My Missionary Service-The Decision To Serve

I've spent a good chunk of my time lately typing up my old journals.  I've always wanted to do it but since I love to write it is quite an undertaking.  My first project is the journal I wrote while serving a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  So as I'm working on this project you get to take part in reliving my missionary opportunity through a series of Missionary Service posts.

 

 The first part of my journey was in deciding to take that journey.  The decision to leave my college education for a 18 months was difficult.  I was nervous and unsure of my ability to share things that are so special to me with other people.  I knew I was committing to be away from my family and dedicate ALL my time to serving others and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  For those that don't know part of committing to full-time service means leaving home for 18 months (two years for guys) and having contact only family only through e-mail once a week and letters.  We call home only on Mother's Day and Christmas.

I had felt in my heart that it was something the Lord wanted me to do but it took several months to convince myself that I was capable of actually doing it.  (I actually spent that time fighting with the Lord insisting I could not do this.) For a 20 year-old college student I was pretty unsure of myself.

 

I filled out my application and received my assignment to serve in the Quetzaltenango, Guatemala mission.  I barely knew where Guatemala was (my older sister had lived there for six months) but I was excited.  My fears of inadequacy did not diminish with time but little by little I learned that the Lord would make up for my shortcomings if I would only trust in Him and rely on His ability to work through me. 

 

What was to come was the most amazing, difficult, scary, rewarding time of my life to that point.  It was incredible what I learned and experienced through the next 18 months as the Lord molded me and changed me.  I learned what's really important in life and it was the best decision I've ever made (I would say marrying my husband was the best but if I hadn't grown as a person through my missionary service I would not have been worthy of my husband).