Do you want to share the gospel?
Do you have a desire to bring others closer to Christ?
Then congratulations on your mission call!
When I was almost 21, I made the very serious decision to not serve a mission for the church.
I had just met a cute guy named Kyle, things were going well, but I still felt like I wanted to serve a mission.
I asked Heavenly Father over and over in prayer to point me in the right direction, and I finally heard a weighty answer: “You can decide. Whatever you want to do.”
I realized that I was going to have to make this decision and own it.
After a lot of deliberation, I solemnly but excitedly decided to forgo the mission.
I made Kyle promise me that we would serve a mission someday as a couple, because I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to serve.
Now, I still totally want to serve a full-time mission when I’m older, but I’m also realizing that I kind of missed the point.
If we have desires to serve God, then we are called to the work! (D&C 4:3)
Desires = mission call.
Instead of packing up my entire life and moving across the world though, I get the crazy, scary, exciting, agency-packed honor of picking my mission call.
Each of us with a desire to serve gets to create exactly how and when we serve!
Maybe you have created your own custom mission call to lift up those who are having hard times around you.
Maybe you have created your own custom mission call to spread light to your coworkers every day.
Maybe your call is to teach the rising generation of the church how to eat their vegetables and share toys and use the toilet.
Maybe your call is to organize service activities with precision and enthusiasm.
Maybe your call is to work on strengthening your own testimony for a bit before you have the opportunity to share it with other people.
The possibilities are endless, and constantly evolving, and extremely personal.
So what does your mission call look like today?
How can you help build the kingdom?
How can you help gather scattered Israel?
What’s your custom mission call?
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
12 Responses
I LOVE this! I am teaching Young Women these sections of the D & C, focusing on Section 4. You have given me all sorts of new things to think about. Thanks so much!
It’s a different way to think about this section and I’m sure the young women will appreciate the insights your share with them.
What you are doing for all of us is worth more then a million missionaries. This personal study guide you help us with everyday is Amazing. And it helps thousands of us. You teach such in a way to keep us interested and focused and not bored. You make it so easy to understand when it wouldn’t be without you. This is your mission. And on top of that you are an Amazing wife and mom. I have never met you but I just live everything about you. And I hate to read. And I am doing it with you. I even started the Saints like you recommended and I Love It. You are so inspiring and I am so grateful for you. What you do is worth a Million Missions. I know Heavenly Father is So pleased ???????????????? with All of the Work You Do For Us. You Truly Are Amazing ????????????
Wow, thank you so much for all you have said. I love studying the scriptures and sharing my insights and testimony with everyone, and I’m so glad you enjoy it.
I totally agree!! ???? Cali, you are great! We love you! 😉
Thank you!
I really appreciated your comments on teaching the rising generation. I believe that parenthood is the most undervalued, unrealized, Divine Calling of all. I hadn’t really thought of it as a Calling before. As a first generation member, raising my children has been the greatest joy of my life! Our children have served missions and are now raising another generation in righteousness.
It sounds like you have done an amazing job with your divine calling. It’s a hard one, but the most rewarding.
I love your reinforcement Lessons.
I can relate to the lessons better.
Thank you!
Glad you enjoy them.
Thank you for this Cali. My mission call was to be the nurse at the Thomas S. Monson young women’s camp in Ontario. I had retired early and always wanted to be a camp nurse and low and behold wasn’t I called. This led to other callings at Youth Leadership Conferences etc.
There are many ways to serve. It is up to us to be ready, willing and able.
That sounds like an amazing calling! Such a great opportunity to serve.