Preparing for a Mission... What does it take? N/T

[_JonasS]

Can you all help me? I think I am emotionally ok. My health is much better. However I may not be scripturally or doctrinally prepared and I do have a bad habit of being controversial at church. Also since I expressed to bishop that I would like to prepare I have had temptations to do things I know I shouldn't. Normally I do wrong things because I want to but I don't want to anymore and I was ok for a while but lately it has been aghhhh. Haha. Perhaps coincidence.

If you don't mind me asking, why do you think you might want to serve a mission? What would you hope to get out of it, or accomplish?

As the Church has finally realized (and implemented), missions aren't for everyone.

I am not here to defend myself. Please don't make me feel as though I have to.

When I was younger and knew little about the church, I had wanted to be a missionary whn I became older but I lost that desire when I lost the feminist views I had and wanted a family more than anything. I have leaned that I don't need to get married straight away. And that there will be time for such things in my life. The last few months has been like a seed growing. I am not sure why, but I had a desire to go on a mission and the desire grew. I read my patriarchal blessing which talked about serving whether on a mission or at home and I thought yes perhaps this is what I am to do. But Not really quite sure after that. I decided then to seek answers in the scriptures and before I looked through them a page caught my eye so I read and it said if ye have desires to serve God then ye are called to the work. I thought about that and asked my self, am I desireing to go on a mission or desireing to serve God. I don't fully know what it means to serve God and if a mission trully is serving Him. Or why exactly I feel this need inside me to prepare. And then some random person asked me if I was planning on going on a mission and I asked why he thought that and he said he can see it in me. I just took this as a coincidence. But there have been a few. And no one had said that to me before having the desire. I am scared and think it would be aweful but I also think there is something God wants me to learn and also to teach others. I am feeling prompted to prepare. Perhaps I am not supposed to go on a mission but I know for sure I am to prepare for a mission.

[_cinepro]

At the very least, you should try to spend as much time with some sister missionaries in your area as you can. See if you can spend whole days with them. Study with them in the morning, and go with them in their "finding" and teaching activities throughout the day. Stay with them the whole day, not just for a couple of hours. Do this for a few days at least. They actually used to have 2-week "mini-missions" for teenagers to live with the missionaries a few decades ago, but not anymore.

After a few days, you'll probably either be totally pumped up and anxious to do that for 18 months, or it will be clear to you that it is something you do not want to do for a year-and-a-half of your life.

That will be the most reliable indicator of whether or not it is something that you should do (and what you need to prepare for if it is something you do want to do).

[_JonasS]

We don't have Sisters in this area. I was ward missionary before I came to Uni and I went out with the sisters lots. One day I had a feeling that we shouldn't go to this one place and I actually tripped up on the step and grazed my knee and when we got up there it turned out to be a church of some sort. Haha. The worst thing is the smell of some places and the lack of hygene in some buildings, but that's what alcohol gel is for right?

[_Paul Osborne]

I would consider these a bare minimum:

-Worthy and spiritually attenuated
-Firm testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the Church's claims.
-Physically fit
-Socially stable
-Knowledgeable about the doctrines, teachings, policies and history of the Church
-Financially prepared
-Mentally prepared for two years of constant rejection, really hard work, and no gentile TV, movies, video games or books other than the approved missionary library.

You forgot the big one, no masterbating! It seems the church is really hung up on who masterbates and who doesn't masterbate.

But I don't think it's anyone's business other than the person who masterbates.

Paul O

[_Inconceivable]

Hey chatty pirate girl,

You're probably right not to ask advice from an anti-mormon site. But I'll give you some anyways.

Just a short background to set the stage; I served an honorable mission. I was active in the church until just a few years ago. I resigned one year ago and would prefer death rather than becoming a member once again.

That being said, I have one RM son (having been a success at baptism, yet totally inactive member upon returning) and 2 boys that have just decided to go just a month or so ago. I'm really torn up about their decision. Crap, I promised them years ago I'd pay for half if they coughed up the other lung themselves and they're stepping up. That's what you get when you read the Book of Mormon twice together nearly every morning as a family as they were growing up.
---
Anyways, my advice to them is the same I'll give to you:

Learn to love the people you believe you are sent to bless. It's a physiological feeling that goes beyond mere emotion. If you don't develop this, you will return an unchanged person. This principle transcends the belief in your religeon but you can see it in a few RM's. You can own this love for the rest of your life.

Study the accounts of those that repented and were converted to Christ in the Book of Mormon. Test the principles yourself. Know, personally, what it is to become born again, a child of Christ, and of what value you and all others are if we fail to have charity. I'll give you references if you'd like them. Now, you will notice that there is very little, if any, specific information about these subjects in the missionary book "Preach my Gospel". It's your problem wondering why this is so. However, if you study these principles from the Book of Mormon, you will be one of the few that will get this or teach it, but you'll have success bringing people into the Mormon church because of it.

26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

(Book of Mormon | Alma 5:26)

If you haven't experienced this, you're a poser until you do. This is the thing. In truth, those who can't do, can't teach (and you know people like this, right?).

One last thing. If you're going to commit to a mission, intend to commit 100% like the Mormon church requires. Obey all the rules all of the time.

If you don't intend to be obedient, or discover your heart tells you there are better ways outside the margins to be effective as a Mormon missionary, you have just formed the church of Jonas. Recognize the difference and then follow your heart.

Wishing you well on your journey.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

I would consider these a bare minimum:

-Worthy and spiritually attenuated
-Firm testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the Church's claims.
-Physically fit
-Socially stable
-Knowledgeable about the doctrines, teachings, policies and history of the Church
-Financially prepared
-Mentally prepared for two years of constant rejection, really hard work, and no gentile TV, movies, video games or books other than the approved missionary library.

You forgot the big one, no masterbating! It seems the church is really hung up on who masterbates and who doesn't masterbate.

But I don't think it's anyone's business other than the person who masterbates.

Paul O

Haha Im not worried about that. :P

[_Dakilang Pinoy]

Well, I'll be honest with you- no one can ever be completely prepared for a mission. But that's good since you wouldn't learn anything otherwise. The mission will also be the hardest thing you've ever done (at least it was for me), but it is more than worth the hardship. You will learn to be selfless; nobody ought to serve for their own benefit, though you do receive many blessings.

However, you should at least be somewhat prepared. President James E. Faust gave a great talk on preparing for missionary service which you will find here. Though it's addressed to the men, it can just as easily be applied to the Sister Missionaries:

http://library.LDS.org/nxt/gateway.dll/ ... ission.htm

I want to add to what he said about avoiding the mysteries. Focus on learning the doctrines of the missionary lessons. (Also, get Preach My Gospel if you don't already have it.) As far as applying doctrines are concerned, focus on the first principles and ordinances of the gospel.

Many of the people here or anywhere else who have been disaffected by the Church became so because they strayed from these principles- thereby losing their spiritual foundation, their "rock"- and got caught up in vague teachings and alleged statements/opinions of past Church leaders. Now if they had kept their testimony and understanding of the basic principles strong, they might have been able to comprehend some of the deeper things by the power of the Spirit (or would have discerned some of the other things to be opinions- and not the doctrine of our Heavenly Father). However, it can be applied to them what Peter said of those who could not understand some of Paul's writings:

"As also in all his [Paul's] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." (2 Peter 3: 16-18)

That's all I can say. Pray about it. Know that you have a testimony. Seek counsel from your parents, bishop, and stake president; seek their counsel more than any other person's.

I can't give any advice about physical and other aspects of preparation because I don't know your situation. Good luck to you, even if you end up not serving a full-time mission.

[_haleray]

I will say to read ALL the scriptures, also I would recommend to read any article in the Ensign that talks of the scriptures. Read the Preach My Gospel manual, all the missionary library, the Church Institute manuals, and any other informative gospel books you can find. If there is a Deseret Book, or some other LDS book store near you, there is a missionary section, with some missionary help books.

[_Gazelam]

Pirate,

Glad to hear your going on a mission ! Very exciting

The best thing you can do to prepare for a mission is to read the Book of Mormon and pray.

You are not going into the field to be an apologist for the Church. What you will be doing is teaching people how to pray and how to receive answers to their prayers. You are introducing them to the Holy Ghost and how he works.

Be careful as to how much peripheral church stuff you decide to brign with you into the field. You'll end up having one of your suitcases full of books that you have to drag around from area to area. Just have a nice set of the standard works, and a copy of Mormon Doctrine is recommended. Some doctrinal commentarys might be nice as well, but they can take up alot of space.

If youve read the Book of Mormon twice and have a nice prayer habit down, then the next thing on your list woudl be to begin to memorize scriptures. The Holy Ghost does bring all things to your remembrance, but you need to fill your well so he has things to draw upon.

Ill see if I can't drag out my old list my mission poresident gave me for you. I never did finish the list myself. There was a very nice award they used to give out for those that passed off the full list.

Very exciting time for you, keep us posted.

Gaz

[_JonasS]

QAwww thanks.

I have a year to prepare. I plan on doing another year at uni then taking time off and then going back for the last year. I am reading the Book of Mormon at the moment. I have got as far as 2nephi 3 I even read all the stuff I don't like to read at the front. I have preach my gospel as I used to be a ward missionary. I am also reading Joseph Smith rough stone rolling. I often find then when learning stuff, I get mroe and more coming to me and I end up not being able to keep up so at times it is easier to not bother. I have been working on writing but it's not going far. One of the things is a bit deep and perhaps not in agreement with church doctrine but if it is right then it should all be smooth. I just am not at the right level or stage in my life to start delving into something that will consume so much time. Hopefully after a mission I will be more mature and will learn how to learn better and organise my time better.

I love that teeshirt hehe real cute. Thanks Gaz and thanks for the PM.

Man I hate being scared of the dark. Stupid stupid!!! :(