I'm headin out!

The time has come! I'm headed to Tulsa Oklahoma to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I couldn't be more excited, more nervous, and more sure of anything I've ever done in my life. It's a decision that was not made lightly. I prayed to God that I would know what college to go to and I received the answer to defer my enrollment to BYU and go on a mission! Needless to say, it wasn't what I had expected and it took some time to adjust my will with our Heavenly Father's. However, as I came to terms with this new plan I realized just how much I've been blessed with. I've grown up in a great town with loving family and friends. I had a job, a house, scholarships, and a thousand and two opporutunities to grow and develop talents. Perhaps most importantly I was born and raised in a free country, and I had the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. How in the world did I deserve all of those blessings? Then I realized, I didn't. I had done nothing to receive anything I had been given in this life, yet my father in heaven gave me so much, because he loves me and I love him. Although I will never be able to repay him for the blessings I have and for the greatest gift of all time, the atonement of Jesus Christ, I will try my best to show that I appreciate it. I'm going on a mission because I have been too blessed to sit still. I'm going on a mission because I love the Lord. I'm going on a mission because I love his children, and I want all of them to experience the love God has for them just like I have. I'm going on a mission becuase he's asked me to and I will not fail him. When times get hard I will remember "Sometimes it takes a storm to lead a heart where it can grow". And nothing is too hard with the Lord on your side. Soooo here goes nothing! My lovely mother will be posting my letters and I would love to hear from all of you!! I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church of God restored on earth by the power and direction of God through Joseph Smith. I know that The Book of Mormon is the word of God and another testimony that Jesus Christ truly is the Savior of the world. I know that he will come again and I know that we must repent in order to be worthy to return to live with our Heavenly Father. I know that we are all quite literally children of God and that when we pray to him whether outloud or in our hearts, he hears our prayers and he answers them. He loves us, he knows us better than anyone else on earth because we lived with him before we came to earth, and he wants us to return back to live with him again. I'm so grateful for the gospel in my life and for my friends and family. They've all blessed my life tremendously, and I look forward to having new experiences in Oklahoma! God bless! :)