18 months

All my life I have wanted to serve a mission.

When I was a couple months shy of 21,  I was trying to figure out whether or not I was actually going to go through with it. Even though I had been planning on it for my entire life, actually submitting my papers seemed scary. Did I really want to leave my life for 18 months to go preach the gospel? I wasn't sure.

I had to wonder whether a mission was the right decision for me. It wasn't until July that I really received my answer. I am eternally grateful for personal revelation. I know that our Heavenly Father can speak to us in an incredibly personal way. I am grateful that my Heavenly Father loves me enough to speak to me in that manner. He guides me in all the choices that I make. It was through this impression that I decided to turn in my mission papers. A couple months later, they were all filled out and sent to the church headquarters to be reviewed and assigned. I very impatiently awaited for a big white envelope that would tell me where in the world I would be serving a mission.

About two weeks later it showed up in my mailbox. I invited just about everyone to come over to watch me open my call to find out where I would be serving. I was so nervous that I couldn't sit still. I caught the experience on video and I think I've watched it 100 times since... but I wanted to share it with you here on my blog.

 

I couldn't be happier. I am so excited for this next chapter of my life. I know that its going to be hard, I've never had to do anything like this before. But I am driven by my testimony of this gospel. I know that this is the Lord's restored church upon the earth today. I know that it changes lives. I know that it makes me happier than anything else on earth ever could. I can't wait to bring this truth to those that desperately need it. 

p.s. I'm trying to write/post this from the Oakland CA airport. I'm too excited to wait. So sorry for any spelling/grammatical errors that I probably made.