I was recently released from my calling (Church responsibility) as ward mission leader. It's been a great ride and I've enjoyed getting to know the full-time missionaries from all over the world, the people within our congregational boundaries and also the members of our congregation. Since the early days of my membership in the LDS Church, I've had several opportunities to serve in this capacity in all the places I have lived in.
The new person called into this calling asked me to continue helping the young men who are preparing to serve within the next few months. These missions last for two years (for men) and 18 months of females and senior couples. This volunteer church service may find them in places that is completely foreign to their comfort zone.
Our Church provides leadership by giving members of our congregation responsibilities. This provides each member an opportunity to serve in many capacities to nurture, teach and help within our congregation. Our bishop is a volunteer who has a full time job, 5 kids, a wife and also committed to other community organizations. He has two counselors who are as busy as he is.
It takes the entire congregation to ensure that each person within our congregation's (or ward) boundary is known and taken care of. You can learn more about our Church's organization here (Service in the Church).
I've had many opportunities to serve from teaching a Sunday School class for 6-7 year olds (Primary) to new or returning members (Gospel Principles). In addition, I've had opportunities to lead, teach, mentor, and supervise over 60 men that were responsible for the 300 members of our congregation while I was a college student (Elders Quorum president), and also as a membership clerk ensuring that our congregation's records were up to date.
It has provided plenty of opportunities for growth and has allowed me to balance my time properly. I learned there is value in listening, praying and seeking for spiritual guidance, delegation and organization. My Church responsibilities has also helped me learn the importance of prioritizing others needs with my own personal needs.
Next month's blog, I'll fill you all in with what my new responsibility is.
Read what I wrote when I was given this responsibility
Read on for my take on what an LDS mission is like...
A full time mission is a great experience but is very difficult. From learning the language to a new culture. Missionaries are embedded in their new environment but do their best to live a different life from what other 19-21 year olds would be doing at this time. You learn to live with someone for 24 hours of every day. You share the same apartment with someone and for many reasons, one being safety, missionaries are encouraged to be no more than an ear shot or view of each other. Sometimes this means you are in the same room when teaching or serving in the community. A mission president oversees the missionaries and he prayerfully assigns you a different companion on the average of every 6 weeks or so. They come from different backgrounds and upbringing.
There's a schedule provided to help instill discipline and self reliance. You wake up at 6:30 every morning and retire by 10:30 pm every night. In the middle of all of this, you study scriptures personally and as a companionship. You go and visit people, talk to everyone you meet and look for opportunities to serve in the community. You find and teach those who are interested in your message.
As such, it is important to anyone choosing to spend the next two years or 18 months of volunteer service to be mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally prepared.
Simply put, I am thankful for this opportunity to continue helping prepare the young men who will be leaving in a few months.
My opportunity of spending two years in the Philippines San Pablo mission is what I consider one of the most special times in my life. I had the conviction that what I was teaching was true and important and wanted to share it with anyone who wanted to listen. Many chose to hear the message and some chose to accept it.
I can say I've been yelled at, swore at, spat at, and had more than one door slammed in my face, and have dogs run after me. And yet I still consider it one of the most special times of my life.
My own missionary service provided me with friends that will last for generations to come. Yes it was difficult but because of the choices I made and the loving support I receive from many especially those I served with, I can honestly say it has defined what I want to get out of life.
Being transferred and learning to adjust to a new area every few months with a new missionary companion, I also saw for myself how many good people there are in the world regardless of their faith and beliefs. I found that I had more in common with them than differences. If only I took the time to listen, I grew as a person because of what I was willing to learn.
I learned the Filipino culture and grew to love them as I served with them. I enjoyed helping thatch roofs, cutting grass, and carrying a house made of bamboo to another place. But what I treasure the most are seeing lives change for the better as they chose to follow the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
I recall meeting ministers of faith who I grew to love. My very first companion in the mission field had taught me to respect them and so I did. Later on my mission, I recall an opportunity where I was able to do so. I saw a couple of ministers visiting a certain neighborhood the same time my companion and I was at. I introduced myself and after talking with them, we became friends. We realized, in a way, we were doing the same work. After a few minutes of getting to know each other, we all decided that they'll take take one side and my companion and I will take the other. From then on, each time we saw each other we greeted each other like long lost brothers.
My own mission experiences gave me personal real life scenarios that helped me better understand what it means to love, forgive, serve, be merciful. To better enjoy Life, it isn't all about what you take but it is also also about you to give to others. There are more lessons I can share but I'm afraid that's what my mission journals are for and there's too much to share.
To conclude this monthly entry that is now a novel, I better understand what it takes to be committed, to respect others, and most of all that there really is a God who loves and knows each of us.
To read about others experiences visit this site.
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