June 6, 2016

I have such a strong testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later

Day Saints, and my testimony just keeps growing stronger. Back in the
beginning of September of 2015 I kept having the feeling that I needed
to serve a mission but this was never something I wanted to do. So I
would just brush this feeling off and ignore it and each week I would
get a really strong feeling again that I needed to go. So I decided to
begin praying and asking if I should go on a fulltime mission, secretly
hoping that the answer would be no. Then a few weeks later after a lot
of prayer and scripture study I received my answer. One night while I
was sleeping I had a dream and in this dream I opened my mission call
and I was called to Paris France. I thought this was an answer to my
prayers saying that if I were to go on a mission I would be going
foreign I didnt think it was my answer right away as odd as that
might sound. I thought it was just a sign meaning everything will be
ok. Until the next day when I got a snapchat from my momyes the
answer to my prayer was unveiled to me with help of a snapchat. In
this snap chat was a picture of a shirt and the shirt said Paris is always
a good idea. I knew that this was the answer I was looking for I knew I
needed to serve a mission. My mom had no idea about my dream the
night before no one did Except God.
So after going back and forth for several weeks it was the end of
October and I decided to talk to my bishop and get my mission papers
starter. I began to get excited. Then I eventually became uninterested
in serving a mission, I was having the time of my life in college, going
on trips with friends and making amazing memories. I decided to not
go on a mission I figured its not a big deal if I dont go. Over
thanksgiving break I was sitting in the kitchen with my brother in-law
and he shared with me experiences from his mission and how is life is
forever changed from his mission. He began to share with me how I
might be able to teach people others might not be able to and maybe I
will have experiences on my mission in which I would profit from. This
conversation stuck with me for the next few months. Luckily I had a
supportive family with any decision I was going to make they stood
beside me, they didnt try to push me one-way or another. Once again
much more prayer and scripture study was in my life, as I really
wanted to know if a mission really was the right thing for me Once
again the answer was yes.
So I resumed my papers with out telling anyone in my family this
time so I didnt get their hopes up again just incase I decided not to. I
then finished everything and needed my dental forms to be filled out
and with having my dentist back home in Colorado and myself in Utah I
needed to call my mom to get the documents filled out for me. And
then my papers were finished and ready to be submitted. I met with
my bishop and stake president and the day my papers were officially

submitted to church head quarters was the scariest thing ever!! I left
the building went and sat in my car and called my mom crying
historically. She told me I should drive down to Provo and ask my
brother in-law for a blessing so this is what I did. He gave me a
blessing and ensured me that it was all going to be ok. Since it was a
Sunday we all went to church together, my sister and brother in-law
are sunbeam teachers. While we were sitting in sharing time they
began to practice singing songs for the primary program the song they
were practicing was I will Follow Gods Plan. In this song some of the
lyrics are My life is a gift, my life has a plan, my life has a purpose in
heaven it began. I have heard this song many times, but this time it
hit me, these words are so true God has a plan for our lives and if we
trust him we will be filled with blessings and joy!
Now after all this has happened and I am living day to day with
already talking to my bishop and starting the repentance process I
have struggled once again as I have written before wondering if I
should still go on a mission. So what did I do? I began to pray again.
And what happened I had another dream. In this dream I was riding
in a car with one of my best friends in this entire world whom is
currently serving a mission in Nagoya Japan. While we were riding in
this car Bryce, my friend on his mission was just hanging out with me
as if he wasnt on a mission yet. He was actually the one questioning
going on a mission. He told me he wasnt sure if he should go because
he didnt know if he would be a good missionary. I began to talk to him
and tell him that he should go on a mission and how amazing he would
be and how blessed his friends and family would beI began to tell
him how it would greatly impact his non-member friends he had made
while living in California and how they would be greatly blessed my you
leaving. The weird thing about this was he has never lived in California
but I have, this is where I made some of my best friends both members
and non-members. Also he is the one on a mission right now so why
would he be questioning going and me being the one to comfort him?
Because God knows who I am individually and he knew that when I
woke up I would realize that I was Bryce in my dream. I was the one
questioning myself and yet I was the one reassuring myself that I
would be great and those around me and myself will be blessed.
My favorite quote that is hanging out our family fridge at home
is, God loves each of us as if there was only one of us. Unknown.
God does not speak to all of us the same way but he knows how to
effectively communicate with us. God loves us and wants the best for
us.
5. Trust in the lord with all thine heard; and lean not
unto thine own understanding. 6. In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)