Patience is a Virtue

For the past few years, I have been thinking about missionary service.  In the past, I knew that as a female I could be a missionary when  I reached the age of 21.  But, last year, I was surrounded by boys who were getting their mission calls.  I had friends in Provo getting mission calls.  I had a few friends in Mesa getting their calls.  I was excited for all of them.  I also have a cousin who is only a few months older than I.  I wanted him to get his mission call.  And, I still do.  I am waiting for him to finish his papers and get out into the field to serve.  I want him to go so badly.  But, the point is that I was surrounded by people who were leaving to preach the gospel.

So, my idea was to be an awesome missionary in Provo, as myself.  But, the problem is there aren't very many people at BYU who are not LDS.  Guess how many people of those few I know... zero.  And, if I actually do know some people who are not LDS, I don't know that they are not LDS.  So, it didn't work very well last semester.

During this past summer, I got to have a small missionary experience.  I participated in the Nauvoo Pageant.  I dressed up as a pioneer and sweat for two weeks.  Okay, we only dressed up for one of the weeks.  But, before and after the pageant, all of the cast members were supposed to talk to audience members and ask for referrals.  We had to talk to people that I didn't know.  That was rather difficult for me.  But, I managed to stay alive and ask one person for a referral.  So, I didn't think I would be a good missionary.



Just a few of the Nauvoo crew

Then, after the Pageant, I returned to the valley with my family.  I was giving a family home evening lesson in which I was incorporating a scripture from Doctrine and Covenants and  Moroni 4:3.  In my notes, I accidentally wrote down D&C 4:3.  So, after the lesson I read Doctrine and Covenants 4:3:

"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work"

I had been called to the work already.  I decided that if I couldn't find others in Provo to inform about the church, I was always welcome to help those who already have the word.  I needed to be an example through action.  I needed to help people by being myself.  So, I moved back to Provo for the Fall semester.  And, I once again started classes and met new people.  But, one day I was in my room by myself and just stood and said, "Why can't I just serve a mission now?  I'm ready."  (Truth is I wasn't really ready.  I still have a long way to go.)

Then, at the beginning of October, an announcement was made that changed my thoughts on my maybe future missionary service.

As soon as the announcement was made, I thought, After winter semester.  So, I have been working on my mission papers since right before the winter break.  I got my dental and physical examinations done in the valley while I was home for Christmas.  I sent my papers to the bishop, had an interview, and the bishop sent the papers to the stake president.

About two and a half weeks after the papers were sent to the stake president, the bishop asked me to come pick my papers up because I was missing some health information: the physician had not recorded my TB test and I needed to get a blood test and urinalysis done.  I received my papers on a Tuesday evening.  That same evening I emailed my health papers to my dad to get the TB test recorded by the physician.  On Thursday, I received a text letting me know that the physician had faxed the papers to the BYU Student Health Center.  Two weeks later, I was able to have my lab work done.  (That was this Friday, February 8.)   Yesterday, I finally gave my papers back to my bishop.

My bishop told me that I was more patient than a few of the other girls that were also turning in their papers.  I told him that I didn't know about that.  But, he reassured me by telling me that some girls text him more than once every day to check up on the progress of their papers.  I have not done so.  But, after church, I was thinking about being patient.  I guess I have been somewhat patient with the situation.  Maybe that is what I have had to learn in the past few months. 

For me, it is easy to be patient with situations.  I need to learn how to be patient with people.  I need to learn how to be patient with myself and with the people that I interact with.  After all, Heavenly Father is extremely patient with me.  He watches me make mistakes, but He doesn't rub it in my face and tell me how terribly I am doing.  He just picks me up, chastises me, and offers to hold my hand along the way.

So, if you constantly find yourself failing, you really aren't.  You only fail when you give up on yourself and decide not to try again.  And to everyone that actually reads my blog, I love you.  And to everyone who doesn't read my blog (which is everyone), I love you too.  Thanks for helping me with my life.  Have a wonderful week.  It's almost Valentine's Day.  Remember that you are loved.

Love,
Cami