My 16 months Mission

Preparations: Hesitations

As I have mentioned lately, I am working to support our expenses with my sister to get to Church. Anyways, my job is a sealer in a juice manufacturing owned by my brother's sister-in-law in the city where I prefer to stay in to minimize my expenses going to the city. My salary depends on how much I have completed to seal each day so I have to do the work more to earn better. I always work even it's been late in the evening to have a better salary. It's hard and very exhausting to wake up early then sleep late. I always have fatigues in my body. That's why I know that God keeps an eye and helping me always.

After a year of my membership to the Church, I started to prepare to serve mission.

Being a missionary requires a preparation physically, mentally and spiritually. Physically, to be able to endure a long time walks and many other physically activities like doing a community services. Mentally, to be able to cope up to the demands of the field and enable to reach out different people and lifestyle. But most specially, you should be spiritually prepared and mature to the gospel. It doesn't need to be a competent missionary in the field of words of the Scripture but at least you have some knowledge about it so you won't be deceived by other and that also your faith won't be waved by the temptations around you. You are serving the Lord so Satan won't be easy on you. That's all I knew before and I thought It won't be hard for me to have those three major preparations.

I was wrong....

For Spiritual and Mental preparations, your Bishop/Branch president would suggest to read, read and read the scriptures (other term: The Word of God, Testaments of the Lord)every time that you may know what you are teaching/message to the world and the Gospel of the Lord. You may also have to join the missionaries assigned in your place to have an actual training in the field and meet the possible questions and concerns of the people. Joining the activities of the Church will also also help you cope the different behaviors of people that you possibly meet in your mission. Holding a church callings/Church assignments will surely help prepare to be a successful missionary.

For Physical preparations, you need to obtain an Medical and Dental examination to qualify you body to meet the possible physical demands in the field.

As you know, a missionary has to leave your own family to serve others without expecting anything in return for a period of time. You have to provide for yourself financially while you are in the field and you do no other work than inviting others to come unto Christ. You also have prepare financially for your two years missionary service.

In meeting your financial preparations, the primary contributors are: The Church, ward/branch member, your family, and yourself.

Financial capacity for most of member applying for a mission maybe a small matter to them specially when your parents are members of the Church because they can help you earn your financial needs but for me, it is indeed a big big challenge because my family is not member and we are not capable financially. My salary is just enough to our daily needs and to be able to get to Church every Sunday.
It add another weight on my shoulder which is impossible for me to bear.

Fortunately, the Church and the members of our branch helped me in my medical and dental needs. Members of our branch especially the leaders had pledged an amount to support me in my application.

Now, it also needs the pledged amount of my parents in my application which I hesitated to open up with them before because I know and understand that we are financially challenged and I am afraid that they may misunderstood it because they have no idea about my plan to serve a mission.

I just wished I can forge it.... I know this is wrong but I'm just afraid if they know this and hinder my only wished to serve.

Our branch president told me that they have to meet my parents and discuss about it....you know it makes my heart racing.... I was afraid and I don't know how to do it....

Their signature will also allow me to leave them and offer their son to the Lord for a long period of time which I couldn't even imagine I would somehow do it. I know it would break their heart.... I just don't know what to do....

One morning, I hear my mom calling my name again. And I can say that she is urgently calling me for some reason I don't know. I was outside the house walking towards my parents and then I view from afar the face of our Branch president with his wife and some leaders with them having conversation with my mom.... I can't explain myself... I run away and hid myself behind the plants with my heart racing. I heard my mom called my sister to look for me.....and she has found me hiding... praying this will end well... I really prayed so and I told my sister not to tell my mother where I was. She is laughing over me and I felt so embarrassed.... I've waited almost an hour to let our leaders convince my mom. I could sensed that they are about to leave so I show up myself... I greeted them a fake smile because I believed that my mother may not allow me.

Hey!!! brother Jorry, where have you been?? we've been looking for you??? Ahhmmm president, sorry ( I just say with some frustration on my face).... Oh anyways, we have to go...some of our brothers called us.... How about the....( I replied) Ah, your parents have already signed, no need to worry...ahhhmm thank you so much president (I say with a big big smile on my face)

I just want to cry upon hearing his words.... I can't explain how grateful I was that day.... I thank my parents and God for this.... I wanted to hug my parents for gratitude but I felt it was awkward to do so I didn't...

You know, I'm just relieved that day..