(so I decided to put all my letters home on a blog rather than having it being sent out in an email! on my other blog I wrote about why I decided to go on a mission and so it's basically the same post!)
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Yes. the rumors are true (I say that as if so many people read this blog), I am going on a mission.
First, let me tell you a story.
seven years ago, 11 year old me sat in on the missionary discussions taught by two elders called to change my families (and many other's) life. at the time my dad, for completely understandable reasons, did not want my sister and I to be baptized. two years later after lots of prayers/fasts/and discussions, my dad agreed to let my sister and I be baptized! this experience was and still is one of the biggest testimony builders for me. the missionary discussions we took the second time around were taught by two sisters. these two sisters were the first example of sister missionaries to me, and of course I thought they were the best thing that walked the earth. I remember being so impressed of how much they knew about the gospel.
I never really considered going on a mission in high school, and to be honest I didn't make the smartest choices junior year. I started to become closer to the church the beginning of my senior year, that october, the mission age changed. I still didn't think about a mission as an option, my mind was set on going to byu hawaii. I applied, got in, and tried to figure out a way to get there. after I was accepted to byu my family and I went on a vacation to hawaii to look at the school and everything, while we were there we went to the laie temple, they had sister missionaries there and they became the second example of sister missionaries to me. After visiting hawaii I always kind of had the thought of going on a mission in the back of my mind, but I'd always get rid of it by saying "you'd go somewhere cold, you hate the cold," but it always came back.
graduation came, friends left and I was still set on going to hawaii, but for some reason, nothing was working out with it. I was so frustrated with it because a friend of mine was going and everything seemed to work out perfectly for her, I didn't understand that Heavenly Father had another plan for me. If you know me, you know I take my dreams very seriously. very seriously. I don't know why I do, but I truly believe that dreams (most of the time) mean something. anyway, one night I had a dream that my bishop came to my house and said "allie, it's time to go on your mission," and guess what dream allie did? She picked up her wallet and left on her mission. And the weirdness doesn't even stop there. The next morning, yes morning, my mom came in my room and said "maybe the reason hawaii isn't working out is because you're supposed to go on a mission," and I said, "yeah, maybe." my thoughts immediately turned to my patriarchal blessing, and guess what it talks about the most? yupp, missionary work. of course after that, many prayers were said to really decide if I should go, but my answer came before the prayers in ways I couldn't ignore.
so I started my papers and sent them in. and guess what? I'm going to St. Louis. yes, it's cold. but I knew that was coming. every prayer I said about my mission was answered the moment I opened my call (or when it was assigned if you really want to get technical). it's in the states, I'm speaking english, and there is a temple in St. Louis. I might be the only missionary who wanted to speak english in the states but let me give you my 3 reasons.
1. I still have so much to learn about the gospel, and the thought of adding a language to that made me really nervous.
2. missions are hard. missions where you don't have running water are even harder.
3. I love coca cola. St. Louis has coca cola.
the excitement I have to serve a missions is equally matched with nervousness. but this is the only time in my life where I can go on a mission for myself and I think I would've made a mistake if I passed it by. I know that the Lord will not leave me comfortless on my mission, and that He is preparing my heart so I can be a literal messenger of God.
wow, I am so blessed that He chose me to love the people of St. Louis. and so blessed to have the people in my life that support me and encourage me in this decision.
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the past few months can be described in 4 words
-spiritual
-challenging
-stressful
-blessed
spiritual- I was able to go through the temple for the first time around Thanksgiving. I was able to go through with my best friend who played a huge part in my conversion. the temple has given me a peace that is straight from Heavenly Father. going back and learning more has been the biggest blessing during this time. before I went through I was so nervous, I had no idea what to expect. if anything makes me nervous in life it's not knowing what's going to happen. the advice I received the most before going to the temple was to just feel the spirit and not expect anything. and let me tell you, the temple is the best place in the world. better than disneyland. the spirit will always teach you if you allow it and the temple really is the Lord's house.
challenging- "missions are so easy!" said no one. ever. along with that, you know what else isn't easy? preparing to leave on a mission. satan is real, and he will do everything he can to keep you from happiness and the Lord's work. (I don't know who is reading this, but I am begging you to not let Satan into your life. no happiness (true happiness) has ever come from distancing yourself from the Lord.) he will also do whatever he can to stop missionaries.
stressful- how in the world am I supposed to know what I'll want to wear in 4 months. better yet, how does a girl from arizona prepare to live in the snow. it's going to be 1 degree in stl tomorrow, yeah just let that sink in.
blessed- blessings that I will receive later in my life because of my mission give me strength to leave. and blessing that I have received now make me want to be the best missionary I can be.
10 days people! then I'm the Lord's, can't say I'm not nervous but I can say that I'll do whatever I can to help others.
xo,
soon to be sister oberfield
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