The Start

It took me a while to decide to start a blog for my mission. What finally made me do it is the fact that perhaps someone would be affected by something I say and may decide to strive to change and become a better person. I know I am not the most amazing writer in the world and if anyone gets anything out of my poorly structured posts I will be overjoyed! My hope is that through my experiences that I share here(through the help of my mom), I may be able to touch the heart of those struggling in their trials, that the Lord will give them an answer through me. I am nothing, but an instrument in His loving hands.

When President Monson announced the age change to when and Elder or Sister could report to serve a mission in the October 2012 General Conference, I was initially shocked. As he said that young women could now serve at 19 that only thoughts that ran through my head were, "I can go on my mission next year! I need to go on a mission!" I knew that serving a mission was something Heavenly Father not only wanted me to do, but needed me to do. It's also something I knew that I needed to do.

Unfortunately, I was not able to leave on my birthday like many of my friends did. As many of you that read this blog probably know, I high jump for BYU and therefore needed to finish out the season before I could report. However, I always knew that I was going to serve a mission when I was done with this year of track and with school. As I began work on my papers, the desire to serve grew. Again, I received a strong feeling that serving a mission was what I needed to do. I finished my papers at the beginning of April.

Two weeks later I had my call in my hands. I could not wait to open the white envelope and read where I would be serving the next 18 months of my life. I read the words written by the First Presidency of the church:

Dear Sister Merrill:
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Romania/Moldova Mission. 

I couldn't believe it! I mean, I kind of felt I was going to go somewhere in Europe, but Romania! No way! I honestly kind of forgot it existed...( here's some pics of Romania)


The most shocking thing was that I was leaving June 12! That was practically 2 months before what I thought my availability date was, but due to a miscommunication (probably my fault), my stake president told the First Presidency that I wanted to leave as soon as possible! Although I was kind of panicking at first because of all the things I wouldn't be able to do, I soon calmed down and realized that there must be a reason that the miscommunication occurred.

So now I'm here. A little more than a day before I get on an airplane to fly to Salt Lake to enter the Missionary Training Center in Provo, I sit at my parents computer and share the feelings I'm having. Honestly, I can't wait to get out of here. Not that I don't like being here, but just that I want to be there. I can't wait to get out and serve.

Throughout today I was pondering the scripture Alma 17:2-3. It reads:
"Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. 
But this was not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God."
I couldn't help, as I read this scripture, to think of all the people I know who have chosen to serve missions, especially my roommates from this last year at BYU. I know I haven't even begun my mission, and they have a little time before they begin theirs, but I couldn't help but wonder what it will be like when we have all returned. I feel like this is what it will be like. We won't only be happy to see each other again, but we will also rejoice to see that we have grown and have experience what it is like to fully consecrate ourselves to our Heavenly Father who we all love eternally. Although I am excited about going and serving, and I know it will be extremely hard for me to return, I can't wait for that day where I get to see how much my dear friends have grown in the gospel and in their testimonies.

I also thought of my friends staying behind. I completely understand why may young women I know have decided not to serve a mission; that is simply not what the Lord has in mind for them. They have a different path. However, I know that we can have the same experience I will have with my roommates and other friends who have chosen to serve missions. A mission doesn't guarantee you a testimony for life. What does is faith, study, prayer, making and keeping sacred covenants, repenting, forgiving, and enduring to the end. I know that anyone can do this. Missionaries, to be successful, are required to do this. However, I have met many people who have been diligent in doing these things. Because of their diligence, they have been blessed with strong testimonies of their Savior, and of His gospel. I know that as my friends stay behind, they're not really getting left behind. They can continue to grow as the many young people who have decided to serve. As they grow, they can also have the joy felt between Alma and the sons of Mosiah.

This scripture also reminds me of the importance of friendship and family. As we continue in this life, we need to help those around us to endure to the end, especially those who are struggling in their testimonies. All of us need to become instruments in the hands of the Lord and be the angels the people around us so desperately need. I know I have not always been the best friend or support I sometimes needed to be. That is one of my weaknesses I have been striving to improve. However, that does not mean that I don't have a testimony that it needs to be done. Sometimes I think of all the members of the church who have fallen away or have become inactive because of the simple things I didn't do. I think of my friends who aren't LDS who I could have shared the gospel with, but failed to do so.

I know that as we study the scriptures, pray, and fast we can obtain the spirit of prophecy and teach with the power and authority of God! Trust the Lord. He will tell you the words you need to say. He will literally fill your mouth with words. I know this is true. Stay faithful, trust, be believing, and do not fear. Love the Lord, love His children. As we progress down the path to eternal life and as we help those around us to do the same, we will be filled with joy! I know this to be true.

I would like to finish my post with the scripture I decided to put on my plaque. Alma 26:15-16

"Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yeas, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love, yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

I know the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the fullness of the gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, that he saw the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove and that he restored the gospel of Jesus Christ in it's fullness on this earth. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, the truest book of the earth today, and that by abiding by the teaching found there we can come closer to Christ. I know President Monson is the prophet on the earth at this time. I know he was called of God. I know Christ atoned for our sins and that through Him we can become clean. I know Christ lives. I know we will be resurrected as He was resurrected, for He overcame death. We will stand in the presence of our Father again at the judgment seat. I know that families can be together for time and for all eternity through covenants made with the Lord in His holy temples. I know that these covenants are some of the greatest blessings given to man. I know I need to serve a mission. Heavenly Father needs servants. You don't have to be perfect, the only thing our Father has to work with is imperfect people. Humble yourselves, become worthy to serve. "If ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work" (D&C 4:3).