spirit. The feeling is hard to describe. It was peaceful and exciting. I knew then that I would serve a mission. I know that the Lord had called me at that moment to teach the gospel. That moment in the classroom is when I had truly received my call to share with the world this true gospel. That is why I desired to go on a mission. I want my brothers and sisters to know of Gods love.
So I’m writing on this webpage because about a year ago, I was counting down the days until I could turn my papers in and was reading anything about missions that I could get a hold of. And this website stuck out. I am 20 years old and can turn my papers in in exactly 27 days. I have been seriously counting down the days until I could do this since I was 15 years old. I have always wanted to serve. I KNEW I was going to serve. I was READY to serve. I honestly felt like there should have been an acception made for me, to let me leave early! (I was THAT ready.) I applied to BYU Idaho and got accepted. (With about 6 months till “paper time.”) My perfect plan, was to go to the spring semester there, then come home from that and hang out with my family until I was sent out. It was perfect. Flawless. Well about a month before I was supposed to leave for the spring semester (5 months ago) My little brother committed suicide. It rocked my world harder than anything imaginable. Suddenly I don’t know what way is up, what way is down. My sister had to learn of his death while she served a mission states away. I honestly don’t know what to do… I feel like going on a mission is a good choice but after my whole life basically, KNOWING that I would serve a sister mission one day, and now I am so uncertain…? It makes me so scared. I know Heavenly Father doesn’t expect me to go. I know it is my choice. But I don’t want to regret not going, since it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I find myself thinking more about marriage now instead of a mission. But I don’t know if I’m doing that because it’s just more of me being in grieving and wanting to stay in a comfort zone. Anyways, I know it’s my decision, but I would appreciate some feedback if anyone has anything to say. Thanks.
I just received my mission call to Germany, and making that decision, in some ways, was one of the hardest I ever made, for several reasons. My Grandfather, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s many years ago, was one of my biggest reasons to hesitate. I’ve spent my whole life living only a few minutes away from my Grandparents, and so I am extremely close to both my Grandma and Grandpa, so seeing him suffer the way that he is.. It breaks my heart, and I am absolutely terrified that he might not be here when I get home. My other reason for hesitating, is my Great Uncle, who has been like a Grandfather to me, has been giving a year and most to live, and I know I won’t be here when he passes away.
My point for sharing this though, is that, even though these two men are so important to me, I know I need to serve my mission. Not only that, I know that’s what they would want me to do… And that even if they are gone when I get home, this isn’t the end. I’m heartbroken by the idea that they will pass away, but I know I will see them again, and so, I’m happy as well. I want to share this amazing message with the rest of the world, to tell them that they will see their loved ones again!
I don’t know if that helps at all, but I just wanted to share what made me decide to say yes to a mission.
I’m very sorry for your loss know that you are in my prayers it’d awesome that you are so excited to start th mission process but know that th Lord will.support you either way and lobe you for what decision you make
I love this forum. I’m not a returned missionary, but I’m a prospective sister missionary. I’m 99% done with my papers — one more doctor’s appointment.
I just wanted to share what made me decide to serve. At first, I never ever EVER wanted to go. I went up to BYU-Idaho with intentions to find a husband. (Yes, surrendering to the status quo of BYU-I-Do). I attended BYU-I for 3 consecutive years and was engaged by my junior year (this year). I was engaged for 6 months and then called off my wedding for reasons NOT related to a mission. Suddenly one day I was reading my scriptures and realized that Christ is coming SOON. Suddenly I had the desire and the urge to gather the Lord’s children and do my part in building Zion. Also, I am greatly inspired to serve by the knowledge of how much it will bless my future children and my family someday. I know that it will only be for the better — not the worst. Being worried about marriage and thinking it will never happen if I go on a mission is SILLY. Thinking you’ll be “too old” and that you’ll never find a husband is NONSENSE! The Lord blesses His daughters for their service — in ways we never thought imaginable. I am so excited to serve!
I have never really had the desire to go on a mission but now that the age requirements have changed, I really am think about it. 19 years old seems a lot easier age for then 21! I am 17 now and I know I have 2 years but I feel I need to start preparing now, but I am not sure if I want to or not. I have a strong desire to but I am scared.
Callie, Mission prep is life prep. Whether or not you end up going on a full-time mission, it is a good idea to do the things involved in mission preparation. Studying the gospel, reading the scriptures, building your testimony of the Savior, learning to teach the gospel to others, saving money and budgeting, these are all things that will help you in life, in church callings, in your marriage, as well as in your mission, should you choose to go. Do those things for mission prep, and whether or not you go on a mission, you will draw closer to your Savior, and be more prepared to return to live with our Father in Heaven. Good luck and may God bless and be with you.
Callie, if you have the desire, you can do it! I was scared too, I felt inadequate. But we won’t be alone on our missions! We are just the messengers of our Heavenly Father. Jimmy is right, the more you study and build your testimony, the more desire you will have to share the truth to people you specifically are meant to find.
I always had the desire to serve. I knew that when I received my patriarchal blessing. When I turned 19 this August, and had been going to college, I knew something was missing in my life. I knew that I wasn’t supposed to be going to school, which is weird. If I shouldn’t go to school, what should I be doing? I was really struggling with the fall semester, until President Monson’s announcement on October 6 about the age change. Within 10 minutes, I had my appointment set up with my Bishop, and the rest is history. I received my call November 7, to the Italy Rome Mission, Italian speaking. I leave March 20! I cannot know the Lord’s plans, but He always has perfect timing. I know this announcement of the age change was specific for my answer to so many prayers. I am so grateful for the gospel and the blessings that come with it. That is why I want to serve. I want to share the greatest blessing I have ever had to as many as will listen in my mission.
Hi! My name is Ashton and I am now deciding if I should go. I have never seriously thought about serving a mission. Especially not after I was accepted to an intensive program at my university. It has been a year now and serving a mission keeps coming up over and over. I would love to serve a mission and I know with all my heart I would never regret it. I am willing to sacrifice my program at school even if that means I might not be able to pick it up when I get back. That is the only thing I am struggling with. I know it would be worth it and I know serving would be better than anything I could here at school! But I wanted to know if anyone has had a simliar experience and how they decided! 🙂
I am not old enough yet but I really want to serve my mission when I am old enough
to because I just have a feeling I should when I am 19 but it is four years from now should I ?
Its good to read about potential (well perhaps now serving – as I’m a bit late on the scene here) sisters who are a little older. I’m 25 and until a couple of months ago hadn’t given much thought to a mission. I never had any plans to go and until very recently if you’d suggested it to me I’d have politely told you to get stuffed.
I finished my studies a little over a year ago, and have pretty much been a directionless wreck since then. Then in January a job opportunity came up in the town where I grew up (At the time I was living in the city where I’d attended university, about 400km away) and I felt a prompting to get a blessing from my home teacher before I visited my home town to check out the job possibility. Amongst other things in the blessing, I was told I needed to seriously consider a mission – not that I had to go, but just that I needed to look at the possibility again. After visiting my hometown to check out the job prospect, I decided that I wanted to take it and in March I moved up here. Unfortunately, the job fell through the very day I moved up, but I knew I needed to be here, although not why. As my accomodation was attached to the job, I had nowhere to live for 6 weeks until I could get a flat in town, and so stayed with my non-member family about an hours drive out of town and was unable to attend church during that time. But at the end of April, once I’d moved in to town, my first Sunday at the branch here, I was approached by the sister missionaries serving here. We talked a little, and later that week they asked me if I’d like to go out with them visit people, so I went. I was really surprised, but I actually really enjoyed it! And have been going out with them regularly since then. To start with I just went out of curiosity, and because it was nice to be out doing something other than sitting in my flat getting depressed about my job situation. But it also began to me think, maybe a mission isn’t such a bad idea after all. And while I still have a few concerns and fears about it, every time I go out with the sisters, I come home afterwards and find myself wanting to go on a mission a little bit more. Now I’m 99% sure that I would like go 🙂 and am looking at what I need to do to be able to go. I have quite a bit of student debt I’ll need to pay off first and then save up to be able to go, so I probably won’t be able to go anytime soon. (Although if I could go tomorrow, I think I would). And that makes me feel a bit like I’m going to be positively ancient by the time I go. But, better late than never! And if it really is what the Lord would have me do, then he’ll provide a way for it to be able to happen somehow 🙂
Serving a mission was always something that I wanted to do! I am a convert of 9 years and a senior in high school. The age change has done wonders for sister missionaries! I am young though, and won’t turn 19 for another year after I graduate. Also, I sent a missionary off, and he gets home RIGHT when I turn 19. I am constantly hearing people say if you have to option to get married instead of serving a mission, you should do so. I have been praying and fasting and reading my scriptures, searching diligently for an answer. I can’t get serving a mission off my mind, but I don’t know if that is because it is something that I want, or if it is what I’m supposed to do. I am having a very hard time depicting the Spirit from my own thoughts.
The decision to serve a mission is between you and the Lord. It sounds like you are doing all the right things to learn the will of the Lord for you: praying, fasting, reading the scriptures, etc. One thing my dad taught me years ago is that when you are living righteously, you will have the Spirit of the Lord with you, and you can trust your feelings. Good luck and God bless you, whatever you decide.
desire to serve a mission is one of the greatest blessing and memorable situation and a habit of your life, although soma people may think that serve a mission is not like going off island for vacation, but no you are going out to serve the lords word….
An older friend of mine had a daughter who had submitted her papers but had not received her call yet. She began to wonder if serving a mission was really what she was meant to do. Her YSA group got to have a personal fireside with Richard G. Scott, and she was able to ask him his thoughts on the matter. I love what he said in turn. Essentially he told her that she should continue with the mission process, and if it truly was not something that the Lord wanted her to do, he would place in front of her some very obvious roadblocks that would make it clear that she was not to go. She accepted his answer readily and followed his advice, and as a result she served a full-time mission and has a very successful marriage and family.
I have not yet gone on a mission yet, since I am not old enough. (Just another two years and three months!) But I plan on going, knowing that it will be a great blessing in my life and something worth doing. I also understand that Heavenly Father may have a different plan for me, and that going on a mission might not be his plan for me me but I feel that it is something I really want to do. I just want those other sisters out there to know that whether they serve a mission or not, they will be blessed with whatever they do that is good in the sights of the Lord. 🙂 God bless you all, and you are continually loved. <3
My mom always told me when I was a kid “never say you won’t do something because you always have to do what you say you’re never going to do.” Sure enough I thought she was crazy and told everyone I knew, even yelled at some people that I was NEVER ever going to go on a mission. Sure enough, the Lord started to drop hits by blessing me in little ways that were almost miracles. The mission age dropped, I was able to finish school a year early, I am blessed with the things I need to be able to drop everything and serve the Lord for 18 months. I still thought maybe this was all a coincidence. Sure enough it wasn’t. I got a prompting one day to re-read my patriarchal blessing. In it, it states that I will spread the gospel, touch heart that other cannot, be blessed with the worldly possessions to be able to serve a mission, ETC… Before you know it I was in the bishops office. The process went so fast. 21 days after deciding I would MAYBE THINK ABOUT GOING my papers were in…completely in. I don’t fully understand now why the Lord is rushing things so fast in my direction but I do know that this work I am going to do is true and everlasting work. I encourage you that if you are thinking about serving a mission to look at the little tender mercies in your life and see if the Lord is trying to tell you something. I know that where ever I get called that it was by inspiration I was called there and that because things sometimes move faster (or slower) than we think and we feel a little roped into it at first, the Lords plan is perfect and there is no way we could think of a better one. (“you can either have what you want, or something better.”)
I am leaving to go on my mission in three days and honestly, leaving will be one of the hardest things I have ever done and suspect will ever have to do.
I have never had the desire to go on a mission, not because I don’t want to share the gospel, but because I don’t like the way missionaries do it. I much prefer to be a member missionary and become friends with someone and establish trust and be a help-meet through the process and try to keep them in the Church. I strongly dislike approaching random people and knocking on random doors and try to share the gospel with someone who clearly just wants you gone. Missionaries do that more often than teaching in homes with members as invited guests, even though the latter is far more effective and helps more people to become better, even if they don’t fully accept the Gospel.
But the missionary age dropped and since then I’ve known deep inside that Heavenly Father was going to ask the impossible of me. Over two years ago, I started to go to Preach My Gospel to learn how to be an effective missionary and after my first lesson the Spirit wouldn’t leave me alone until I promised to attend as many Preach My Gospel lessons as possible. So I decided to start fasting and praying for an answer about whether I would go on my mission and it took 9 months of prayer and fasting but I knew I would get an answer because He promised me clear direction in my Patriarchal Blessing.
I got my answer a year and half ago, the answer that I didn’t want. And then I being to put my papers in and experience many delays and setbacks, finally ending in receiving my call completely unexpectedly and getting a mission that I desperately didn’t want to go to with one of the most inconvenient leaving dates possible. Sending my acceptance took me a few days and was really hard. As I approach my leaving date, it’s only getting harder but He has called me, at this time, at to that mission for a reason. So I will go and I will learn a lot from it and I will make the best of it and work hard to be the best missionary I know how to be.
My family breaks that statistic cause both parents are return missionaries and none have been married in the temple so far, I’m not married yet and have the goal to get married there. Everyone one has there choices so I don’t think that it makes a difference if the parents are or aren’t it’s up to the kids. Agency.