17 more days..

Having never had the desire to serve a mission in my youth, I can't help but smile as I make my first post on my very own missionary blog; a blog that will accumulate emails and pictures of the most fulfilling 18 months of my youth. Always giving mad props to those that went out and served diligently and faithfully, I just couldn't envision being a successful missionary. The past can be a daunting thing, and I started talking myself out of the idea of a mission all together because of it. The age girls could leave wasn't right, I'm not smart enough, I'll miss my family too much, the list went on and on. Oh boy, does the Lord have a sense of humor: not too long before I was going to turn 19 the age for girls to leave changed. At that moment I had a clear vision in my mind of Heavenly Father looking at me saying, "What now? Can't use that excuse anymore."After girls all over the world were running to submit their mission papers, and dumping their boyfriends, I still didn't feel that same desire. Taking some time to step back and see the path I was on wasn't leading me to where I essentially wanted to be, I decided changes had to be made. Putting my life in accordance with the Lord, and eventually being asked by my bishop if I wanted to serve a mission I thought, "Well, why not? I can prepare and if in the end I don't think it's right, then I won't submit my papers, but I'll be a better person because of it." I began to read my scriptures more than I ever had, I was asking earnestly for guidance daily. Before I knew it I was submitting my mission papers with a testimony stronger than ever. Before I knew it, in my hands was the letter telling me where I was going to spend 18 months of my life. It read "You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Utah Salt Lake City East Mission."Immediately I loved it, everyone there, everyone I would serve with, and I had no idea who these people even were. Even though I had already gotten my call, it was at that moment that I knew I was going to serve. I was going to wear the Lord's name over my heart for 18 months and be a part of spreading the gospel to all corners of the earth.