Choosing to Serve

I met Ms. Jean the other day when we were out walking on the hot Georgian dirt roads. The day had gone south after a solid lesson had fallen through. I was feeling frustrated, hot and exhausted. We decided to knock on a door nearby. As we approached a door, we met a Ms. Jean, who saw our badges and kindly declined our invitation. I thought, this is the icing on the cake for the day, sarcastically. As we explained who we were, she became more open and receptive towards us. Her hostile attitude towards us which began to be a 40 second conversation turned into almost an hour. She said her and her husband started a ministry and traveled across America in an RV in the late 90's. They traveled to every RV park that they could find. They attached signs with scriptures to their truck and RV to promote their ministry and Jesus. I asked her what made her want to spread the good word and she said simply because she just had always wanted to. As she was talking about her passion for ministering and serving, I thought back to my own decision.

My decision to serve was far from black and white. I had just gotten accepted into the Graphic Design program, I was dating a guy, and things were going well. I always had the idea in my head that serving a mission would be a way that I could give back to God. But I brushed off the idea as I got pre-occupied with worldly things. I had been praying for a few months quite causally about wondering if I should serve. After Spring semester of 2013, I felt impressed to do a session of Summer school. Which I had never done before. I lived in my own apartment, where I had a lot of time to myself to think. One night, I had got out of my painting class really late and I had one of my soul moments. I had the strongest impression come over me that I needed to serve a full time mission. I remember walking into my bedroom and collapsing to my knees. For the first time in my life, I gave the most sincere vocal prayer. I told God that I was going to serve a mission and I needed it confirmed to me. With tears running down my cheeks, I then turned to my patriarchal blessing and that confirmed it.

Over the next several weeks, My painting class became therapeutic and I was able to mentally prepare myself for what lay ahead. I began my make arrangements to put my schooling on hold, quit my jobs, and told the guy that I was dating that I was choosing to serve a mission. I knew that my parents would be fully supportive, but I was slightly apprehensive about my extended family, who are not all members of the church. But I knew without a doubt, that I needed to serve a mission.

As mind tuned back into our conversation with Ms. Jean and I felt a peace come over me. I had just recently approached my half way mark of my mission and was feeling like I could've done more up to this point. That I could've been more exactly obedient, could've baptized more people, could've had a better attitude, and so on, but after meeting Ms. Jean, I realized that God had given me a sweet tender mercy that day. He helped me remember that my service was good enough and that I was trying my best. Despite how many "could've's" I could come up with, I was simply ENOUGH. Ms. Jean found God later in her life and she taught me a valuable lesson, regardless or when you accept God in your life, you just have to be willing to share it. Even though I felt like I was giving " so much" up to serve, I actually gained a lot more than I imagined.

Ms. Jean is getting ready to share a sermon at her local church focusing on, "Who is in your DNA?" She is helping all her congregation realize that we are all children of God and each of us has God's DNA in us. Once we grasp our value as sons and daughters of God, we need to share that with others. Ms. Jean commended us for our service and invited us over to her home for a once a month for a worship service that she's been holding for over 40 years.

Well kids, as Ms. Jean says, let's be "gung-ho for Jesus."

"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."–––Alma 29:9 (The Book of Mormon)