So You Want To Be A Missionary...?

So, I STARTED MY PAPERS! I am in the Missionary System and I am slowly but surely checking things off the list of forms to complete. It is so exciting and I am incredibly grateful to be able to start! You can't turn your papers in more than 120 days before your availability date... which means I will turn mine in come March. My call will come a few weeks later. I know that being a missionary is part of the Lord's plan for my life, and I look forward to the adventures and experiences I'll have over those 18 months!

So many people have been asking me how I made the decision to serve, and I tell them that I was really REALLY lucky. Let me explain. I have always had the desire to serve a mission- as long as I can remember it's been a part of my plans. When the age was lowered for Sisters to 19, I had already made up my mind. Most of my friends, however, now had the tough choice of choosing whether or not to serve. Let me tell you, it's okay to not want to go on a mission! You are not a "bad person" if that's not part of your life's plan.  Definitely pray about it and choose what feels right. Sisters are not held to the same obligations as young men. Plus getting married is great too, so I've heard ;) But I'll be talking to the girls that are still deciding, or have definitely decided to go. It is a wonderful opportunity that you are taking advantage of, and your service is greatly appreciated!

When I made my plans in those first few months after the Oct 2012 General Conference, I guess you could say I was (a little) naive. At first I had no idea what I was getting into. I had this fanciful idea that my life would be absolutely perfect until I was almost 19 and I would fill out my papers, get my call, and leave for a foreign land where I would wear long flowy skirts and hand out tons of Book of Mormons and it would be rainbows and butterflies!!! This isn't a bad picture, but as I've prepared more and had some experience, I'll tell you what I've observed SO FAR:

• If anything, my life has been harder in almost every aspect. 
• I feel like my trials are harder. 
• Relationships with friends and family are impossible to keep up with.
• My temptations seem bigger and more difficult to overcome.
• It's HARD to want to read my scriptures and say my prayers every day.
• The natural (wo)man in me is definitely there and it is a struggle.

BUT... I have never felt so much peace, and I know that is the Holy Ghost comforting me. A Young Women's leader taught me a long time ago: "You can either dwell on everything that's falling apart around you, or you can stand tall." That phrase has always stuck with me. Please do not let distractions stand in the way of nurturing your spirit. When you sacrifice your time for the Lord, He will help you with whatever you need. Daily prayer and scripture study opens the door for personal revelation, which you will need! 

I've had the opportunity to go on one "split" with the missionaries in my ward plus my dad. It was a great experience and I definitely suggest helping out your local missionaries as much as you can!  It was nothing like I expected. You just have to rely on the Spirit. Experience is the best teacher and it will lead to testimony-building opportunities!

My cousin returned from his mission not long ago, and he said "Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles."  I'm sure I will understand this better once I have entered the mission field, but I intend on living true to this now. Exact obedience must mean that you have to be perfect and never make mistakes, right?! WRONG. The thing that matters the most though is that your heart is in the right place and you are making your best effort. Heavenly Father knows if you are trying and you want to do what's right. 

I just have to remind myself that I am a work in progress, and that I am enough. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. 

That is all for today!

Pre-Mission Papers

Hello! My name is Lindsay Sanders, I am a musician, wanna-be kickboxing champ, and I'm a Mormon! I am going to be starting my mission papers in this next week, and before the journey actually begins, I just wanted to document my feelings that will hopefully help other Future Sisters-In-Training. I wanted to share my experience through every step of the mission process and give insights and tips as they come! There are so many resources for young men who are preparing for missions, but since the age change, more and more Sisters are serving, which is FANTASTIC! But where is the love for us Sisters?! I'll compile all the information and helpful sites I can find in future posts! But for now, I just want to talk about why I want to serve:

I have wanted to serve a mission since I was a little girl. I have always had the desire to go! My original plan (before the age change) was to go to college and complete as much of my degree as possible, and leave as soon as I turned 21. In the months approaching October of 2012, when I was applying to colleges, nothing felt right. I was praying for direction, and wasn't getting any answers. I remember exactly where I was when President Monson announced the age change. I was house sitting for a family friend, and I had just finished feeding the pets. First, the age for the boys was lowered to 18... and Sisters could now be recommended for service at age 19 instead of 21! I knew, at that very moment, that I needed to serve as soon as I turned 19. What an amazing blessing! After the change, everything with my education and a job fell into place. The Lord wasn't ignoring me, I just needed to wait because He was preparing a better path for me! Like I'm sure every other Sister is, I am so excited to serve the Lord!

The road since I committed to serve a mission has been a bit bumpy, but I know that it is the right decision for me. I have been so blessed to be raised by wonderful parents that taught me the importance of the Gospel! I want to serve my brothers and sisters and teach them about God's love for them! I am so excited for all of the experiences, good and bad, that a mission will bring. A mission isn't easy or glamorous... but I know it will be worth it!

Tomorrow I will meet with my bishop and he will activate my papers online so I can start filling them out... I will try to keep up with all of my little "milestones" and I will share my thoughts/feelings/testimony every step of the way.

My advice for girls thinking about serving a mission:
This decision is between you and the Lord. Sisters are NOT required to serve, and you shouldn't feel like you have to. If you pray about it and feel like it's not the right move for you, that is fine! More than fine, GREAT! Everyone's path is different. You can still make a difference and have amazing opportunities without serving a full-time mission. However, if you feel a desire to serve and the Holy Ghost confirms that you should go, never doubt that prompting. Once you make that decision, the adversary knows and will do everything he can to stop you. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN. There are people waiting to hear your testimony. There is work for you to do. I know the journey is hard, but if you rely on the Lord, He will provide you with peace and clarity. When you realize you can't do everything on your own and turn to the Lord, it all becomes manageable. Notice I didn't say easy! But I promise, you can handle any curve ball that comes your way when you put your faith in your Savior.

D&C 6: 36 ^aLook unto me in every ^bthought; ^cdoubt not, fear not.