My Story

In the past 6 months I learned that the Lord knows what he is doing, so much better than I do. Just one week before the fall general conference for the church, my dad needed to buy my plane ticket home for Christmas, and needed to know if I was staying at school for the winter semester or going home. I wanted to stay in Rexburg, but I didn't know what was right for me. I prayed that week. Long and hard. I fasted that Sunday, and finally came to a conclusion- that I needed to come home. Did I want to initially? No. But I felt peaceful about the decision. Little did I know that just the next week I would make the life-changing decision to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

When the announcement came on October 6, 2012, I was shocked.

And I know I wasn't the only one. 

I had thought about a mission, sure. But I had a different plan in mind.

Before this announcement, girls in the church had to wait until 21 to serve, and that was what I was going to do. I had never really had a strong desire to go. I planned on attending school at BYU-I, and probably getting married. I was enjoying being a college student, and going on a mission had been put on the back burner. If I turned 21 and I wasn't married, then I would pray and see if a mission was right for me. It wasn't out of the question, but it wasn't the first thing on my mind either.

Until the announcement came. 

I was upstairs at my cousins house. She couldn't get her internet to work properly. Everything was delayed and we were missing the first session of conference. In an effort to get things working as soon as possible, I went downstairs to see if it would work better on my computer. While I was waiting for things to pull up, I checked my phone and had a text message from my best friend, and my 2nd mom. Allie just said "you know the 2nd coming is near when they're asking for new missionaries." Confused, I checked the text from Mom Odell, who said "did you hear that?!" Still confused, I told her that I didn't. She replied that Young Women could now serve missions at age 19.
Never before in my life have I been overcome like the spirit like I did in that instant. 
Suddenly, I knew. I knew that I needed to begin paperwork to serve a mission. Immediately. I was 20, and I was going to serve a mission. I began to cry. I couldn't believe it. The difference that this would make in the church. The lives that this would change- including my own, and my family.

I prayed that week, and my impression was only confirmed. I needed to serve a mission. After talking with my bishop, I began the process for paperwork. Everything took longer than expected, but finally, on January 7, 2013, my papers were submitted. The anticipation was incredible. All I could think about was how excited I was. Where I was going to go. France? Ireland? Australia? The Netherlands? Somewhere stateside? Finally, on January 18, 2013, I received my call to the New Mexico, Albuquerque Mission. I was to speak English, and report the MTC on March 6, 2013.

I am still in shock, and excited beyond belief.

Life had become harder since I got my call. It's stressful. I was given 6 weeks to prepare, and I feel like I have spent all of it shopping. I got scared. Realizing that you are going to leave your family for 18 months, and only be able to talk to them twice a year, besides email and letters, is terrifying. I literally could feel the opposition just dragging me down for weeks.
But despite the long, hard weeks, and the slight dread of how hard I know the next 18 months will be, I know I made the right decision. There is something in my heart that keeps me going- reminding me that this is what I want. What I need in my life. There are people in New Mexico that need to hear the gospel, and they need to hear it from me.
I am eager to be the Lord's hands, and serve his children. I know that I need to help move his work forward. There is a reason(s) that I got called to the New Mexico, Albuquerque mission, and I am eager to find out.