Why Would the Lord Call Me to Serve during a Pandemic?
The pandemic had me questioning my decision to serve a mission, but I found answers in the uncertainty of Joseph Smith’s life.
When I was in high school, I made it my goal to start preparing to serve a mission. I wasn’t totally sure about my future plans, but I knew that if I ended up deciding to go on a mission, I wanted to be prepared.
Fast-forward a few years, and I found myself starting my mission papers near the end of my senior year. It was a crazy, exciting feeling. I still remember thinking, “My time has finally come!” It felt like nothing could get in my way. And then, boom—a pandemic hit the world.
In just a few days, my fellow classmates and I watched as everything from classes to senior prom got canceled. Temples were shut down, church was moved to home, and hundreds of devoted missionaries were either sent home or stuck in their apartments.
Although it was a crazy time, I remembered how my father always says, “Move forward with faith,” and I did just that. After lots of phone call meetings and a few doctor’s appointments, I finally submitted my papers.
In my head, I was thinking that the situation with the COVID-19 virus would get better in a few short weeks. I thought I would get the end of my senior year back and then be able to go on my mission as assigned. But the virus did not get any better; in fact, it got worse.
One day, it came: the text message that makes your stomach drop from both joy and nerves. “Your mission call can now be viewed.” The hope for the future that this short text message gave me was unreal! Before I opened it with my family, I knelt before Heavenly Father to thank Him for this opportunity and to tell Him how excited I was to share the gospel that I love to people who need it.
As I finished my prayer, I had two overwhelming impressions: First, I felt strongly that what I was doing was right, and secondly, I felt prompted to remember Joseph Smith. With these impressions in mind, I learned that I was assigned to the Uruguay Montevideo Mission, reporting to the Mexico Missionary Training Center. I was ecstatic!
A few months later, I found myself questioning the impressions I’d received. How could this be right if I couldn’t even get into the country? Or if I couldn’t even go to the MTC? How could I teach if I was supposed to stay away from people? And what was I supposed to remember about Joseph Smith? I’ll admit, this was a hard and frustrating time for me. While struggling with all these things, I was also hearing sad and scary things about the world and the virus.
Life seemed to be falling apart, and I couldn’t do anything about it.
But I finally decided to take the time to really think about Joseph Smith’s life. And it eventually hit me: Joseph Smith’s journey had a lot of ups and downs, and there were a lot of things he probably wished would have gone differently. I’m sure there were times when he also felt like his world was falling apart, and he might have been just as confused with impressions from the Holy Ghost as I was. But throughout his life and all the trials he faced, he kept trusting in God. Joseph Smith probably didn’t want to do some of the things he did, but he knew that God had prepared a way for him to accomplish all that He had called him to do.
Yes, I will train for my mission in my own home and not in Mexico. And although it’s not what I want, it’s still right and it still works. Yes, it is possible that I will never get to go to Uruguay, but that just means the Lord will help me serve somewhere else.
Just like Joseph Smith, I will continue to trust in Him and in His plan for me. I know that times are uncertain, but what I’ve learned has me excited to start my adventure and move forward with faith.