I got my call in November, and since then time has flown by! I can't believe I leave in just a month! There's so much preparation I still need to continue to do.
As a missionary I am going to live a very strict life and schedule for a year and a half. Our church missionary service program has many rules to make sure that we are focused on our work and purpose, and are able to be worthy representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ. This means I won't get to see my family or friends for a year and a half, or barely communicate with. I don't get to bring my phone, or Ipod, or even use the Internet while on my mission. I can only communicate with friends and family by e-mail every Monday. Every Monday for me in my mission is called Preparation Day for the missionaries. I will get to do things like sports this day. I can only Skype my family twice a year, and that's it! I have a strict amount of music I am able to listen to, to help me stay focused on my missionary work. I won't have social media, texting, calling, anything! This all for me is going to be a very big sacrifice; if you know me, I love to keep in touch, listen to music, and post all over social media!
While this is going to be very hard, I chose this path. I am choosing to go out and be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My purpose as a missionary is NOT going to be to just want to convert everyone to my church, that's not a missionaries goal. Our true purpose as we are told to make it is to: "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." And I personally want to share the gospel of Jesus Christ that I have because I know how happy my life is because of it, and how happy I know it would make our Heavenly Father if I shared what I know to be his gospel here on the earth with others who may not be as fortunate to have that. Doctrine and Covenants 18: 15-17 "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy, if you should bring many souls unto me! Behold you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation."
In our church we have The Bible, and The Book of Mormon. Both are very important books written by Prophets of old times that we believe to come from revelation God has given his people. We use them both in our teachings and believe in both very strongly. We share The Book of Mormon with others because not many people have heard of it, or know what it is about, and many people have read the Bible. The Book of Mormon is a lot like The Bible and has many of the same teachings.
The reason I have chosen to serve a mission is to help others, to try to be an inspiration, to help others change lives. Jesus Christ did so much for us while he was here on this earth, and continues to help us throughout our lives. He died for all of our sins, and the least I can do is try to repay even a tiny little percentage of that back to Him, by helping teach others about the gospel, and helping others become happy as I am. Life is meant to be hard, salvation isn't easy, life wasn't easy for our Savior. If I'm not going to do it, who is? Why not me?
Doctrine and Covenants 4: 1-7 "Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. 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; For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen."
