52 Blessings—Mission Calls

My nephew, Justin, received his mission call this week. He’ll be serving in Italy. He couldn’t be more excited.

Mission calls are extended to those young men, young women, older women, and married couples that have a desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others in the world. There are all kinds of missions: proselyting, service, leadership, teaching, humanitarian . . . and most missions require that the missionary leaves his home and comfort zone. Young men make up the bulk of our missionary force and are mostly called as proselyting missionaries – missions where they share the doctrines that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches.

Prospective missionaries send their applications to Salt Lake City where their information is observed and they are assigned a place to serve. It takes a lot of faith to offer the years, money, and effort to serve a mission. It takes a lot of faith to say “I’ll go where you want me to go. I’ll do what you want me do. I’ll say what you want me to say.” But they do it. They do it.

When Justin received his mission call, my sister Rachel wrote, “He's thrilled. It didn't even enter my radar that Italy was a possibility, I mean not even remotely. But looking back I find a lot of little thinks that make me say, "Hmm..., why didn't I think of that?"

1. We studied Latin for two years and he absolutely loved it. I always thought it would be a good jump off for Spanish, but Justin always said, "No, Italian." I just rolled my eyes.


2. When he found out he was going to get to go to Europe (for educational purposes) he chose all the books on Italy to study. I always said, "Justin! You're only going to be there for two days. Why don't you study France and French or Spain and Spanish where you'll be staying longer? He would just smile and shrug his shoulders. "I dunno. I just like it."

3. Out of all the European books we kept, like the 'travel for dummies', Italy is the only one we still currently own. Because Justin wouldn't let us part with it.


So yes. He's very, very excited. I'm excited for him. He already loves the people and the place.

I thought about Calvin, Abe, Ray, Ty, and Michelle’s calls. Calvin served in the Northwest mission (fancy that, we live here now). Abe served in the Philippines. Ray served in Thailand. Ty served in Taiwan. Michelle served in Arkansas. There was something unique in each of those missions for the one who served there.

And it is as Calvin says, “The important thing is that you serve. It doesn’t matter where you serve. It matters that you serve.” But I still can’t help but find comfort and satisfaction that the Lord has a hand in where you’re going and that He attends to details that only He could have known.