Many times on this blog I refer to “my mission.” Many people are probably curious as to what I’m referring to. I created this page to clear things up.
If you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you have the opportunity to go on a “mission.” You spend eighteen months or two years of your life serving God and “when you are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). If you're a man, you can serve at eighteen years-old, you get to serve for two-years, and you see missionary work as a responsibility and duty to God and to the people you are called to serve. If you are a woman, you can serve at nineteen years-old, you can serve for eighteen months, and you see missionary work as one of the many opportunities to serve.
On a mission you have one primary responsibility—to share the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ (click here to see what I mean by "restored"). A secondary responsibility is to give meaningful service to those in and out of the Church. For example, on my mission I served at nursing homes, on farms (including an Amish farm), on a tornado clean-up team, as a math teacher at an adult learning center for those trying to get their GED, doing yard work, helping people move, and the list could go on and on! Many missionaries in foreign countries spend countless hours teaching English to those who want to learn it. Here are some pictures from my mission. I spent my two years in West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia.
My wife also served a mission. She went to Michigan and has so many tremendous experiences to share as well. If a missionary was to tell you everything he or she learned on a mission it would take hours and hours of time to give you a brief summary.
I can only speak from personal experience when I say that being a missionary has made a HUGE positive impact on my life. I know it has for my wife as well. It helps shape the way that we live now. The culture of our family is centered around Jesus Christ and service to others. We have our missionary name badges and plaques hanging in our front room and we are constantly looking for opportunities to serve others.
I could go on trying to explain why missionary work is so important to members of the Church and to God, but I'll close my post with a video that I believe sums it up better than any I've seen. I will also include a list a fantastic (really, really good) links for you to visit and explore. I will link to my favorites media sources, including a reality TV series on missionary work to press releases about missionary work.
Amen, Matthew! My missionary efforts over the years have significantly blessed my life as well. It was a pleasure working with you in Kentucky!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brother Mason! I just saw this comment. I appreciate your response.
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