Called to Serve

On February 20th, 2013 I received my mission call! It was highly anticipated for sure. Let's jump back to like September of 2012, when I started my freshman year at UVU.

Things were going really well! I loved my roommates and my ward, I had a great job, a scholarship, and a great ASL program. However, I kept feeling like there was something I was supposed to do. I tried jumping into anything and everything I could. Student government, the LDS insititute committees, leadership programs, etc. And it was ridiculous because every time I had an opportunity to involved myself in one of these activities, I had work! To give you an idea of why this was ridiculous, I only worked 10 or less hours a week at the time. I was starting to get frustrated because I felt like I was acting on my promptings to get ready for something, but it just was not working out. After discussions with my mother and a trip to the temple, I had the peaceful feeling that I had these desires to prepare to do something for a reason. I just didn't know what! So I went along my way.

Then it was the week of the October 2012 General Conference. My week was crazy with schoolwork, but I was so looking forward to Conference. Much more so than other years. Once it got to Friday of  that week, I plopped myself on the couch and said to myself "I have done everything I needed to do this week, so I will sit here and do whatever I please until I have to go to work in an hour." Of course mere minutes later my brain reminded me I had not gone to my required language lab for the week. I rationalized that the language lab would open at 9 on Saturday and I would just go for my required hour, and would return back to my apartment and would only have missed the first 15 minutes of Conference.

"Nope, you need to go TODAY." is the thought that came to mind. Thanks, self. I grudgingly went to the lab and paid as little attention as possible.

Turns out it wasn't myself, it was the Spirit! Because had I missed the first 15 minutes of Conference, I would have missed the announcement that would be the answer to what I was supposed to do. Obviously I would have heard about it soon enough, but I am so grateful I was able to hear it right when it happened. Aaaand of course I didn't think that was my answer at first. My emotions were shot and I was totally overwhelmed by the announcement, so I didn't want to make the decision too quickly. However, after many conversations with family and close friends and prayers and this talk from Elder Richard G. Scott from the April 2012 Conference where he says

"If you feel that God has not answered your prayers, ponder these scriptures (D&C 6:14-15)—then carefully look for evidence in your own life that He may have already answered you."
 

These are the scriptures:

"14 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast ^ainquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.

15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy ^amind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been ^benlightened by the ^cSpirit of truth;"

 

I pretty much had my answer all along is what these scriptures were trying to tell me :)

I was going to wait to put my papers in and go after the summer was over. But once again I had a change of plans and decided to go as soon as possible! I started my papers in November and was able to submit them at the beginning of January.

Phew. If you are still reading, you must really love me. Just kidding. I don't base your love for me on how much you read my lengthy blog.

So then one thing led to another (that's the cop out phrase for not wanting to explain all of the details) and I received my call to the North Carolina Charlotte Mission! Holy cow! I would have never guessed. But I am SO excited, I can't even explain. It is definitely where I am supposed to go.

Enough words, here are some pictures.

 

No one tells you this but you get some serious stage fright opening a call in front of so many people.

 

 

So happy!!!

 

 

Me and my BEST friend in the whole world: Preston! (Currently serving his mission in Spain!) He helped me so much when I was in denial about serving a mission. When I told him I had a huge epiphony that I knew all along I was supposed to serve, I expected him to be surprised, but he laughed and said he knew from the start.

 

 

Me and my best friends from college, Jodee and Ayrika. These girls have helped me grow so much this year. I don't know what I would do without them! They were answers to prayers that I would find good friends when I moved away from home. Both of them plan on serving a mission at the end of the summer :)