My Decision to Serve

It's really crazy thinking that I am leaving for the MTC in 15 days. I don't feel ready. I can feel Satan trying his absolute hardest to deter me off my path. At times I feel scared thinking about my mission. Wondering if I am really cut out for it. A lot of times I just feel inadequate, like I don't know enough to be able to teach others of its truthfulness. But every time I pray to my Father in heaven He reminds me of why I decided to serve a mission in the first place. I was in my third semester at Snow College. Volleyball season had just wrapped up and it was time to get my recruiting started. A couple months earlier when the Prophet first announced the age change for when missionaries could serve I didn't really think anything of it, but as I was trying to figure out what I was going to do for school and volleyball the next year and where I was going to transfer I became confused and frustrated. So frustrated that every email back from a coach or school said they were interested but didn't have any scholarships left, or they had finished up their recruiting class for that year. I sent over 150 emails in a matter of 3 weeks. I'd say about 70 schools actually emailed me back.... all rejections. Awesome right??? not so much. I had no idea what to do. I can remember countless nights where I would drive into Manti about 10 minutes away and park in front of the reflection pool of the temple and just cry. Cry and plead with my Heavenly Father to help me to know what to do. For a few weeks I prayed continually, read my scriptures daily, and often studied my patriarchal blessing. I was so filled with the spirit but I could not seem to get an answer as to what I should do. Then almost as a last ditch effort I decided to go do baptisms at the temple. Before I left I knelt down in prayer and begged God to help me to have the faith that I would receive an answer to my prayer in the temple that morning. Immediately I felt comfort and I drove off to the temple. Now usually when I go do baptisms I go in, they check my recommend, they give me clothes and I go change and perform the baptisms and confirmations. But this time when I walked in, they gave me clothes and I went and changed. And when I came out to go do confirmations, one of the temple workers asked if he could share a quick scripture with me about the work I was going to do in the temple. I said sure and so we sat down and he opened up to Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16. That scripture reads:

 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one ^asoul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the ^akingdom of my Father, how great will be your ^bjoy if you should bring many ^csouls unto me!

Immediately I began to cry. And of course the temple worker was a little perplexed as to why that scripture had hit me so hard cause all he was talking about was the work of baptisms in the temple, but I knew that God was telling me about MISSIONARY WORK. And all that mattered was that this scripture was the answer to my prayers. I knew EXACTLY what I needed to do after I was finished at Snow. The spirit was so strong and it had confirmed to me with no doubt that I needed to go and serve a mission. I am so grateful for that temple worker that was so in tune with the spirit and listened to the prompting he received to share that scripture with me. The temple is the only place on earth where the Spirit constantly dwells.

This church is true. And Christ's Gospel is the truest thing on this earth. I am so excited to be able to share that truthfulness with others! 15 days people!!!!!! This is gettin real!