called to serve

I speak often of my religion on this blog, as it is literally the biggest part of what makes me who I am.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints gather together all over the world this weekend to listen to the inspired messages of our leaders, I invite you readers who may have questions about what I believe to read more about it.  

I wholeheartedly invite you to listen in, as these messages are for everybody who wants to hear.

This morning our dear Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, dropped some big news on the members of the church.  For decades, the set age for missionaries has been 19 for men and 21 for women.  But today, in a glorious, wonderful, marvelously inspired message, we men were invited to begin serving at 18 and women at 19. 19!!!!!
Here is the historic announcement...my heart still starts racing and I get teary-eyed every time I see it. 

I have felt impressed to serve a mission for almost two years now, but as I've gotten closer to 21, the timeline of my life just wasn't adding up, and my active motivation to do so I could feel starting to wane, even though I knew it was still right for me.

I know I'm already 20, but I have been crying with joy all morning to know that I don't have to wait all the way until July.  This truly solves almost every one of my anxieties about the years to come. Starting my mission papers in January and heading out to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in any capacity he needs me starting as early as April! 6 months from now, I will be officially on the Lord's errand!

I will change my life for the better, starting now, so that I can feel perfectly worthy to go through the temple and receive all the blessings our Heavenly Father has in store, so that I may go be a servant in His hands.

Listen to or watch the live stream here.

Every last bit of my joyful love, B.