mission survey.

I was over visiting the YELLOW HOUSE and she had this little survey about missionary work. I filled it out and thought I would share it with you all. If you served a mission please go fill this out for her. Seriously one of my favorite blogs!

1. Tell me a little about yourself & your background (where you're from, age, are you a convert, etc) MY NAME IS HANNAH. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN A SMALL TOWN JUST NORTH OF SALT LAKE CITY. I GREW UP DOING THEATRE. MY PARENTS ATTENDED CHURCH BUT OUR UNENDOWED.

2. When & where you served
I SERVED IN THE NEW HAMPSHIRE MANCHESTER MISSION WHICH INCLUDES MOST OF MAINE, MOST OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, MOST OF VERMONT, A FEW CITIES IN NEW YORK AND MASSACHUSETTS.

3. What experiences in your life prepared you for your mission? I THINK MY LIFE PREPARED ME. I MEAN HEAVENLY FATHER ALWAYS KNEW I'D END UP GOING AND IT IS SO OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THE EXPERIENCES I HAD ALL GROWING UP HELPED PREPARE ME TO SERVE. MY FAMILY WAS PRETTY MUCH LESS ACTIVE/INACTIVE IN THE CHURCH. BUT I ALWAYS LOVED GOING AND WOULD GO BY MYSELF. I CHOSE TO WORK AT AN LDS BOOKSTORE OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL TO HELP PAY FOR COLLEGE. I READ AS MUCH AS I COULD. WHEN I ENTERED THE MISSION FIELD MY MISSION PRESIDENT TOLD MY PARENTS I WAS HIS MOST PREPARED MISSIONARY. I HAD ONLY READ THE BOOK OF MORMON ONCE. BUT I KNEW PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE THERE WAS TO KNOW, SO IN THAT SENSE I WAS highly PREPARED.

4. Why did you serve, & when did you decide to go: I HAD DEBATED SERVING A MISSION SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD SEMINARY TEACHERS THAT TOLD ME I WOULD DO SO MUCH GOOD, AND I BELIEVED THEM. I WAS DATING SOMEONE AS I WAS APPROACHING MY 21 BIRTHDAY AND KNEW IT WAS MARRIAGE OR MTC. SO WE "TOOK A BREAK" OVER CONFERENCE SO I COULD FOCUS. THIS WAS SPRING 2006 ELDER RUSSEL M NELSON WAS TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE ON A PLANE (GO READ THE TALK, AH-MAZ-ING!) AND IT HIT ME. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MISSIONARY. I DIDN'T TELL THE BOY. I DIDN'T TELL MY FAMILY. THE NEXT SUNDAY I TOLD THE WHOLE WARD AS I BORE MY TESTIMONY. I SERVED BECAUSE THE GOSPEL HAD BROUGHT ME A PEACE AND HAPPINESS I KNEW I COULDN'T HAVE WITHOUT IT AND I NEEDED TO SHARE THAT WITH ALL I COULD.

5. Please share one or two of the most important moments on your mission. PAT HIGGINS. THE MAN LOOKS LIKE SANTA. . . LITERALLY. WHEN I MET THE BRANCH PRESIDENT IN THE AREA OF RUTLAND, HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, "YOU ARE HERE FOR PAT." I GOT THAT A LOT. WHEN I MET PAT, I KNEW IT WAS TRUE. I HAD BEEN SENT TO NEW ENGLAND TO FIND HIM AND HELP HIM GET HIS ANSWER. I HAD SOME OF THE MOST SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE IN THE HIGGINS HOME. THERE I LEARNED THAT GOD WILL ALWAYS GIVE US OUR ANSWER, IN HIS TIME, AND IN A WAY WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT.

6. The hardest part of a mission FOR ME WASN'T LOSING MYSELF IN THE WORK, BUT REMEMBERING THAT NOT TO GET LOST IN ALL THE WORK. THERE YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP. YOU NEED TO STAY ORGANIZED AND ON TOP OF THINGS AND NOT BECOME OVERBURDENED TO WHERE YOU CAN'T BEAR THE LOAD THAT IS UPON YOU. SO OFTEN MISSIONARIES TRY TO SAVE THEIR INVESTIGATORS, FORGETTING THEY ARE THERE TO HELP THEIR INVESTIGATORS FIND THE SAVIOR. I HAD REMIND MYSELF THAT I COULD TEACH THEM, SHOW THEM THE WAY BUT THEY HAD TO DO IT FOR THEMSELVES. THAT WAS SO HARD TO DO SOMETIMES.

7. The best part of a mission is THE FACT THAT IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, EVERY SINGLE DAY AFTER YOU HAVE SERVED IS BETTER FOR HAVING DONE IT. I STILL THINK OF MY MISSION ALMOST EVERY DAY AND I HAVE BEEN HOME OVER  3 YEARS. IT HAS MADE ME A BETTER DAUGHTER, SISTER, WIFE, AUNT, COUSIN, MOTHER, FRIEND. MY MISSION MADE MY LIFE. IT SHAPED ME AND MOLDED ME IN WAYS THAT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED ANY OTHER WAY. IT STRENGTHENS YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST AND HIS INFINITE LOVE AND ATONING SACRIFICE IN OUR BEHALF. A MISSION IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE YOU AND HELP YOU THROUGH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

8. How have you changed since serving a mission I GREW A PERSONAL BUBBLE. THAT NO TOUCHY RULE STILL EXISTS IN SOME WAYS. UM. I HOPE I AM MORE PATIENT AND CHRISTLIKE. I FEEL LIKE I AM PREPARED TO RAISE MY CHILDREN IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TO TEACH THEM GOSPEL PRINCIPLES. I AM MORE WILLING TO GIVE.

9. What motivated you to go to work day in & day out THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAD SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH THEM THAT WOULD EFFECT THEIR ETERNAL SALVATION. I WANTED THEM TO BE SAVED, TO BE HAPPY, TO FIND PEACE. PLUS, THE ABILITY TO FILL THE TINIEST BIT OF OUR FATHER'S LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN IS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

10. What did you take away from your mission experience MORE THAN I CAN PUT HERE. ALL THAT IS GOOD IN MY LIFE STEMS FROM MY MISSION. I TOOK LOVE LIKE I HAVE NEVER KNOWN. I TOOK FRIENDSHIPS THAT WILL LAST LIFETIMES. I TOOK KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. I GAINED A DEEPER TESTIMONY TO HELP WHEN THE SEAS OF LIFE GET STORMY.

11. If you are single: Do you want your future spouse to be a return missionary, why/why not DOESN'T APPLY.

12. If you are married: Is your spouse a return missionary, was that important to you, why/why not YES MY HUSBAND IS A RETURN MISSIONARY. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT MY HUSBAND HAD SERVED. THERE WERE REASONS I FELT WOULD BE OKAY IF HE HADN'T, BUT I LONGED FOR SOMEONE TO SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES WITH WHO COULD UNDERSTAND. HAVING BOTH SERVED MISSIONS AFTER THE RAISE OF THE BAR AND THE INTRODUCTION OF PREACH MY GOSPEL WE ARE ABLE TO TEACH OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS TOGETHER EASILY, SCRIPTURE STUDY, COMPANIONSHIP INVENTORY THINGS THAT YOU DO WITH A COMPANION, TRANSFER SO BEAUTIFULLY INTO MARRIAGE THAT IT IS SO BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THAT TO SHARE.

13. Advice to future missionaries GO BECAUSE YOU WANT TO. NOT BECAUSE YOU WILL GET SOMETHING AFTERWARD BUT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SHARE THE MESSAGE. HAVE FAITH THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING. HE WANTS THE SALVATION FOR HIS CHILDREN MORE THAN YOU DO AND HE KNOWS WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO TO PREPARE HIS CHILDREN. ITS NOT ABOUT NUMBERS BUT ABOUT PEOPLE.  STUDY STUDY STUDY!

14. Please share your favorite scripture &/or your testimony
MORONI 8:3
I KNOW GOD LIVES.
HE KNOWS EACH OF US INDIVIUALLY AND LOVES US AS INDIVIDUALS.
JESUS CHRIST ATONED FOR EACH OF US. NOT ONLY GIVING US THE OPTION TO REPENT AND BE FORGIVEN OF OUR SINS BUT TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH. AND WILL ALWAYS LOVE US.
JOSEPH SMITH IS A TRUE PROPHET OF GOD, JUST LIKE NOAH OR MOSES.
THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE SCRIPTURE.
HAND IN HAND WITH THE BIBLE IT DECLARES TO THE WORLD THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. THE LIGHT THE LIFE AND THE WAY.
THE PRIESTHOOD OF GOD IS AGAIN UPON THE EARTH AND THROUGH SEALING POWER OUR FAMILIES CAN BE ETERNAL IF WE LIVE WORTHY OF THAT BLESSING.
I KNOW THESE THINGS ARE TRUE.