Sister Missionary Questionnaire

Here is a Sister Missionary Questionnaire I found on someones blog. So I thought I'd keep a record of my own thoughts on each question. :)

Did the age change affect you? If yes, how long did it take you to decide to go? 

Well duh. haha, one of the first 19 year olds in the world to serve, and one of the first 18 year olds to be endowed-- besides people getting married... and well.... they don't count.

:) It took me a solid week before I accepted the fact that I was suppose to. I knew I was supposed to... but it didn't settle in until the Sunday after. Am I allowed to say it was the best decision I have ever made? even before I leave... Cuz it is. 

Did you always want to serve a mission? Why/why not?

Actually not at all. Honestly. I'm not gunna lie...

WAIT. Don't laugh. Cuz what I'm about to say will make you laugh. Pucker in the cheeks and DON'T LAUGH. I'm serious...

okay... I was going to be married by 19.   ---que laughing---

I really was... I had never even dated anyone, I don't even know who I thought I was going to marry.... Well. Actually I do. But that's not for you to know. Long story short, now after dating a little bit since graduating high school I've come to the conclusion I'll be married when I'm 40. [logic behind the age: be 19 when I leave. come home when I'm 21. take 60 months to transition out of mission mode... (thats 5 years for those of you who can't do the math) take 9 years to find someone who likes me. have a courtship for 5 years. have a beautiful wedding in the Newport Beach temple in the summer of  2034] 

Really though... I had never thought about a mission, but I know that I have always been fine with the idea of going on one, but in my head the mission age was 21-- and obviously. EVERYONE is married by 21.... get real. 

Where did you want to be called? Why?

This one makes people laugh. When I say I didn't know where I want to be called, I'm being serious. I really didn't. You have to understand why... I was TERRIFIED to learn a language. I mean absoulutely TERRIFIED. Some people are arachnophobs (fear of spiders), some are acrophobs (fear of heights), some are Ambulophobs (Fear of walking)... I am an Arokjdfjdskfl-phob. I looked it up. That is fear of learning a foreign language. Soooo... when you don't want to learn a language, you really don't have many options out side the US. Now, don't get me wrong, I did want to go to a foriegn country-- who doesn't. But not anymore. If you gave me the option to choose England or NYC. I would say NYC every. single. time. If you watch the video of me opening my mission call I actually yelled "Seeeee dad! I told you the Lord knows me better than you guys!" ... because I had been sent English speaking. My dad had insisted that I was going to Siberia and was going to speak the hardest language because I hate the cold and I couldn't learn a language, and every time my response to him was, "the Lord knows that I would never be able to learn a knew language- and the Lord doesn't give us trials we can't handle." I always thought, "If I am asked to learn a language I will be quiet and do it with out complaining, and I will know the Lord knows I'm capable of learning a new language." But-- I joke, since I have been sent English speaking the Lord already knows I sucked so bad in my jr/sr spanish class that there is no point in even letting me try" ;)

The second I opened my call I KNEW that is where I was needed to serve. I can't explain the feeling of peace that came over me. It was like I had just been asked to hold my breath for 10 mins and reading that call was the deep breath. 

Was your call surprising? How do you feel about it?

^^ okay... either I over explained in the last question or this question isn't necessary.

Share an interesting missionary experience or story.

Which one? The time I felt like I should drive 2 extra miles to put a Book of Mormon on a RANDOM guys windshield at my dentist office with my testimony in it, but still have no idea what will come of it? no? not that one... oh.

Well then... here's this one. I had been praying for an opportunity to share the gospel with my friends one time. Let me just start off... answers to prayers come in weird ways...

One night, late, after a band event we decided that we would go get fro-yo on Cherry on Top. While we were there I was talking about since seminary was over now that graduation was about to happen, I now go to this thing called Institute. I explained what institute was as we sat on the benches outside the entrance. Approximately 15 mins later, some VERYY very random person I have never met in my entire life, came up to us (after our institute conversation was over) and asked us what our religions were. When we all told him he stopped when me and my sister said we were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I can only figure that he was listening to our conversation before coming getting his fro-yo. He proceeded to tell us that he had taken the discussions and come to church several times with a friend of his that was a member, and that he didn't agree with a lot of things. So he asked us questions about things, and I bore my testimony of the things I know to be true in relation to what we were talking about and later on I talked to my friend that was listening to our conversation with this man. She asked me a lot of questions and I cleared up different things and I invited her to institute. It was a great experience to be able to let her get her questions answered about what we believe and help further develop her relationship with God. :)

Why are you serving?

Why am I serving?? I get so excited just talking about it! Have you ever learned something so exciting and wanted to tell everyone you see about it? Like the time the iphone was BRAND new? You had to tell everyone what it could do, how it would help you, how it would change your life FOREVER. That's me and the Church. I want to tell everyone.  I have this random love for everyone. I naturally have a sincere love for all people, because of that I feel like everyone should know about the great message the Lord has for them. THAT is why I am serving. I want to tell the people I love about the message their Heavenly Father wants them to know.

Any advice for future sisters or girls still deciding?

My advice? Don't let anyone tell you you should or shouldn't serve. You'll beg people to tell you whether or not you should. It's between you and the Lord. Yes, take peoples logistical advice, factor it in to your decision  but ultimately- pray about it. It does wonders. My answer was unquestionable, and it wasn't even a HUGE answer...

Any other thoughts?

I can't wait.