The four months leading up to my entering the MTC were the hardest I'd ever experienced before. For those of you who also have to wait a bit before heading out, buckle up. You're preparing for the greatest calling in life (and I mean that literally) and Satan knows it. He is going to do everything he can to deter you from your service. And I will explain why at some point in the future. I'm actually creating a website with the same title as this blog that goes into more detail about what you can expect on yalls missions. Feel free to check it out. You might even like that one more than you like this one. It's still a work in progress and will likely take several months before I've completed even just the bare essentials, but it has a lot more resources for you all:
http://soyouwanttoserveamission.weebly.com/
The entire time I waited was extremely difficult. Life just seemed hard, despite all the blessings and miracles that were being poured onto me. I honestly don't remember much from it. But I can tell yall that if you don't stay close to the Gospel, studying your scriptures, praying always, and regularly attending the temple, it's going to get hard. I hadn't developed a regular habit of scripture study or prayer before my mission and I think life was harder partially because of that. Just do what you know you need to do and everything will work out. The Lord will strengthen and enable you to withstand the adversary and his attempts to subdue you. You will make it on your missions and it will change you. Trust me.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
The Mission Papers
I decided to wait till I got home for the summer before starting my mission papers. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of transferring everything over between two different bishops. Those three months before coming home were tough. I went back and forth on my decision to serve. Thank goodness for my wonderful mom who patiently would listen to my new reasons for not serving and then follow the Spirit in guiding me to stick to my commitment. I don't think I would have served if it weren't for her and my dad and their loving persistence.
I got home and began my mission papers. Again, my parents helped keep me going with making doctor's appointments and scheduling interviews and everything. The Lord was very actively involved during that time as well. I got a job working at a manufacturing company owned by someone in my home ward and began saving up for the mission. My original plan was to return to school that next fall semester and then leave on my mission because I would have the guarantee of deferring my enrollment and being able to return to school after my mission. One day, my boss came up to me and told me about a project our company was getting involved with. He wanted me to be the project leader over it and told me I would travel to the company who's project we would help develop and manufacture to receive hands on training and help with transferring the project down to our company location. He promised me a raise and told me he really felt like I was the right one for this job. I started getting excited! And then came the kicker. The only way he would give me the position was if I would commit to stay and work on this project till I left on my mission, whenever that would be. That meant no coming back for Fall semester. He told me he'd give me a couple days to think about it and then he needed an answer. I told him I'd let him know and promptly went into the bathroom, checked to make sure no one else was in there, burst into tears, and called my mom and told her the situation. I must have sounded ridiculous! Who would turn down an opportunity like that!? Again, she listened and we talked for a while until we both agreed this was the right thing to do and would really help me and the company I was working for. I told my boss the next day that I would take the position and stay till I left on my mission and that was that.
It was by that time that I started acknowledging that Lord's hand in my preparation for a mission. I didn't deserve it one bit. I was being stubborn and bitter at His direct call for me to serve. But He never gave up on me. He continued helping me and providing everything I'd need. He provided a fantastic job that would allow me to save enough to pay for my entire mission and get me started in school again when I returned. He gave me wonderful parents who helped and encouraged me the whole way. He sent a few special people to further that encouragement. He kept me epileptic.
That's a story in and of itself. I had been diagnosed with epilepsy about 3 years previous to working on my mission papers and had actually been having seizures for about 4 years before my official diagnosis. I was on medication that I had to take every day. My neurologist and I for the last couple years or so had been working on slowly lowering my dosage, with the hopes that I could get off of it completely within a few years time. Before submitting my papers, I wanted to be able to put down that I was previously epileptic, but was cleared of that. I felt pretty good about that decision. It would be so nice to not have to take medication or worry about epilepsy while I was out serving the Lord. So I scheduled and EEG and went in to have it done. The test went fine and a couple days later, I got a call from my neurologist. It came out positive. I was disappointed to say the least. But I decided that there must be a reason. As I thought and prayed about it, I came to the conclusion that maybe this was the Lord's way of keeping me safe, making it so my family and I wouldn't have to worry about me potentially starting to have seizures again. I learned on my mission that it actually also helped me to connect with a lot of people because I was epileptic, which was also a tender mercy that came from my calling to remain epileptic and on medication through my mission.
In time, I completed my mission papers and submitted them to Church Headquarters. I waited a few weeks and one day, came home to a large envelope sitting at my spot at the table. It had come. We invited family and friends over that evening for when I'd open it. I remember sitting on the piano bench, holding that envelope addressed to Sister Christine Faulk, and realizing my fate for the next 18 months lay in that envelope. I had no control over my future. My dad sat down and talked with me. I was scared. I don't like letting go and not knowing what's going to happen. I don't like the unknown. And that was what I was stepping into the moment I would open that letter and find out my assignment.
The evening finally came and our family and friends had arrived. Here's the video of my opening my call. I don't have it saved on my computer anymore and can't figure out how to download it from Facebook. So click on the link and it should take you to the video of me opening my call.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=340617509355407&l=7467984980672396614
I was relieved to say the least. Not only was I staying in the U.S., but I also was speaking English and was leaving at a time when I could easily defer my enrollment and return to school without any serious complications. There were a couple things I wasn't so excited about with my call. On top of still being rather hesitant and more nervous than excited, I'd have to wait 4 months before entering the MTC. That's a long time. Further down in my call, I was informed that I would have to buy a bike for my mission. My stomach churned. On top of already having to wear church clothes every day of my mission, as well as the fact that I hadn't ridden a bike in years, I would have to figure out how to ride a bike...in a skirt!!!! My mom and sister on many occasions encouraged me to put a skirt on and start practicing on one of our bikes at home but I stubbornly refused. I would figure it out when I got there. Should I have listened? Yeah.
I continued to hyperventilate for a solid 30 minutes or so, having to sit down a couple of times and drink some water because I kept getting light-headed. I couldn't calm down. My dad immediately handed me a little money and told me to go play some mini-golf to get my mind off my call, which I did after giving him and my mom both big hugs. That evening, I cried. (Big surprise there.) Too many emotions. I needed to get them all out. It took a while to fall asleep that night. And the adventure leading up to my mission was only just beginning.
I got home and began my mission papers. Again, my parents helped keep me going with making doctor's appointments and scheduling interviews and everything. The Lord was very actively involved during that time as well. I got a job working at a manufacturing company owned by someone in my home ward and began saving up for the mission. My original plan was to return to school that next fall semester and then leave on my mission because I would have the guarantee of deferring my enrollment and being able to return to school after my mission. One day, my boss came up to me and told me about a project our company was getting involved with. He wanted me to be the project leader over it and told me I would travel to the company who's project we would help develop and manufacture to receive hands on training and help with transferring the project down to our company location. He promised me a raise and told me he really felt like I was the right one for this job. I started getting excited! And then came the kicker. The only way he would give me the position was if I would commit to stay and work on this project till I left on my mission, whenever that would be. That meant no coming back for Fall semester. He told me he'd give me a couple days to think about it and then he needed an answer. I told him I'd let him know and promptly went into the bathroom, checked to make sure no one else was in there, burst into tears, and called my mom and told her the situation. I must have sounded ridiculous! Who would turn down an opportunity like that!? Again, she listened and we talked for a while until we both agreed this was the right thing to do and would really help me and the company I was working for. I told my boss the next day that I would take the position and stay till I left on my mission and that was that.
It was by that time that I started acknowledging that Lord's hand in my preparation for a mission. I didn't deserve it one bit. I was being stubborn and bitter at His direct call for me to serve. But He never gave up on me. He continued helping me and providing everything I'd need. He provided a fantastic job that would allow me to save enough to pay for my entire mission and get me started in school again when I returned. He gave me wonderful parents who helped and encouraged me the whole way. He sent a few special people to further that encouragement. He kept me epileptic.
That's a story in and of itself. I had been diagnosed with epilepsy about 3 years previous to working on my mission papers and had actually been having seizures for about 4 years before my official diagnosis. I was on medication that I had to take every day. My neurologist and I for the last couple years or so had been working on slowly lowering my dosage, with the hopes that I could get off of it completely within a few years time. Before submitting my papers, I wanted to be able to put down that I was previously epileptic, but was cleared of that. I felt pretty good about that decision. It would be so nice to not have to take medication or worry about epilepsy while I was out serving the Lord. So I scheduled and EEG and went in to have it done. The test went fine and a couple days later, I got a call from my neurologist. It came out positive. I was disappointed to say the least. But I decided that there must be a reason. As I thought and prayed about it, I came to the conclusion that maybe this was the Lord's way of keeping me safe, making it so my family and I wouldn't have to worry about me potentially starting to have seizures again. I learned on my mission that it actually also helped me to connect with a lot of people because I was epileptic, which was also a tender mercy that came from my calling to remain epileptic and on medication through my mission.
In time, I completed my mission papers and submitted them to Church Headquarters. I waited a few weeks and one day, came home to a large envelope sitting at my spot at the table. It had come. We invited family and friends over that evening for when I'd open it. I remember sitting on the piano bench, holding that envelope addressed to Sister Christine Faulk, and realizing my fate for the next 18 months lay in that envelope. I had no control over my future. My dad sat down and talked with me. I was scared. I don't like letting go and not knowing what's going to happen. I don't like the unknown. And that was what I was stepping into the moment I would open that letter and find out my assignment.
The evening finally came and our family and friends had arrived. Here's the video of my opening my call. I don't have it saved on my computer anymore and can't figure out how to download it from Facebook. So click on the link and it should take you to the video of me opening my call.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=340617509355407&l=7467984980672396614
I was relieved to say the least. Not only was I staying in the U.S., but I also was speaking English and was leaving at a time when I could easily defer my enrollment and return to school without any serious complications. There were a couple things I wasn't so excited about with my call. On top of still being rather hesitant and more nervous than excited, I'd have to wait 4 months before entering the MTC. That's a long time. Further down in my call, I was informed that I would have to buy a bike for my mission. My stomach churned. On top of already having to wear church clothes every day of my mission, as well as the fact that I hadn't ridden a bike in years, I would have to figure out how to ride a bike...in a skirt!!!! My mom and sister on many occasions encouraged me to put a skirt on and start practicing on one of our bikes at home but I stubbornly refused. I would figure it out when I got there. Should I have listened? Yeah.
I continued to hyperventilate for a solid 30 minutes or so, having to sit down a couple of times and drink some water because I kept getting light-headed. I couldn't calm down. My dad immediately handed me a little money and told me to go play some mini-golf to get my mind off my call, which I did after giving him and my mom both big hugs. That evening, I cried. (Big surprise there.) Too many emotions. I needed to get them all out. It took a while to fall asleep that night. And the adventure leading up to my mission was only just beginning.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Knowing I Needed to Serve
Many potential missionaries wonder how they'll know that they need to serve a mission, especially us sisters. Young men have the calling and responsibility to serve, but for us, it's entirely optional based on the promptings of the Lord through the Spirit. As yall know, for me, the mission was completely out of the question. I was "hard in [my] heart" and would not even consider the idea of serving. I also didn't understand how to recognize the promptings of the Spirit. (Though I would later learn that I had felt the Spirit throughout my life and didn't even realize it. Yall will too. I promise)
So how it happened..
In December 2011, I was carrying on with school. Finals were starting to come up. I was stressed and crazy busy and had a ton on my mind. Then one day, a distinct thought came into my mind. It said, "Christine, you're turning 21 next year. You need to decide if you'll serve a mission." I immediately brushed that thought off. There was no way I'd ever serve a mission! Where on earth did that thought come from!? I completely shut that thought down and carried on with my day. The next day, I was once again going about my business with school when the exact same though came into my mind again. "Christing, you're turning 21 next year. You need to decide if you'll serve a mission." I again shut the thought down, refusing to even consider it, and starting to get a little worried that I was thinking about this whole thing two days in a row now! And, what do you know, the exact same thought came AGAIN the very next day, and the next day after that, and the day after that as well! Soon, that thought would come to my mind multiple times a day! Each time, I tried brushing it off and ignoring it, but it came back! Why was this happening to me!!? I didn't understand! Finally the day came when, as I sat in my bedroom alone and the thought came to my mind yet again that day, I verbally spoke out loud to Heavenly Father for the first time in a while and said, "Fine! I'll serve a mission. But only because you're telling me to. Not because I want to. And just so you know, I'm going to come back the exact same person as I am now and will go on with my life just as I am now. I will not change." I proceeded to call my mom and tell her, through tears, that I was serving a mission. She calmly and simply replied, "Alright. When are you starting your papers?" I responded that I didn't know, that I'd probably start them when I got home from school during the summer break. She said ok and that was that. I had committed. I was going to serve a mission. And you know what? Those little nagging, incessant thoughts in my head about deciding to serve a mission stopped from that time forward. I knew I had to serve a mission.
Looking back on it now, I realize the Lord never directly said, "Christine, go on a mission." He left it up to me to decide. I could have said no and carried on with my life. I can only imagine where I would be now if I hadn't finally listened and responded. One thing's for sure: I would not feel as happy and content with my life and the Lord if I hadn't served. And the adventure of my mission was about to begin!
So how it happened..
In December 2011, I was carrying on with school. Finals were starting to come up. I was stressed and crazy busy and had a ton on my mind. Then one day, a distinct thought came into my mind. It said, "Christine, you're turning 21 next year. You need to decide if you'll serve a mission." I immediately brushed that thought off. There was no way I'd ever serve a mission! Where on earth did that thought come from!? I completely shut that thought down and carried on with my day. The next day, I was once again going about my business with school when the exact same though came into my mind again. "Christing, you're turning 21 next year. You need to decide if you'll serve a mission." I again shut the thought down, refusing to even consider it, and starting to get a little worried that I was thinking about this whole thing two days in a row now! And, what do you know, the exact same thought came AGAIN the very next day, and the next day after that, and the day after that as well! Soon, that thought would come to my mind multiple times a day! Each time, I tried brushing it off and ignoring it, but it came back! Why was this happening to me!!? I didn't understand! Finally the day came when, as I sat in my bedroom alone and the thought came to my mind yet again that day, I verbally spoke out loud to Heavenly Father for the first time in a while and said, "Fine! I'll serve a mission. But only because you're telling me to. Not because I want to. And just so you know, I'm going to come back the exact same person as I am now and will go on with my life just as I am now. I will not change." I proceeded to call my mom and tell her, through tears, that I was serving a mission. She calmly and simply replied, "Alright. When are you starting your papers?" I responded that I didn't know, that I'd probably start them when I got home from school during the summer break. She said ok and that was that. I had committed. I was going to serve a mission. And you know what? Those little nagging, incessant thoughts in my head about deciding to serve a mission stopped from that time forward. I knew I had to serve a mission.
Looking back on it now, I realize the Lord never directly said, "Christine, go on a mission." He left it up to me to decide. I could have said no and carried on with my life. I can only imagine where I would be now if I hadn't finally listened and responded. One thing's for sure: I would not feel as happy and content with my life and the Lord if I hadn't served. And the adventure of my mission was about to begin!
So to begin...
I guess I should give yall an idea of where it all began. I turned 20 in 2011. (This all happened before the age change occurred so I ended up being among the last few sisters who had to wait till they were 21 to serve a mission.) My entire life, I never intended to serve a mission. Never really had the desire. I remember singing, "I Hope They Call Me On A Mission," in Primary and singing it with gusto, but never really thinking about actually serving. It just wasn't something I wanted. I grew up looking forward to the day when I would go to college, find my husband, get married and be sealed for time and all eternity in the temple, and settling down and raising a family. By the time I turned 20, I was three years into my college career, still not getting anywhere with the whole marriage thing, and getting kind of down about it. I wondered why the Lord would hold me back from such a worthy desire. Why couldn't I just find my husband and move on with the life I desired and intended to have. I hadn't learned yet that sometimes the Lord's plan for His children isn't necessarily what we might want. I would soon receive a bit of a wake-up call about that one, just three months after my 20th birthday.
On a more spiritual note, I was also having a bit of a rough time during that time. It's not that I was necessarily losing my testimony, but I felt like I was moreso just going through the motions. I went to church. I went to my religion classes. I read from the Book of Mormon occasionally and prayed every now and then. I had used to be much better at it. But over time I got out of the habit of studying from the Book of Mormon every day and there seemed to be more and more days where I was just too tired from a long day of classes and homework to say my nightly prayers before going to bed. I didn't really feel like I had any direction. What I wanted wasn't happening and I felt like I wasn't receiving any answers to my questions to know better what to do. It was a difficult situation to be in. I didn't understand why life was so difficult and wished God would just tell me what to do in a way so I would understand. However, I silently reminded Him that if it was a mission He wanted me to do, that was completely out of the question. Yeah. That's how stubborn I was and it goes to show just how much I had to learn. It wasn't that I was a bad person. I enjoyed church activities. I hung out with my friends at school. I had the opportunity to go to the Relief Society General Session that year and cried through most of it because so many of the talks really spoke to me. I knew President Monson was the prophet and I knew Heavenly Father was there and heard me. I was just going through a bit of a rough patch.
(At Festival of Colors)
(At a football game)
(At True Blue Football)
Introduction!
Hello there!! My name is Christine. I served in the Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission from December 2012-July 2014. I never could have imagined just how much those 19 months would impact my life. I think of how the Lord has transformed my life since that time and it is astounding to see how much I've changed. Since coming home, I've done a lot of reflecting on my experiences, and have thought a lot about everything leading up to my mission. I'd like to share my experiences with yall, especially with those of you who are thinking about or preparing for a mission. Now, granted, my mission experience was a unique one and does not necessarily reflect that of the vast majority of missionaries, but I think ever missionary will say the same of their missions as well. So get ready!! Yall are in for a treat!
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