Some girls have the dream to wear that black name tag their whole lives, they dream of where they'll be sent and of the people they'll teach. That dream wasn't mine. Still single at twenty-one? No way. I'd be finished with college. A mission was definitely not in my cards. The age change came and my thoughts did not shift. A mission had never been something I dwelled upon growing up, I brushed it aside as a no before I ever stopped to consider Heavenly Father's role in this monumental decision. Quite frankly, my plans didn't coincide with the plan my Heavenly Father had laid out for me. That was soon to change. One Sunday in May 2014, Elder Anderson of the Quorum of the twelve came to visit his mother in my home ward, he bore his testimony, of what I do not know, but I do know that the spirit touched me then in that moment. I was to serve a mission. The desire was strong. I was scared, yet I expressed my desire to serve with my mom, with Chan, with my family, but quickly after college started the desire dwindled. I could finish school by the time I left and came back. The thought that crossed my mind often was that getting an education and being prepared to start a family is a worthy cause as well. And yes, that is a true statement, but that wasn't His plan for me. That was my plan for me. My plan overpowered for the next while as I ignored all of the promptings I was receiving and justified my thoughts to make myself think that what I was doing was right. For a moment I thought that this desire could be hidden, no one knew how my Heavenly Father was communicating to me, no one knew but me. Except, He knew. He knew that I knew too. And in that moment, when that thought crossed my mind "He knows that I know", the desire burned deep and I knew that I would serve a mission. It wasn't easy after that point. Two days after I decided in my heart to serve a mission, my sweet granny passed away unexpectedly. In the midst of her funeral preparation, I sent the scariest text of my life to a member of the bishopric to set up my first interview. Driving to the interview I was so incredibly nervous, I was committing to a big responsibility, but as the interview commenced I had never been so sure of a decision in my life. After I made the decision to serve as a missionary, all I wanted to do was get out there and start serving. My Heavenly Father needed me and I wanted to be that instrument in his hands. I only waited ten days for my call to arrive and those few days seemed like forever and ever. May 7th, 2015, the call came. I had been called to serve as a missionary in the Mexico Chihuahua Mission, reporting September 30th, 2015 to the Mexico MTC. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me. I know that I am His daughter and that He has an individual plan just for me. I know that by serving a mission I am fulfilling a step in his eternal plan. I know that when we put our trust in our Heavenly Father He will lead us exactly where we need to be, exactly when we need to be there. I am grateful for spiritual promptings, for a patient Heavenly Father, and for the ever-growing desire inside of me to serve a mission.
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