I am so excited to serve a mission, and with every day that has gone by since that decision, I feel even more confident that this is the right path for me and my life right now. I am ready to get out there and serve the Lord. I know that I have a whole lot of preparing that I need to do before that, but that doesn't change how much I want to serve.
I guess one of my biggest concerns is that the longer and longer it is until I can finish my papers, the more and more likely it is that I will over think things. Like maybe I'll realize that there really is somewhere I wouldn't want to go, or somewhere that I would want to go (and would be so upset if I didn't get sent there). Don't worry though. Right now that is not the case, and I am doing my best to have that never be the case. I know that I will be called to where ever the Lord knows I am needed. After all, I am serving a mission to serve him, not myself. And that is the greatest blessing of all.
I've been trying to come up with a list of the reasons that I want to serve a mission. I don't know that this will be in any particular order, rather it is just a conglomeration of my thoughts thrown into written words.
1. I want to share the joy that the gospel brings me with everyone around me. Every time that I have ever been truly happy, it has been because of the gospel. There are so many wonderful truths in it that help to bring me so much joy. Often that joy is accompanied by peace and love. Which brings me to my next point.
2. I want others to know that through the infinite reach of the atonement, you can be healed. I know that through personal experience. There is nothing like the pure love of Christ that you feel once you truly applied his atonement to your life. Any pain or heartache you have felt, whether it be because of your own actions or someone else's, he can heal you. The atonement is real. Through it we can be forgiven, and we can be made clean. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, and I want to share that love with those around me.
"I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.
Whether you are not yet of our faith or were with us once and have not remained, there is nothing in either case that you have done that cannot be undone. There is no problem which you cannot overcome. There is no dream that in the unfolding of time and eternity cannot yet be realized. Even if you feel you are the lost and last laborer of the eleventh hour, the Lord of the vineyard still stands beckoning. “Come boldly [to] the throne of grace,”3 and fall at the feet of the Holy One of Israel. Come and feast “without money and without price”4 at the table of the Lord." (Elder Jeffery R. Holland, "The Laborers in the Vineyard")
3. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the Earth today. I know that it is Christ's church, and I want to share that knowledge with those who may be seeking it. I know that there is someone out there that needs to hear my message. That needs me to help share the gospel with them. I don't want to keep that knowledge to myself. The older and older I get, the more that I realize just how important the gospel is to me, and how much I want others to have the gospel in their lives.
4. I know that families can be together forever. That knowledge is one of the greatest blessings that I could ever think of. I remember the first funeral that I ever attended was for a sweet baby boy in our ward who passed away at the young age of 3 months. I remember just how sad that was to see such a little precious human being, be taken from his family so soon. One thing that I remember the most though, is the comfort in knowing that because he had been sealed to his family, they would get to see him again. It was not the end.
When my little brother was a week old, he got really sick, and for a long time, they didn't know what was wrong. They didn't know if he was going to make it. He is the youngest of six children, and the only boy. When he was born we were all so glad for that sweet little brother that we got. Before the doctors were able to diagnose what was wrong, I was brought comfort when I thought about how sick he was. I knew that no matter what, everything was going to be okay - even if he was called back home to be with our loving Heavenly Father. I knew everything would be okay, because I would get to be with him again. Luckily, he was able to get better and is still a part of our lives almost 8 years later. I am still ever so grateful for the testimony of Eternal Families, that has continued to be strengthened over the years.
5. This one is a little bit of a selfish reason, but I feel like it is still a good one. I want to serve a mission so that I may better myself, and grow stronger in the gospel. I want to be the best wife and mother that I can be, and I know that serving a mission will help me to do that. I want to be married in the temple, and to raise my children in the church. I keep telling myself that one day I will be better, but I want to be better now, and a through serving others and sharing the gospel with them, I hope to become a better person.
6. I want to make my Father in Heaven proud, and I want to follow his plan for me. I want to be better at following promptings, and I want to be closer to the spirit. I want to be the best missionary that I can and serve his children, where ever he sends me. I want to see others as he sees them, as sons or daughters of a loving Father in Heaven. I want others to know and to feel of his love for them.
I'm sure if I sat here, I could come up with lots and lots of reasons, but the biggest reason, is because I know it is the right thing. I know that I need to serve a mission. I know that I need to share my testimony with those around me. I need to share the light of Christ with everyone that I meet, and that is why I am serving a mission. I know that there may be times when I am afraid to talk to someone, or afraid that I may not know the answer to a difficult question, but I know that through the help of my Savior, I can do all things.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)
So there you have it. Now you know why I want to serve a mission, why I want to leave my friends and my family for 18 months and serve the Lord. Call my crazy, but I am pretty excited.
Sister Robertson
#called to serve
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