I have been thinking about missions so much lately. Off and on for the last couple of weeks. As the last couple of days have went by I have been thinking about it a lot.
So with that, I decided I should probably make a post for anyone who is curious on why I want to serve a mission!
Almost two years ago I was reactivated in the church by a lovely set of Sister Missionaries. When they found my family I was dead set on not coming back into the church. I was like these girls are crazy. Why would I go to a place where they all judge me? The sisters kept coming over to teach my brother and my sisters. As me being already baptized I didn't have to sit in on these lessons if I didn't want. Half the time I don't think I did.
I started to act out really really bad. It got to the point where it drove my parents insane. I didn't really adjust to moving to Mount Vernon well at all. Anyways, so my dad forced me to go to church. My siblings were already going so I was forced.
And I will probably never ever forget that Sunday. I sat in Young Womens and laughed harder than I ever did since I moved here. I grew to love and adore the Young Women and I started going back to church.
That's not the total reason haha I know I'm funny.
Anyways, so the sisters kept coming over. They actually helped me through some of the most rough times in my life. You see, I was such a different person a couple of years ago then I am now. I was very angry with the world and through the sisters I learned how to forgive and work on my relationships slowly. They eventually got my siblings baptized! In January they will be members for 2 years! The sisters actually changed my entire families life. They started going back to church regularly for awhile(I still have hope that will change again someday!) and I decided to recommit myself to the LDS lifestyle.
I grew so attached to these missionaries. They became my best friends actually. They came over all the time and talked to me about whatever was going on in my life and just everything in between. They also brought in the biggest spirit I have ever seen.
Okay lets fast forward to June of 2014. I was given the opportunity to serve a week long mission (mini-mission) with full-time missionaries in the mission that I live in. At that point, I had been around missionaries long enough to be like oh my gosh I want to see what the missionary life is like sign me up. And by this time too, I was pretty much close with whatever missionaries were serving in my ward. Even when we got elders so I mean. I was in for such a treat! My companions were probably the best ever. They taught me so much. I realized then I want to serve one day it was just a matter of when.
That's not where the story ends and now that I think about it this is gonna be so long so sorry about that.
This summer I got to go on mini missions again(even with one of the same companions) and it was beyond different. I could easily tell the difference. I grew love for people who I had only known a couple of days. I got sad when people didn't answer their doors or keep up appointments. I talked to less actives and shared a message with them. One of the sisters in the ward of my mini mission told my companions how I was ready for a mission. Honestly? Hearing that come from her and my companions changed so much for me. That week so hard dealing craziness and just emotionally getting attached. Also dealing with a Satanist(if you wanna hear that story hit me up for that one)haha).
At youth conference this year, we as the youth got to hear from the local mission president and his wife at a fireside about missions. I never felt the Spirit so strongly in my life. I remember telling my friend how I didn't want to ever leave the room because I thought I was never going to feel the Spirit that strong again. They spoke so well about missions. I wish I had my notebook to give you all the details about it but believe me when I say it was wonderful trust me!
In seminary this year we studied Doctrine and Covenants, I appreciate the scriptures so much more now after seminary this year but what really stands out to me is D&C section 4 which leads into my next point!
D&C Section 4 is hands down one of my favorite sections in the Doctrine and Covenants. It has seven verses but powerful seven verses. If you want to read it heres a link:
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/4?lang=eng lds.org is a pretty cool website to check out too! Anyways, two of my favorite scriptures are in there(I have a lot of them and I'm so not sorry about it tbh.) D&C 4:2-3 days, "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;"
That just makes me feel all excited inside especially verse 3: "Therefore. if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;". The first time I read that verse I knew I was going to go. I know Heavenly Father wants me to serve. I have prayed about it so much. Everytime I pray I end up searching through my scriptures and the answer is the same. GO ON YOUR MISSION.
I'm the weirdo who spends countless hours watching prepare to serve mission videos or watching The District. I even become best friends with missionaries and then get super sad when they go home or get transferred.
I guess my point in all of this is that I want to be able to bring people unto Christ. I want to make an impact on someones life like the missionaries did mine. I want them to see the excitement of the Gospel. I want them to feel the love that Heavenly Father has for them.
For anyone who is thinking about going, I recommend praying about it long and hard. The answer won't come right away. I have realized that the answer of when I was gonna go became super hard. I have struggled of being like okay I want to go just when. It wasn't until I got to thinking about college and my mini mission.
At first my parents were like put off college mission first. I prayed about that and Heavenly Father told me no. For awhile, I thought Heavenly Father was like go to BYUI for a year both semesters and then serve. Now? I feel the need to start my papers when I get to Idaho and hopefully have them in before the end of the semester so I can get my call. It makes me so excited about serving. I mean I cannot wait to be a journalist. I cannot wait to be out in Idaho but at the same time I am like itching to serve.
I just want to share my testimony about missionary work. I know that the missionaries throughout the world are doing the Lord's work. I know that they are put in their respectful missions for a reason. I am beyond thankful to have missionaries in Ohio. I am grateful to have them serving in my ward. The missionaries will change your life if you let them. They will help you be on the right path and help you come unto Christ.
One last thing and I am done I promise!
My best friend in the entire world came up to church with me for the first time in January and she loved it. So I gave her a Book of Mormon and told her to read it and find the missionaries in her area(because she doesn't live in my town). She read the Book of Mormon way faster than I have and more times than I have and she has a strong testimony. All she needs are some missionaries to guide her and to help her get baptized. Okay this story gets better. She called me up one day maybe a couple of months ago maybe I dunno anyways she told me she started meeting with the missionaries. She also told me that her family started to accept her learning about the gospel(as her family wasn't a huge fan of the church before). It has been wonderful seeing my best friend learn about the gospel and teach her what I couldn't through a couple of Sundays! And the best ending to that story is that because of the missionaries who have taken the time and the energy to teach my best friend she is being baptized on September 26th! I am beyond happy about that!.
I am so thankful for all the full time missionaries serving throughout the world. I am beyond excited to explore this direction that the Lord desires me to take! It won't be easy but I know He will be there for me every step of the way and that brings me so much hope and so much joy.
Thanks a lot for reading! Sorry this is so long!
Until next time!!
-Kyrsten
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