Now I realize that I originally wanted to start this blog to share my fitness knowledge and experience, but the other reasons were to share the other important aspects in my life. I have touched on the music side in one post, but I haven't yet shared an even bigger part of who I am. My Mormon side.
There are millions of Mormons in the world. Many of us have accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ as adults because they were introduced to the Church later on in life. (Now when I refer to "the Church," I am referring to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church). My parents were both raised Mormons as were their parents. In fact, my Mormon lineage goes back quite a few generations. My parents are both very active and devout members and therefore taught me the principles and doctrines of the Gospel from the time I was very young, just as I do with my young children.
Later on, when I was almost twenty-one years old, I decided to serve a full-time mission. Many of the world's views of Mormon missionaries consist of two young men in white shirts and ties, not young women. Currently however, there is a growing number of young women who decide to dedicate eighteen months to full-time service and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a difficult decision for me to leave, especially because I only had a semester of school left before I was to graduate with my Bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University. In fact, I was too hesitant to pray and ask Heavenly Father if serving a full-time mission was the right thing for me to do, so I asked if I should at least prepare to go.
This experience was one of the first times in my life when I was faced with a life-changing decision truly seeking the Lord's guidance. One Sunday afternoon, I found a quiet place in a beautiful park where I could really meditate and ponder my question. As I mentioned, I was hesitant to ask if I should leave my family and friends for a year and a half to go to an unknown place and serve, so I asked my Father in Heaven if I should at least begin the process and prepare to go. As I sat outside on that sunny, summer day, a peaceful feeling came over me. I felt happy and knew that preparing to serve a full-time mission was part of the Lord's plan for me.
As I tell this experience, I can't help but think that I had been influenced by the prophet Joseph Smith as he prayed to know an answer to a question he had as well. He had read in the Bible that "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God...and it shall be given him." James 1:5 The answer he received was much more miraculous and world-changing than my "peaceful feeling," but still sent from the same loving Heavenly Father to His questioning child.
Months later, I was called to serve in the France Toulouse Mission. Since I had been studying French for years and had just returned from a 6-week study abroad to Senegal in West Africa with the BYU French Department, I was thrilled. I had even stopped in Paris on my way home for four days and fell in love with the French culture. However, leaving home is never easy. I still faced many challenges as I prepared to leave for my mission. I knew I would miss my family and friends. I loved my college life. I also started seriously dating someone I had been previously dating before my decision to leave. We even talked about possibly getting married which would have obviously changed my plans to serve in Southern France.
In the end, I knew that the Lord wanted me to share my testimony of Jesus Christ with the people in France, so I went. It was, by far, the most humbling and hardest, yet rewarding experience I had ever had. Those eighteen months changed me and the way that I would continue to live my life.
I had many people question my beliefs, especially since I had been raised as a Mormon from birth. They figured I had been "brainwashed" by my parents and hadn't really been converted on my own. Something very important that I learned in these encounters, is how crucial it is for every person to know for themselves what they believe to be true. Yes, I had been taught by my parents (very different from "brainwashing.") They taught me that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today, but I discovered that it was the true church through my own efforts in prayer and reading the Book of Mormon, I know that it is true. In fact, the real reason I decided to serve as a full-time missionary was because I wanted other people to feel the joy that I feel as a result of living the Gospel.
I love the peace and strength I receive through my relationship with my Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ. My life is truly blessed and I credit everything in my life to a loving God who loves His daughter, and I can't deny that.
