The Best Day of My Life

Today, on Thursday, May 22nd, 2014 I went through the temple for the first time. I had a wonderful experience! I've been preparing for 18 (almost 19) years to go to the temple to receive my Endowment. As I've been preparing to go on my mission as well, I have made sure not to treat the temple as something to as a checklist item. I am so excited for my mission, but going to the Temple has been my main goal. I hope living worthy to go to the temple is your top priority as well.

Here's some of the best advice that I've been given that I found particularly helpful:

• Take a Temple Prep Class. Chances are, your ward or stake will have a Temple Prep Class that you can attend. In my ward, my Bishop teaches the class and I found it very helpful. 

• Talk to your parents or leaders. Of course, because of how sacred the temple is, we don't talk about exactly what happens inside, but you can always ask your parents, leaders, or a trusted friend that has gone through for their advice.

• The Temple is different. One of my dearest friends serving a mission sent me this: I learned this in the Temple. When people say that they don't feel right about the Temple it is not because it is not true. It is because they aren't at the level of understanding yet to comprehend what is being taught in the Temple. The Temple is different. Be open to everything there and remember that is is just different not wrong.

• Come with an open heart. Your first time, just listen. Don't worry about a thing. There are people there specifically to help you. To be honest, the experience was not what I expected. I loved it though. Take comfort in the fact that everything has scriptural reference and it is the way God intended it to be.

• There is so much to learn- don't feel like you have to remember everything or learn everything your first time. It takes a lifetime and more to understand it all.

Today is going straight to the top of my list of "Best Days Ever". I cannot express in words how happy I am. I will just have to say this: I feel pure joy. This is a huge milestone in my life here on earth, and through the eternities. I testify that this Gospel is true and brings lasting happiness.

Me in front of the beautiful Gilbert Temple!

Another shot of the Gilbert Temple (not taken by me)

Here is the beautiful temple in Fukuoka! I can't wait to see it!!!

The Call

Everything with my mission call happened so fast! I was able to start my papers at the very beginning of January, and I just did a little at a time. It is possible to get everything done in a couple days, but since I was juggling school and work, it just worked out better to do one section/ one appointment at a time. I had my appointment with my Stake President on Tuesday, March 25th, and my papers were officially submitted the next morning, March 26th!

I had been thinking and praying about where I would want to serve. Of course, your call is up to the Lord, but I think He takes into consideration where you personally would like to serve to! Many leaders and moms of my friends who had already left on missions encouraged me to really think about where I would want to go. I prayed... pondered... fasted... everything. For a long time, I didn't receive any inspiration or have any specific thoughts on that subject, so I just figured I would be surprised when I opened my call. I always thought, if I were to go foreign, I would go to Italy, Germany, or France- basically the languages I had been using for my music classes! I also thought I would definitely stay stateside for multiple reasons, and I was more than fine with that! I never had a preference though. I knew that I would be called to where I needed to go.

So, with my papers submitted, I waited. My dad is a stake clerk and is able to check the status of my papers. On APRIL 1st (APRIL FOOLS DAY) I am sitting in class and I get a text from my dad saying "Your mission call has been assigned! Congratulations!" I totally thought it was a prank. As soon as that class was over, I called my mom and she was *emotional* (because you know, it's my mission call!), and then I explained my thinking that it was a prank, and couldn't decide if my dad would actually joke about that. I called my dad just after and told him "If you're joking about this, I'm going to be so mad!" He said the thought hadn't even crossed his mind! It was official, my call had been assigned!

I really wanted to be the one to open the mailbox and get that wonderful white envelope. I asked for all of the mailbox keys, and checked every day after work. Most mission calls in Arizona arrive on Friday. On Friday, April 4th, while at work, I got a text from my mom saying "Text me when you are on your way home, and I'll meet you at the mailbox." I drove home really fast from work that day (not too fast though...!) My mom was waiting there and she was talking to a few of the neighbors, who were also hanging out by the mailboxes. She was ready with her phone to video the whole thing. I was literally shaking as I turned the key. I opened it up and reached inside. THERE WAS MY BIG WHITE ENVELOPE! There was a happy dance and a few tears (from my mom).

Photo cred: My mom :)

I knew I wanted to wait until Sunday night to open it. I wanted my friends and family to be there, and Sunday nights at 7pm work pretty well! That weekend was also the April 2014 General Conference. The talks were so amazing and I probably took 10 pages of notes! It was awesome to have my mission call sitting right next to me while I was listening to inspired men and women and beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson, share messages that greatly impacted my life.

My extended family normally comes together for dinner on General Conference weekends, so we had eaten dinner, cleaned up, and played a few too many games, and it wasn't even 6 o'clock!!! Time dragged by so slowly that day. By 7pm, people started coming. My mom had been baking cookies all week, and they were all gone really fast! We put up a map for people to place guesses, and I had emailed my missionary friends and asked for their guesses too, so everyone was represented!

Photo cred: Diamond Zamora

The house was PACKED. I was amazed at how many people came. I was so happy to share this experience with my friends, family, and others that I am close to! I waited a few minutes for everyone to arrive, make their guesses, and eat some cookies. All of the sudden my heart started racing and I announced, "I am going to open it RIGHT NOW. Get grandma on the phone, we're doing this now!"

We gathered everyone around. I tore open the white envelope and pulled out the contents. Of course my eyes flashed right to where I had been assigned to serve... but I took a deep breath and started from the beginning:

"Dear Sister Sanders:

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 Japan Fukuoka Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, August 20th, 2014. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Japanese language..."

My thoughts went something like this: JAPAN??? HOW DO YOU EVEN SAY FUKUOKA CORRECTLY? OH MY GOSH. This is real. How crazy is this?! This feels right. This is right. I am so excited. I don't know any Japanese. AHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I looked around the room and I could just feel the Spirit there, confirming to everyone that the Gospel is true! The next few minutes were full of congratulations, hugs, some tears (Kayla!), and lots of happiness!

I know I will never regret my decision to serve a mission. I can't wait to serve my brothers and sisters in beautiful Japan!

photo cred: Samantha Incorvaia

Just a few of my awesome friends!

A few reasons why...

A lot of people have been asking me lately WHY I want to go on a mission. After all, I'm giving up school, work, my family, my friends, among other things for 18 months. I might just be "catching the wave" and doing what seems to be like every 19-year-old Mormon girl is doing right now.

In all honesty, I haven't really thought about specific reasons WHY I want to serve. I just know that a mission is part of my journey through this life. I've been so lucky to have felt that from a young age. But I have been thinking about reasons, and I wanted to write them down! I'm not saying you have to have reasons other than simply wanting to share the Gospel, and you don't have to feel the same way I do. These are my own personal reasons why I am choosing to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

• Because I have been given much, I too must give. I am blessed to have awesome parents that love the Savior and have helped me to build my testimony. I have been given a strong testimony of the Atonement and that Joseph Smith was a prophets called of God. I know that the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ. It seems almost selfish to me, having what I have, and not giving back. I feel like a mission will be part of the way I serve my brothers and sisters throughout my life.
• My mission will be an adventure. I am not an exciting person. I haven't been anywhere, or really done anything. A mission will be a change of scenery, new people, a different way of life. No matter where I am called, it will probably be a lot different from home. I will be able to grow as an individual and stand on my own two feet. As scary as this is, I am so excited for my adventure to begin!
• Being a missionary will make me a better wife and mother. Let's face it, being with a companion will help me be able to relate, communicate, and teach me a lot about patience. Plus, I want to have a rock-solid testimony so that someday my children can say "We did not doubt, my mother knew it." I want to be able to teach them about Christ's love for them and the prophets that stood for what is right. I know that I will grow so much spiritually while I am serving. I want my family to be centered around Christ and the temple. Most importantly, a mission will help me be closer to God and be the kind of woman He knows I can be.
• I want to serve my brothers and sisters. I will gladly paint houses, shovel snow, rake leaves, anything, if it will help someone out. I know that the message of the gospel will bless people and their families. There is a joy and peace that only comes from knowing the love of our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.

My papers can be submitted in just 10 days! I am so unbelievably excited for this amazing opportunity to serve the Lord for 18 months. All of my waiting will definitely be worth it. Thanks for reading!

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.