I wish I could say my papers are in, but alas, no. Saturday night I got an email from the guy reviewing my papers the final time, and he told me he had some concerns, so I went into the stake office and there were a few minor things, which I filled in fast, but then I found I also needed my blood type. I'm pretty sure it's A+ but I'm not "positive". :P Well I'm scared of needles and blood, so I haven't given blood before and the nurses I've seen (even when filling out my papers) have said they can't just give it out. Currently a medical information release form is at the hospital where I was born, I faxed the form in today, so hopefully I should have that soon, and THEN I can get my stake president interview.
WHY is this taking so long?! I wanted to have my papers in in August, and here I am then END of October, without them even submitted. *sigh* Well Sydney, a good friend of mine, was over this past Friday night, and she mentioned how it's all supposed to work out like this for a reason. Then on Sunday when I talked to mom, she softened my anxiousness by telling me that all these delays are for a reason; that I will go where I am supposed to go, and I will end up where I am supposed to end up, because of these delays. I knew that that is true. God knows best where I am supposed to be and when, so I should actively do my part, but also keep in mind He is in control. *sigh*
Last night in my little spouts of frustration on this matter, I read D+C 11 where it is talking to Brigham Young and says that you are not called to preach until you are called (I shouldn't be worrying about all of this until the Lord's time comes for me to have the call); that until I am called, my duty is to keep the commandments and treasure up the word, to understand it better, some of which include patience and long-suffering (I just need to focus now on obedience, focus on the here and now and how I can improve myself here to become that missionary I will be called to be, and be patient and let the Lord do His part, for He really knows best what should happen); and to "wait a little longer, until you shall have [all] my word..." (wait a little, God is still in control and He knows what is supposed to happen when it is supposed to happen. I just need to have faith and confidence in the Lord that He will do His part as I strive to do mine, and in time He will open the door for what I need to do.) I love the scriptures! It was exactly what I needed to hear. I love my Heavenly Father, and I love the counsel He gave me last night. I know He loves me too, and all His children, or He wouldn't be going to this measure to make sure I am exactly where I need to be at the right moment. I know He will show me the way when it is opened. Until then, I just need to do my part in preparing myself.
So tonight after Temple Prep I talked again to my bishop, and I told him about the blood type problem, and he gave me pointers on continuing to prepare for a mission and additional steps I need to take, being careful in my relationship with David, being strictly obedient to all the rules, and act in a way that should be seen of a missionary. He said, and it's true, once I get my call people will be expecting me to be acting like a missionary. This is true. I need to be seen always in the right place at the right time doing all the right things. I need to spend more time in prayer, scripture study, and temple attendance, magnifying my callings, and seeking the Lord's direction in my life. It was a good reminder.
Hopefully tomorrow I will have that blood type info back, then I can submit the papers back to the viewer, then I can have a stake president interview, and THEN submit! I am so excited! It is becoming more and more real to me! Woohoo!!!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Final Interview and then SUBMIT!
So...I guess the main reason for starting this blog is to let everyone know the processes of my papers and then mission, and to keep me sane through all this anticipation. See, I wanted to have my papers submitted in August, but through a series of events that didn't quite allot the necessary time conveniences, I am doing it now, and it seems to be taking a lot longer than I'd hoped, but I'm still pulling strong.
I talked to the Bishop today and my papers are all examined and good :), and the stake president executive secretary will call me sometime this week and we will schedule a time to meet, so all I have is the final interview which will hopefully happen this week and then I can submit them! I feel great about it! I am so excited!!!
I talked to the Bishop today and my papers are all examined and good :), and the stake president executive secretary will call me sometime this week and we will schedule a time to meet, so all I have is the final interview which will hopefully happen this week and then I can submit them! I feel great about it! I am so excited!!!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Pre Mission Trials
Preparing for a mission definitely puts you in the limelight of the devil, just like when people ponder about getting baptized. When people are about to make a great decision or covenant with God, the devil knows he will lose power and influence, so he rounds up all his forces against those groups of people. Joseph Smith, just before he saw God and His Son, was tormented by the devil, David, before he slew Goliath, was ridiculed for size and skill. Just before great miracles and works from Heaven, there is always a substantially increased force of opposition.
Before these great happenings occur, the devil uses his most refined and particular temptations for each specific person involved to stop it from happening. I knew that that when I started my mission papers temptations and challenges would arise, but to a degree like this no one can relate until they experience these pressures firsthand.
I have been through some of the greatest trials of my life in the past couple months. Occupational inconveniences, an abnormal lack of the Spirit in my living place at school, extremely critical and judgmental peers (enough to make anyone offended), lack of emotional support, relationship struggles with so many people, huge feelings of inadequacy and despair, faith-straining experiences, overload of school projects and other responsibilities, health hurdles, mission paper technological issues and appointmental issues, so much discouragement toward a mission, including advice to just get married, mockeries of my failures, and feelings that so much depends on me but few people care about me.
These are just what come to mind right now. This is not to make anyone feel sorry for me, no, not at all. My intent is to explain how perfectly these trials are setting me up for the greatest next step of my life. Many people are aware of the allegory of the fruit tree, and how a boy noticed other boys throwing rocks at a fruit tree. When the boy asks why these people are throwing these rocks at such a fruitful source, the answer is simple. The people wouldn't throw rocks at the tree unless the tree was full of good fruit. These are reasons I know, despite all the anti's coming at me, that I am doing the right thing. Ether 12:6 says "Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith," which answer I know will come because of my trials. This road has not been easy, nor have I come through perfectly or completely, but "I know in whom I have trusted", (2 Nephi 4:19) and I know these things will "give me experience" and "work together for [my] good" (D&C 90:24, D&C 122:7).
Before these great happenings occur, the devil uses his most refined and particular temptations for each specific person involved to stop it from happening. I knew that that when I started my mission papers temptations and challenges would arise, but to a degree like this no one can relate until they experience these pressures firsthand.
I have been through some of the greatest trials of my life in the past couple months. Occupational inconveniences, an abnormal lack of the Spirit in my living place at school, extremely critical and judgmental peers (enough to make anyone offended), lack of emotional support, relationship struggles with so many people, huge feelings of inadequacy and despair, faith-straining experiences, overload of school projects and other responsibilities, health hurdles, mission paper technological issues and appointmental issues, so much discouragement toward a mission, including advice to just get married, mockeries of my failures, and feelings that so much depends on me but few people care about me.
These are just what come to mind right now. This is not to make anyone feel sorry for me, no, not at all. My intent is to explain how perfectly these trials are setting me up for the greatest next step of my life. Many people are aware of the allegory of the fruit tree, and how a boy noticed other boys throwing rocks at a fruit tree. When the boy asks why these people are throwing these rocks at such a fruitful source, the answer is simple. The people wouldn't throw rocks at the tree unless the tree was full of good fruit. These are reasons I know, despite all the anti's coming at me, that I am doing the right thing. Ether 12:6 says "Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith," which answer I know will come because of my trials. This road has not been easy, nor have I come through perfectly or completely, but "I know in whom I have trusted", (2 Nephi 4:19) and I know these things will "give me experience" and "work together for [my] good" (D&C 90:24, D&C 122:7).
Sunday, October 10, 2010
I hope they call me on a mission...
Here is my mission papers status:
Today (10-10-10, cool huh?) I am releasing them to the Bishop, he will look over them, and then next week he will let me know what times I can meet with the stake president to get my final interview and submit them! Woohoo!!! I have been so anxious to get them in, and it’s getting closer! The closer it gets, the more I am aware about how soon it is. I am so excited to become a fulltime missionary. Today I got called to be a Relief Society Teacher, so I TEACH next Sunday. Awesome, huh?
Anyway, y'all should start thinking about where you think I will go! I guess I potentially took some fun out of it by declaring I want to go to Taiwan or Hong Kong, but I will be fully impressed if you get it right and it ISN'T one of those places }:) (eyebrows). So get your guesses ready!
*Sidenote: I have taken 4+ years of Spanish, and this is only my 3rd semester of Mandarin although I went to China for 5 months this year and LOVE it. If China opens up soon, I hope they ship me off to there! Woot woot! The work of the Lord is so exciting!
Today (10-10-10, cool huh?) I am releasing them to the Bishop, he will look over them, and then next week he will let me know what times I can meet with the stake president to get my final interview and submit them! Woohoo!!! I have been so anxious to get them in, and it’s getting closer! The closer it gets, the more I am aware about how soon it is. I am so excited to become a fulltime missionary. Today I got called to be a Relief Society Teacher, so I TEACH next Sunday. Awesome, huh?
Anyway, y'all should start thinking about where you think I will go! I guess I potentially took some fun out of it by declaring I want to go to Taiwan or Hong Kong, but I will be fully impressed if you get it right and it ISN'T one of those places }:) (eyebrows). So get your guesses ready!
*Sidenote: I have taken 4+ years of Spanish, and this is only my 3rd semester of Mandarin although I went to China for 5 months this year and LOVE it. If China opens up soon, I hope they ship me off to there! Woot woot! The work of the Lord is so exciting!
I hope that I can share the gospel...
“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (Joseph Smith)
Oh Man I can't wait to serve a mission! I thought I knew a lot before I went to China, but now I realize I am just scratching the surface. Since China, I have learned quite a few principles (below), and because of them, I want to serve even more! I am so much more thrilled!!!
• In so many ways people look up to me as an example, so I have to watch all my actions more closely. You don’t just mature drastically when you get to a certain age, you have to go through trials and responsibility to reach the next dream.
• “It will never happen to me”-I always thought there were some things I was immune to. Peer pressures of sorts, immorality, bearing alone the weight of heavy responsibilities when I make bad decisions, not having money and feeling financially vulnerable.
• That China is SO close to opening up to the gospel, we need to pray for it to open, and that much of the missionary work to China will be through the Chinese natives and our efforts to share our testimonies online.
• To make the right choices now we need to step back, refocus our priorities, and live so we will be proud of every action 5, 10, 50 years from now. Choose to be the person we want people to remember.
• There is no “fantasy” but dreams are very real. Every step of our lives comes with burdens and benefits. We need to use those rocks in our paths to take a greater leap of faith, and we cannot just wait for things to sort themselves out if we know we can do something about it and hope all our problems dissolve.
• Answers come to those who truly seek. Sometimes the reasons we receive inspiration from friends, parents, teachers, and leaders, are because they are asking for it. They are asking how to help you or God’s children, and you haven’t been seeking enough. It is also to help build bonds and relationships and become disciples.
• Putting trust in God does not just mean you know He is there and loves you. It means trying your very hardest to do His will and knowing that He will make up the difference, when it comes to relationships, finances, tuition, having a job, measuring up to your callings, trusting that God will care for your family and friends when you want to but can’t, and knowing that God will trust you also to aid in His work.
• A spiritual famine is so much harder than a real hunger for food. Without the spirit not only does your progression slow down immensely but you also forget things about the gospel so much easier. Without that connection with God you cannot teach, you don’t receive regular inspiration, your ability to serve is greatly decreased, you have to bear afflictions on your own, you begin losing spiritual gifts and strength, and you feel things missing in your life on a daily basis and it hurts more, physically and spiritually. You lose a glow about you that draws others to the gospel. It is not worth it in the slightest.
It is because of these, and many more reasons, that I need to share the gospel with everyone! I cannot allow these people in the world to continue in this famine if I can do anything about it. I don’t know everything, but I know enough, and I love God’s children so much I cannot help but leap at the joy I feel when I think of bringing my brothers and sisters to the knowledge of the Restoration of the Gospel, the Savior, the Scriptures, and of the prophet today. God has a work for me to do here, and I will not let Him down. He has given me my testimony and experience for this reason, and who am I to withhold eternal blessings from anyone? I want everyone to have the joy I know! Joseph Smith saw with his own eyes God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and the priesthood has been on the Earth descending from him to today, and the prophet today, Thomas S Monson, has all the keys of the priesthood. All the scripture we posses point to Christ our Savior, who is truly our Brother and example to bring us back to Father. I know these things beyond any shadow of a doubt, and everyone here on Earth can if they ask in faith and allow the Holy Ghost to touch their hearts and minds, and declare that the words of the gospel are true. I KNOW this! I want the world to know it as well. It is my greatest desire, and I await the call of the Lord.
Oh Man I can't wait to serve a mission! I thought I knew a lot before I went to China, but now I realize I am just scratching the surface. Since China, I have learned quite a few principles (below), and because of them, I want to serve even more! I am so much more thrilled!!!
• In so many ways people look up to me as an example, so I have to watch all my actions more closely. You don’t just mature drastically when you get to a certain age, you have to go through trials and responsibility to reach the next dream.
• “It will never happen to me”-I always thought there were some things I was immune to. Peer pressures of sorts, immorality, bearing alone the weight of heavy responsibilities when I make bad decisions, not having money and feeling financially vulnerable.
• That China is SO close to opening up to the gospel, we need to pray for it to open, and that much of the missionary work to China will be through the Chinese natives and our efforts to share our testimonies online.
• To make the right choices now we need to step back, refocus our priorities, and live so we will be proud of every action 5, 10, 50 years from now. Choose to be the person we want people to remember.
• There is no “fantasy” but dreams are very real. Every step of our lives comes with burdens and benefits. We need to use those rocks in our paths to take a greater leap of faith, and we cannot just wait for things to sort themselves out if we know we can do something about it and hope all our problems dissolve.
• Answers come to those who truly seek. Sometimes the reasons we receive inspiration from friends, parents, teachers, and leaders, are because they are asking for it. They are asking how to help you or God’s children, and you haven’t been seeking enough. It is also to help build bonds and relationships and become disciples.
• Putting trust in God does not just mean you know He is there and loves you. It means trying your very hardest to do His will and knowing that He will make up the difference, when it comes to relationships, finances, tuition, having a job, measuring up to your callings, trusting that God will care for your family and friends when you want to but can’t, and knowing that God will trust you also to aid in His work.
• A spiritual famine is so much harder than a real hunger for food. Without the spirit not only does your progression slow down immensely but you also forget things about the gospel so much easier. Without that connection with God you cannot teach, you don’t receive regular inspiration, your ability to serve is greatly decreased, you have to bear afflictions on your own, you begin losing spiritual gifts and strength, and you feel things missing in your life on a daily basis and it hurts more, physically and spiritually. You lose a glow about you that draws others to the gospel. It is not worth it in the slightest.
It is because of these, and many more reasons, that I need to share the gospel with everyone! I cannot allow these people in the world to continue in this famine if I can do anything about it. I don’t know everything, but I know enough, and I love God’s children so much I cannot help but leap at the joy I feel when I think of bringing my brothers and sisters to the knowledge of the Restoration of the Gospel, the Savior, the Scriptures, and of the prophet today. God has a work for me to do here, and I will not let Him down. He has given me my testimony and experience for this reason, and who am I to withhold eternal blessings from anyone? I want everyone to have the joy I know! Joseph Smith saw with his own eyes God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and the priesthood has been on the Earth descending from him to today, and the prophet today, Thomas S Monson, has all the keys of the priesthood. All the scripture we posses point to Christ our Savior, who is truly our Brother and example to bring us back to Father. I know these things beyond any shadow of a doubt, and everyone here on Earth can if they ask in faith and allow the Holy Ghost to touch their hearts and minds, and declare that the words of the gospel are true. I KNOW this! I want the world to know it as well. It is my greatest desire, and I await the call of the Lord.
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