Every girl close to turning, or is nineteen now a day has a question in their head, should I serve a mission? It is not a simple question to answer, and is kind of a big deal. Ok, it is not kind of a big deal it IS a big deal. Goodness gracious! A mission? Giving up 18 months of your life to go serve the Lord? I can't go shopping all the time, I can't even talk to my mom everyday! Why in the world would I leave those things, and how do I know if a mission even is for me?
Well, here is my story. Hello. My name is Allie Slater. I am eighteen years old (almost nineteen) and I am going to serve for 18 months in the Ohio Columbus mission. It is still so strange saying that. I was never the girl to go on a mission. I am a good girl; went to church, read my scriptures, and all that jazz. But, I never felt a mission was for me. When our wonderful prophet announced the age change I did not even feel a prompting I should go then. I felt like at that time every sister and their dog decided they needed to go on a mission, but not me. I figured my mission in life was to be a mother and have a family. Of course, that still is my mission but I have another mission to take care of first.
Fast forward to about a year later, my junior year. I was sitting in seminary, and we were watching a video of all these kids in our school opening their calls. The emotion the families and kids felt when they opened their call made everyone in my whole class including me cry. It is such a cool moment! That is when a feeling hit me that I never expected to feel. It was small feeling, but I knew what it was saying.
"Allie, you are going."
NOOOOOOOO.
Let's just say I completely avoided the prompting. I kept telling myself a mission wasn't for me, and that this feeling won't happen again. But, every time I watched, saw or read anything involving missionaries I would get the same feeling.
Fast forward again to senior year of high school. This was the year I had to take the dreaded early morning seminary. Want to know what is crazy about early morning though?
I LOVED IT!!! It pushed me to really read my scriptures every night, and to pray as well. It made my day super spiritual, and I feel like it really brought me closer to Christ, therefore, made the promptings of the spirit even stronger. By the middle of my senior year I realized what I needed to do.
I asked my parents what they would think if I told them I wanted to go on a mission. They laughed and told me if I was being serious they would totally support me but, they thought it was just some sort of phase I was going through. Like I said before, my whole life I had been so against a mission. Deciding that maybe a mission really was not for me, if not even my parents could take me seriously, I went down stairs and went on pinterest. As soon as I logged on I saw a picture; on the picture it had a group of missionaries with wording that said
Because I Have Been Given Much I Too Must Give
This time the prompting hit me like a ton of bricks, I am going. Here is the deal and this is why this picture really pushed me to make a decision to go and serve.
Every night on my knees I thank my father in heaven for all I have. He has truly given me so much. A roof over my head, food to eat, and amazing and loving family. He has given me this gospel, which brings true happiness. I get to be with my family forever, I get to be with Him and my brother Jesus forever in the Celestial Kingdom. Because Heavenly Father has given me so much it would be my honor to give up a year and a half of my life to serve him. I too must give.
This gospel brings me and everyone true happiness. I feel so blessed to get to share the message of this happiness to everyone and anyone I can find in Columbus Ohio. I have been blessed with so much, and everyone deserves the blessings this gospel brings. There is no reason to keep his word all for myself.
If you are thinking of going on a mission, do not ignore the promptings like I did. Keep close to our Heavenly Father and Lord and the promptings will become stronger. A mission is for everyone. It is a blessing in your life, and everyone you touch around you.
Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
D&C 4:3
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