SO LET'S TALK ABOUT MISSIONS THO
LIKE FURREALS WHY HAVE I NOT EVER BLOGGED ABOUT THIS BEFORE
OH RIGHT BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN SUPER DUPER RELEVANT UNTIL RIGHT NOW
Okay so let me describe to you the exotic far away place called Brigham Young University. Everyone's white. Everyone's Mormon. Everyone wants the NCMO. #shewantsthencmo #butreallytho
This is so appropriate for a blog post about missions..... #whatiswrongwithme
My goodness. Anyways, so missions.
After the groundbreaking age change announcement made in 2012 by the prophet Thomas S. Monson, missionary work has literally EXPLODED. LDS mission applications jumped 471% in the months following the announcement. Elders and sisters alike were serving in such great numbers that new Missionary Training Centers had to be built to accommodate. BYU student housing was turned into missionary housing in Provo, Utah to accommodate those missionaries training there. There are now over 80,000 missionaries serving in more than 400 missions all over the world, which number was a drastic contrast from the 55,000 that were serving full-time in 2011.
Obviously missions mean something, they're a big deal to we Mormons, if there are such huge numbers. But why?
Missionaries leave their homes for an 18 to 24 month period, leaving behind pretty much everything they have, to give their full-time service to the Lord and His work. They preach the Gospel in every corner of the world and desire to bring others closer to Christ. They work tirelessly to bring that message of peace, hope, and love to millions, even billions, of people because they believe and know that it is true, that it is good, and that it will change lives.
So for the youth, should they serve missions?
The answer is yes and no. For young men, it is a mandate from the Lord that all worthy, able young men serve full-time missions as a fulfillment of their priesthood duty. This is so important. For young women it is optional but welcomed. All missionary service is voluntary, no one is forced to go. So why should anyone go?
I hope you understand that serving a mission is not about you. A mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is about giving yourself to God, becoming a valuable tool in His hands, to labor among the children of men and bless their lives. It is your birthright.
Missionary service is constant and vigilant service of others and of the Lord, of delivering the Word to those who don't have it, and the literal gathering of Israel. Once again, it is not about you.
Who cares if you serve a mission, it has nothing to do with you. It will be extremely good for you, of course. I like the analogy that it's a fast track to maturity. But that's not why you serve.
Maybe you'll get to learn a foreign language. Maybe you'll get to travel somewhere exotic and fall in love with a new culture. Still not what missionary work is about.
Missionary work is about losing yourself in the service of the Lord. He is mindful of your service and you will be blessed incredibly because of it, but more importantly the people you teach will be blessed beyond measure because you have brought to them the greatest gift they could receive: The Good News of the Gospel. That message of peace, hope, love, redemption, and life will affect them and their posterity for generations to come and it will strengthen Zion in her preparation for the coming of the Lord.
I hope you understand how big a deal it is to serve a mission. It seems like everyone is going right now. It's true, everyone is. The mission craze is still in its prime, with missionaries reporting every week and calls being opened almost every day. But the good missionaries, those children of God who understand the Gospel, aren't going on missions because it's the cool or popular thing to do. Missions are incredibly hard. Some say it's the hardest years of their lives. But it isn't about you or where you go or what you learn. It's about the work.
Sisters, understand that you are not under the same mandate as young men to go and serve. I once spoke with a leader and he jokingly said the only reason that sisters are out in the mission field is to make up for where those priesthood are lacking. There are young men who are not fulfilling their priesthood duty, and so we've been allowed to serve. ;) But really, we are not asked, but sister missionaries are incredibly powerful influences, if they go for the right reasons and if they are adequately prepared spiritually and physically and emotionally. Many sisters come home, and that's okay. You aren't a failure. You did your duty and did your absolute best and God saw that and knew that's all you had to do. Never worry about the decision to come home from a mission. Your mental, emotional, and physical health is always more important than making all the teaching appointments in the world. The Lord has another plan for you, so be patient and do not feel shame for "giving up." You didn't give up. You were strong enough to understand and know when things were too hard for you, and so you humbled yourself, gave yourself to the Lord, and followed His plan. I applaud and honor you for that decision.
So everyone serve a mission! If you're a dude or if you're a chick who gets the revelation and the green light to go. Do the Lord's will. Do good work. Immerse yourself in the work, forget yourself in it. Surround yourself with the will of God and you will do great things and become so much greater than you can imagine. The Lord wants you to grow and a mission is a fantastic way to do that. Submit yourself to Him and He will direct your path, forgive you in His ultimate mercy, and bless you in unimaginable ways.
I love you all dearly and I hope you understand that missionary work is so, so important and so, so hard. Don't go in blind and think you'll be okay. You need to be dedicated to the work in order to be successful, and even then it's difficult. Just do good things and don't be basic and don't yolo too hard, ya hear?
Bless you all for reading my rants and bless you in general for being a wonderful person who tries hard every day to be the best you can. I respect you so much for that and I pray that you find joy in your daily endeavors.
Stay classy, San Diego.
Love,
Ellie xoxo
OH RIGHT BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN SUPER DUPER RELEVANT UNTIL RIGHT NOW
Okay so let me describe to you the exotic far away place called Brigham Young University. Everyone's white. Everyone's Mormon. Everyone wants the NCMO. #shewantsthencmo #butreallytho
This is so appropriate for a blog post about missions..... #whatiswrongwithme
My goodness. Anyways, so missions.
After the groundbreaking age change announcement made in 2012 by the prophet Thomas S. Monson, missionary work has literally EXPLODED. LDS mission applications jumped 471% in the months following the announcement. Elders and sisters alike were serving in such great numbers that new Missionary Training Centers had to be built to accommodate. BYU student housing was turned into missionary housing in Provo, Utah to accommodate those missionaries training there. There are now over 80,000 missionaries serving in more than 400 missions all over the world, which number was a drastic contrast from the 55,000 that were serving full-time in 2011.
Obviously missions mean something, they're a big deal to we Mormons, if there are such huge numbers. But why?
Missionaries leave their homes for an 18 to 24 month period, leaving behind pretty much everything they have, to give their full-time service to the Lord and His work. They preach the Gospel in every corner of the world and desire to bring others closer to Christ. They work tirelessly to bring that message of peace, hope, and love to millions, even billions, of people because they believe and know that it is true, that it is good, and that it will change lives.
So for the youth, should they serve missions?
The answer is yes and no. For young men, it is a mandate from the Lord that all worthy, able young men serve full-time missions as a fulfillment of their priesthood duty. This is so important. For young women it is optional but welcomed. All missionary service is voluntary, no one is forced to go. So why should anyone go?
I hope you understand that serving a mission is not about you. A mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is about giving yourself to God, becoming a valuable tool in His hands, to labor among the children of men and bless their lives. It is your birthright.
Missionary service is constant and vigilant service of others and of the Lord, of delivering the Word to those who don't have it, and the literal gathering of Israel. Once again, it is not about you.
Who cares if you serve a mission, it has nothing to do with you. It will be extremely good for you, of course. I like the analogy that it's a fast track to maturity. But that's not why you serve.
Maybe you'll get to learn a foreign language. Maybe you'll get to travel somewhere exotic and fall in love with a new culture. Still not what missionary work is about.
Missionary work is about losing yourself in the service of the Lord. He is mindful of your service and you will be blessed incredibly because of it, but more importantly the people you teach will be blessed beyond measure because you have brought to them the greatest gift they could receive: The Good News of the Gospel. That message of peace, hope, love, redemption, and life will affect them and their posterity for generations to come and it will strengthen Zion in her preparation for the coming of the Lord.
I hope you understand how big a deal it is to serve a mission. It seems like everyone is going right now. It's true, everyone is. The mission craze is still in its prime, with missionaries reporting every week and calls being opened almost every day. But the good missionaries, those children of God who understand the Gospel, aren't going on missions because it's the cool or popular thing to do. Missions are incredibly hard. Some say it's the hardest years of their lives. But it isn't about you or where you go or what you learn. It's about the work.
Sisters, understand that you are not under the same mandate as young men to go and serve. I once spoke with a leader and he jokingly said the only reason that sisters are out in the mission field is to make up for where those priesthood are lacking. There are young men who are not fulfilling their priesthood duty, and so we've been allowed to serve. ;) But really, we are not asked, but sister missionaries are incredibly powerful influences, if they go for the right reasons and if they are adequately prepared spiritually and physically and emotionally. Many sisters come home, and that's okay. You aren't a failure. You did your duty and did your absolute best and God saw that and knew that's all you had to do. Never worry about the decision to come home from a mission. Your mental, emotional, and physical health is always more important than making all the teaching appointments in the world. The Lord has another plan for you, so be patient and do not feel shame for "giving up." You didn't give up. You were strong enough to understand and know when things were too hard for you, and so you humbled yourself, gave yourself to the Lord, and followed His plan. I applaud and honor you for that decision.
So everyone serve a mission! If you're a dude or if you're a chick who gets the revelation and the green light to go. Do the Lord's will. Do good work. Immerse yourself in the work, forget yourself in it. Surround yourself with the will of God and you will do great things and become so much greater than you can imagine. The Lord wants you to grow and a mission is a fantastic way to do that. Submit yourself to Him and He will direct your path, forgive you in His ultimate mercy, and bless you in unimaginable ways.
I love you all dearly and I hope you understand that missionary work is so, so important and so, so hard. Don't go in blind and think you'll be okay. You need to be dedicated to the work in order to be successful, and even then it's difficult. Just do good things and don't be basic and don't yolo too hard, ya hear?
Bless you all for reading my rants and bless you in general for being a wonderful person who tries hard every day to be the best you can. I respect you so much for that and I pray that you find joy in your daily endeavors.
Stay classy, San Diego.
Love,
Ellie xoxo
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