Called to Serve

I have been called to serve in the Alpine Germany Mission (German-Speaking) for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The time period of which I'll be serving is 2 years. I leave on March 23rd, 2011 to go to the Missionary Training Center (MTC). I will be there for 9 weeks and then off to Germany. I'm very stoked. :D

Three of my older brothers have already served missions. I have seen them all leave and come back changed men. Not one of them has said that it was a waste of time; however, that it was the best two years of their life. In fact everyone I've met has loved it. It is now time for my generation to serve missions and recently a lot of my friends have left for theirs! It was awesome to hear where they were going and then watch them leave.

I remember being a kid and seeing the missionaries and always telling myself, "I can't wait until I'm a missionary!" So I've kinda always wanted to serve a mission.

This is something I know the Creator wants me to do. Who I know lives: our Savior, Jesus the Christ. I know He suffered all and paid the price to give us the opportunity to return and live with Him and the Father, and that He's always reaching out to us and calling for us to follow Him. I also know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he restored the fullness of the gospel. The Bible and The Book of Mormon are sacred records, and they both testify of Jesus Christ. I have found both books to be the word of God for myself and ask for you to do the same, if you have not. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church, and that He runs it. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of the Lord. If I did not know these things to be true, I would not be serving a mission for this Church. I know that this gospel and the Atonement give us the chance to return to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The message of the restored gospel is the message I will be sharing with people on my mission, and giving them the opportunity to accept truth. I end this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ.

[ Elder Caraway ]