Because I Have Been Given Much

Whate'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part. 

It seems as though every time I reach a point where I start to think I know exactly where my life is  headed, Heavenly Father reminds me that He has a plan for my life and that He knows what I should be doing much better than I do. In fact, more often than not my perspective is so limited that my plan is lacking some key elements. 

Also, this is not helped at all by the fact that I can be very stubborn at times and refuse to acknowledge that I may be wrong about something. 

And with that...the most recent (and so far possibly most life-changing) thing that I finally recognized is in Heavenly Father's plan for me...and which I finally realized I have been fighting and avoiding thinking about for over year. 

I will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

This realization (and it was without a doubt and realization and not a decision) came quite suddenly and surprised me, however from the responses I've gotten in the last day and a half, evidently I was the only one who didn't see it. Although, looking back on the last year I can identify several moments where I could have realized I am supposed to serve a mission if only I hadn't been so certain I knew better than Heavenly Father. 

Funny how that's never ever true. He ALWAYS knows better than me. 

To make a long story short, my cousin Stephanie was teaching Relief Society on Sunday, February 23rd, and I was sitting there just thinking and out of nowhere I just thought "I am going on a mission" followed quickly by "what?? Where did that come from??" But as soon as that thought ran through my mind I knew that it was true without a doubt. And that's that. 

I will be submitting my mission papers as soon as I get home from London, at the end of August, and anticipate leaving after this Fall Semester. Stay tuned for more.

I could not be more excited about this amazing opportunity, nor more humbled by the incredible responsibility that missionary service is for me. I am so blessed to have the knowledge of the true church on the earth today and to have a testimony of the truth of the gospel and it's teachings. I look forward to sharing this gospel with the people wherever I am called to serve. 

Until then I will be humbly preparing myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and most importantly spiritually by serving as much as I can now while I await my opportunity to hasten the work on a full-time basis.