“How do I know if I should serve a mission?”
I get asked this question a lot. Short answer: take it to Heavenly Father. Long answer: you can’t mess up God’s plan for you. Talk to Him and He will guide you. Act in faith, whether that’s going or not going, and you will be blessed.
When I was 2 years old, my oldest sister Michelle left on her mission to Honduras. From there, like stairsteps, my older siblings began to leave. At one point, 3 of my siblings were on missions at the same time. From my perspective, a mission was part of growing up. It was just what you did.
That pattern shifted when my sister, Christene, an amazing person, decided not to serve a mission. Instead, she chose other paths that have brought her so many blessings. As I watched her forge a different path, a mission began to change in my mind from an expectation to a choice.
From that time, I started thinking about whether I actually wanted to go on a mission. I loved hearing talks from recently returned missionaries. I loved looking at missionary pictures and trying to picture where I would be called. Because of this, when I received my patriarchal blessing, I expected it to talk about a mission. But there was not a single line that spoke of a mission. I was shocked.
Seeking an Answer
College started and I changed my major and my plans a few times. As time grew close to turn my papers in, I started wondering if I should go. I was in the middle of my studies and had a full and happy life.
I set an appointment with my bishop. He listened and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I didn’t know, but I was thinking maybe I would just start my papers and see how I felt.
My walk home from that appointment is imprinted in my mind. I was walking under the bridge by the Tanner Building at BYU. It was starting to get cold, but I stopped for a minute and sat down on a bench. My nose was cold and my hands were tucked tightly into my pockets. I silently said a little prayer, pleading for direction, and before I was even finished, I felt a wave of peace and love come over me. I knew that if I chose to go on a mission, I would be blessed, AND I would blessed if I chose another path.
I took inventory of my feelings and thoughts, then quietly said to myself, “I’m going to go.” I felt the Spirit get stronger and stronger and I knew that Heavenly Father was aware of my decision.
And that was the only answer I got. As I put in my papers in January of 2009 and started preparing to receive my call, all sorts of crazy things started happening. Amazing summer opportunities became available. My dating life got busier. I felt the pull get stronger and stronger that maybe there were other options besides a mission, but through it all, I felt inside that I wanted to serve.
Receiving My Call
Then my call came. I had always wanted to serve a mission somewhere international. I had taken 6 years of French. I loved traveling. I just knew that my call would be to somewhere exotic and amazing and then I would know for sure that I was supposed to serve a mission.
The white envelope finally came. My family and friends gathered and my hands shook as I opened it. I started reading-
Dear Sister Voyles,
You are hereby called to serve in the California San Diego Mission. It is expected that you will serve a period of 18 months. You are assigned to labor in the Spanish language.
I was floored. Stateside and Spanish?? It was not at all what I had expected. It was just so… normal. The euphoria of opening my mission call, a moment I had literally waited my whole life for, was tempered a little bit. San Diego seemed like a dreamy place to serve a mission- I mean, was that even fair?
Months later, my mission president would teach me – “You are called to a people, not a place.” Yes, San Diego is gorgeous and amazing, but the people of San Diego – oh I love them so much. They are kind and friendly and loving. They taught me so much. Looking back, I cannot imagine ever ever being asked to serve anywhere else. San Diego was my mission and San Diego and its people will always have a piece of my heart.
I’m so grateful that Heavenly Father helped me to stay focused on my goal. I’m grateful for answered prayers. Choosing to serve a mission is such a personal decision. My mission was hard and rewarding and scary and wonderful. I know that for me, choosing to serve a mission was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
If you’re wondering whether you should serve a mission, take it to Heavenly Father. Surround yourself with good influences and understand that this is YOUR CHOICE. Listen to the advice of others, but most importantly, listen to your Father. He knows you and your life and your future. Good luck!
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