Beginnings Always Lead to Something

First. Blog. Ever. This is going to be a weird and different experience, but I want to have this for my mission! My background is set to my future mission-Portland, Oregon. Portland has the largest bookstore and I like books, so it's a win-win! I leave June 5th to serve the Lord for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am very excited and can't wait! I've talked to and met a few others who will be serving there as well and it just makes me even more excited.
Right now, I am a student at Brigham Young University and I don't think I could have made a smarter, better choice in what school to attend! This is exactly where I need to be because, just a 10 minute walk away is a beautiful temple where I get to go every week and partake of the great ordinances there. As the first year of freshman girls to be deferring for a mission, it makes us all super excited. We are the first generation of 19-year-old women to be serving missions! How awesome is that?! Hurrah for Israel!

When the announcement was said by President Thomas S. Monson that the mission age is changed from 21 to 19 for young women, my heart burst! Being one of three girls in the room watching Conference, we were all very excited and needless to say, the guys didn't see us for a few minutes because we all went to immediately call our family! I called my family in excitement and my mom just told me over the phone to make sure that this was what was right. I called her an hour later yelling that I can't wait to serve a mission! "That was a quick decision!" My Mom was right. The next few weeks were spent fasting, reading my scriptures, and praying to find out if serving a mission was right for me. As I was reading all over the scriptures, each verse I read talked about serving the Lord's children, preparing the hearts of men, and spreading the Lord's work. I knew then that serving a mission was right for me. I turned my papers in on my Mom's birthday and received my call two weeks later to the Oregon Portland Mission, where I will be speaking English to prepare the hearts of men (and women) for the coming of the Lord.

This is me opening my mission call <3

The amazing girl recording this is from Portland so 'tis why the jumping and screaming occurred! :)

These next few weeks are definitely going to be moving very quickly! This past weekend, I attended the Festival of Colors, which is this amazing Hindu celebration of Spring! Although I was supposed to meet up, with a future Sister serving in Portland as well, we didn't get to due to the craziness of people!

That's me on the right!

This weekend was...6 months since the announcement was made. Our beloved Prophet and General Authorities spoke to us once more at General Conference and said dear things that I will hold close to my heart, especially while on my mission. "Catch the Wave!" -Elder Russell M. Nelson, (who I happened to meet at a BYU basketball game.) I actually got tickets this year, so for the first time ever, I attended General Conference at the Conference Center...AND I met one of the future Sisters serving in Portland, leaving the same day as me!

Me and Sister Erin McMahon!

A few friends and I meeting Elder Russell M. Nelson!

At this time in my life, there are so many exciting things happening. It's my freshman year of college! I'm having fun experiencing living on my own! With a great college comes great responsibility: keeping up with grades. At this late time in the semester, more people are receiving their mission calls. Many of my closest friends have received theirs and will be leaving around the same time as me. Brazil Fliorianopolis, Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Sao Paulo, Paraguay Asuncion, Mexico Veracruz, Mexico Villahermosa, Peru Lima, Phillipines, Fiji Suva, England London, Montana Billings, Florida Tampa, Utah St. George, Washington Spokane, and so forth! So many mission calls and there are many more to come! Missionary work is a very important service in our time today. The Lord has given us this opportunity to serve His People and I couldn't be more excited!

I just want to bear my testimony that I know God lives. He loves each and every one of us. We were each sent here to this earth with a divine purpose and role. The Book of Mormon IS another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God who restored the true church to the earth through the power of God. I testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.