For those who care to know...

.... I'm going on a mission. Don't be offended if this is the first you are hearing this because I haven't told anyone. For the past 3 months it has been on a 'need to know bases'. I haven't told anyone because a girl going on a mission is a lot different then a boy. Boys are almost required. It's expected that every able body male in the church goes on a mission at 19. But for girls it's very different. There are bad stereotypes that go with being a female missionary that I would like to avoid. For example, only going on a mission because you can't get married. This is just not true in my case (yes I see that this is ironic because of a certain previous post). And I also don't want to get "written off." Typically when people find out you are going on a mission they stop talking to you because you'll be gone with little contact for a very long time. I can't blame them but I rather this not happen.


For any friends not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, let me briefly explain a mission as I see it. For a year and a half (not 2 years because I'm a girl) I will preach the gospel. I will tell people about my faith with the intentions that they will come to believe as I do and will join the church. I will be sent somewhere in the world either in the United States or a completely different country. There are some strict rule while on a mission. I will only be allowed to contact friends and family through email or snail mail, except on Christmas and Mother's day when I'm allowed to call home. That means no facebook, no texting, and no blog. Now if you care to know how I came to this decision to go a mission you can read on but I'll warn it is long and uses many "Mormon terms."


I never thought I would go a mission. I have never wanted to go on a mission. I thought that I would make a good missionary and I thought God knew it so He would never ask me to go. I did not think this was my path, but 'when man plans, God laughs.'


 Let me start from the beginning. I turned 21 on Saturday June 2, and therefore fast Sunday was the next day. I had worked all day Saturday and had forgotten it was fast Sunday until I woke up the next morning. I said my morning prayer and "started my fast." My Bishop had ask the ward to fast for missionary work so I did and quickly added in an obligated "and should I go on a mission" because I had just turned 21. This was clearly just a half efforted fast. Anyways, I went to church and the topic in Sunday school was sacrifice. I thought "great, this will be a guilt free lesson. I sacrifice all the time." Half way through the lesson a brother in my ward made a comment. He said "a true sacrifice is doing God's will." Immediately the thought entered my head, "you need to go on a mission." My eyes filled with tears as I tried to think of all the reasons I shouldn't go on a mission. But the thought repeated in my mind "you need to go on a mission." It continued on into relief society where a made a list of reasons I couldn't go on a mission. Maybe then God will know why I couldn't go on a mission and this inspiration would stop.
1. I'm so close to graduating, I can't put it off now
2. I have a scholarship and I'm sure I'll lose it
3. I can't afford it
4. I just signed a new lease on my apartment and my apartment is sweet
5. My roommates will have to find a new roommate and they will be mad
6. I have a rather large loan out and how would I serve a mission and work on paying it off

When I got home I ate lunch, because I didn't want to get anymore inspiration. I then made an appointment to meet with my bishop and school counselor. I thought "I'll meet with my counselor and surely she will tell me it's a bad idea to drop out of school at this point in my education." She didn't. She told it would be no problem and showed me where I could get the paper work to fill out to defer. I then emailed the person in charge of my scholarship and she inform me that my scholarship would only apply to fall semester. I then meet with my bishop.I sat in his office and cried as I explained to him what has happen and how I was scared. At this point I felt like it was out of my hands. I was going on a mission if I liked it or not.  He gave me some information about filling out mission paper and then gave me a blessing. In the blessing he reminded me that I had free agency and that God would not make me do anything I didn't want to do. I went home and called my mom. I told her that I was thinking about going on a mission but that I didn't know how I could get everything to work out. She gave me some words of advice and passed the phone to my dad. I asked him what would happen if I dropped out of school for 18 months. He then got his angry voice on and said "what? why would drop out of school?" I then had to explain to him that I was thinking about going on a mission and everything changed. Without any hesitation he offered to help pay for the mission and told me not to worry about my loan. Then I was stuck all of my biggest concerns were no longer concerns at all.  So I began working on my papers and they were relativity a breeze. Now I have submitted them and I'm waiting for my call.