I love BYU. It has been an absolutely amazing experience thus far being amongst people who know and believe the same things I do. I have an amazing group of friends that I spend almost 24/7 with. I have a job that keeps me afloat. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Heavenly Father knows me better than I know myself. He knew that I would be happier and more challenged here than at any other school, and I am so happy for that.
That being said, there is always a bit of pressure being in a mostly LDS environment. I mean, I'm not a heathen or anything, but there can sometimes be a cloud of judgement hanging over people's heads when you mention you had to finish that one essay on a Sunday. I don't let any of this get to me or anything, but that's just a little picture I want to paint for you for what I want to talk about.
Recently, through revelation given to the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, the church has changed things up a bit. Until October 2012, the age at which one could become a missionary was 19 for boys and 21 for girls. It was announced in the last General Conference -- after much prayer and revelation through Latter-day prophet, seers, and revelators -- that the ages would be changed to 18 for boys and 19 for girls.
Missions have always been an optional thing for girls. Not that their testimonies are less important, but a more educationally-based route is encouraged for young women of the church. Young men need that experience more to develop in their strength of testimony and their priesthood -- all things that are a different topic for a different time. Of course many young women hopped on the bandwagon right quick. I think the sheer power of what we all had witnessed that day was enough to turn any heart to want to be a missionary. We just experienced powerful modern-day revelation. It was a huge testimony-builder, even if people's plans for a mission were not going to change. However, I did not want to be one so caught up in the moment as to mistake that testimony-builder for a prompting of needing to go on a mission myself. It sounds awful when I think about it now, but that's what it was.
For a long, long time I have been praying about it and searching the scriptures for answers. I kept getting promptings that went back and forth -- go, don't go, go, don't go. To be honest, though, I think it was a "go" this whole time. I was just scared. I was scared of my inadequacies and my lack of perfection. I was scared I would be going for the wrong reasons. I was scared to fail my Heavenly Father and my Savior who have given me so much. Then I realized They have given me so much. Whenever I have asked and been worthy, They have made up for my inadequacies and imperfections. When I have put my trust in Them, I have never failed. Going for Them is why I would be going, and that is the right reason to go.
Come March I will be starting my mission papers. I will be putting my life on hold for 18 months to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with my brothers and sisters in some part of the world. I will not be leaving until some time between August and January, but I am more and more excited each day. I am so very grateful for this opportunity.
That being said, there is always a bit of pressure being in a mostly LDS environment. I mean, I'm not a heathen or anything, but there can sometimes be a cloud of judgement hanging over people's heads when you mention you had to finish that one essay on a Sunday. I don't let any of this get to me or anything, but that's just a little picture I want to paint for you for what I want to talk about.
Recently, through revelation given to the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, the church has changed things up a bit. Until October 2012, the age at which one could become a missionary was 19 for boys and 21 for girls. It was announced in the last General Conference -- after much prayer and revelation through Latter-day prophet, seers, and revelators -- that the ages would be changed to 18 for boys and 19 for girls.
Missions have always been an optional thing for girls. Not that their testimonies are less important, but a more educationally-based route is encouraged for young women of the church. Young men need that experience more to develop in their strength of testimony and their priesthood -- all things that are a different topic for a different time. Of course many young women hopped on the bandwagon right quick. I think the sheer power of what we all had witnessed that day was enough to turn any heart to want to be a missionary. We just experienced powerful modern-day revelation. It was a huge testimony-builder, even if people's plans for a mission were not going to change. However, I did not want to be one so caught up in the moment as to mistake that testimony-builder for a prompting of needing to go on a mission myself. It sounds awful when I think about it now, but that's what it was.
For a long, long time I have been praying about it and searching the scriptures for answers. I kept getting promptings that went back and forth -- go, don't go, go, don't go. To be honest, though, I think it was a "go" this whole time. I was just scared. I was scared of my inadequacies and my lack of perfection. I was scared I would be going for the wrong reasons. I was scared to fail my Heavenly Father and my Savior who have given me so much. Then I realized They have given me so much. Whenever I have asked and been worthy, They have made up for my inadequacies and imperfections. When I have put my trust in Them, I have never failed. Going for Them is why I would be going, and that is the right reason to go.
Come March I will be starting my mission papers. I will be putting my life on hold for 18 months to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with my brothers and sisters in some part of the world. I will not be leaving until some time between August and January, but I am more and more excited each day. I am so very grateful for this opportunity.
I knew you'd go. You will be awesome. Thanks for going!
ReplyDeleteThis is AMAZING! You have such a strong testimony and you are such an incredible example of strength and faith. I commend you for you courage and commitment. I don't know you super well, but from just being around you and from what I've read of various things you've written, you are going to rock at being a missionary! Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteI can only think of the special place that is waiting for our Jaz.......so excited for you and yes, I shed a tear or two reading about it. You are a treasure....a treasure worth sharing with the wide world. You go girl!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for you, Jazmin! You're going to be such a fantastic missionary, and I'm a little bit very much hoping you get called to Novosibirsk. :)
ReplyDelete