Grateful to Have Been a Missionary

[Anonymous]

The “work” on the mission was definitely more than I expected. I also am an introvert so contacting people was challenging to put it mildly. That said, I also look back and see it in many ways as easiest two years of my life. (When else are you going to know that your paycheck will always be in the bank on this given day in the month? Also, I woke up every morning with a good idea of what I was going to do during the day, I am not a big decision maker. I execute well, decide, not so much.)

As for telling people what to expect, my family has always been very open an honest about what happens on missions with the nieces and nephews. I even was asked once by my mom if I “liked” my mission. (I am quite cynical in nature so I do not paint rosy pictures on many things.) I even had that one companion that if the “spirit” had strongly told me to push them in front of a bus, I wouldn’t have hesitated, much. Best two years, when I got off my mission, yes, since, no.

All that said, the interactions, the growth and learning have definitely helped me in my life. Specifically, what I learned on my mission about people and about the organization of the church has helped me with my FT.

[Anonymous]

My “Best Two Years” were actually the two years preceding my mission. I had an experience that inspired me to return to full activity and begin preparing for a mission when I was 21. I spent the next two years immersed in church and institute. I made significant lifestyle changes including WoW habits which seemed impossible to break before. I attributed this to being strengthen by the Lord for taking a leap of faith and returning to church. I read scriptures morning and night and wrote in my journal daily. I shared the gospel with everyone I knew from my past life and regularly spoke with random strangers about the church. I took door to door sales jobs hoping it would help prepare me for tracting and made a ton of money for a college student. I frequently accompanied the Elders as they both knocked doors and taught lessons. I loved it. I had a bishop who truly cared for me and spent many hours counseling me. I was healthier and happier than I had ever been. Even then, there were things about the culture and history that I had to over look, and I was willing to because of the peace I consistently felt as I strived to be worthy, love my neighbor, and listen to the promptings.

I almost wasn’t allowed to serve because of past transgressions but my bishop and SP were convinced I was an exception because of my sincere devotion and love of the Gospel. I was asked to write a letter to the Bretheren that contained my story including a full confession and why I wanted to go on a mission. The SP didn’t forward on the first draft because he felt there wasn’t enough detail in the confession portion. So I went back and added in all the humiliating details that I felt were long behind me. Finally, I got approval and at age 23 was called to serve. I was ecstatic.

I really enjoyed the MTC. I was already sold on obedience and actually appreciated the structure there. I loved scripture study, language study, and the comradery among the Elders. The mission field was quite a shock and I quickly learned that though I spent two years preparing in every conceivable way, I was not prepared. My mission was extremely numbers driven, and the goals were impossible to meet. In my personal life I always set goals that challenged me but that I could reach with some effort and focus. This new way of goal setting where the minimum standard was out of reach was sort of depressing. The pressure was inescapable and I was convinced it trickled down from the top, where the top was though, I didn’t know, but was sure it stopped before reaching God. It had to be higher than the ZLs because they all displayed it, was it the APs? They were practically worshipped in the field, which sort of bothered me. Maybe the President? Seventy? I don’t know how high on the totem poll the work switched from being a labor of love to a sales job, but by the time it got to me, it was just a sales job with no pay.

In our zone conferences the President would call missionaries up to the stand that had the most baptisms and present them with certificates. Gold certificates for each family that included a father and mother. Big turn off for me. While some missionaries were very successful, earning multiple certificates each conference and gradually climbing rank in the mission, many were not as successful and for those missionaries it was a slap in the face.

I am glad to know that this is not the case in all missions. The missionaries in my current ward tell me that their president really wants them to develop positive relationships and develop spiritually. In fact, they don’t even knock doors anymore and do strictly member work.

Although my mission wasn’t quite what I expected, and much harder than I could have imagined, I did enjoy the parts of it I could control and am happy I went.

[Anonymous]

Quote:

In our zone conferences the President would call missionaries up to the stand that had the most baptisms and present them with certificates.

This is one of the absolute worst examples of what can happen.

[Author]

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