October 6, 2012 marked one more year for me. I was officially 20 years old! As my ridiculous roommate Kayla put it I was at the age where I was considered mature but still fun. This day is usually my favorite day of the year and this was no different. Not only was it my beloved birthday but October 6, 2012 also marked the 182nd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What was so important about this one? I mean it happens twice a year! Well I will start by saying General Conference is always important. It's a time where we get to be addressed by The Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. In our pajamas I might add. In this specific conference, however, he made an announcement that forever changed my life.
"As we have prayerfully pondered the age at which young men may begin their missionary service, we have also given consideration to the age at which a young woman might serve. Today I am pleased to announce that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age 21." -Thomas S. Monson
The second my roommate and I heard we quite literally screamed (squealed is more like it) and jumped for joy. As soon as the squealing died down she said, "That's it. I'm going." I knew in that moment that I was going to go as well. And I felt determined to share this amazing gospel that I love so much. Then came a knock at my door. The second I saw that it was my sweetheart everything came to a halt. I realized that there was absolutely no way I could go. I was attending school, I had friends and siblings that I needed to be around for, and I had a man who was one of my best friends! I was happy. I had everything I wanted at that point. I'd had experiences. I'd traveled to the other side of the world. I decided that I didn't want to leave everything behind for 18 months. No mission for this girl.
Of course everything can change. Near the end of July 2013 I called my Mom from Nebraska. I was having a difficult summer and it was getting harder and harder to keep a good attitude. I told her to just tell me what to do because making decisions on my own is too hard and I would rather have it all laid out. She told me, "I think you should just put your papers in." Obviously I couldn't do that! What was she thinking. I told her immediately, in a very mature way, with tears and snot running down my face, that I couldn't do that because I had loans from school that I would have to start paying on. And although she assured me that she could take care of it while I was gone I was not going to burden her with that. Finally, after the last straw, I'm sure, she said very distinctly, "I cannot believe you are so selfish. After all I have done for you, you would deprive me of the blessings of having a missionary out." WOAH!
Needless to say, that's all it took for me to realize that leaving everything behind for 18 months to serve the Lord's children, whom I love, really is not that great of a sacrifice. So in August of 2013 I started the paperwork to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
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