If Hannah could tell sister missionaries one thing, it would be this…check out the 30-second video!
Meet Hannah
Hi, I’m Hannah, the author of this blog. I wrote a missionary self-help book for sisters called YOMO! You Only Mission Once: A Guide for Sister Missionaries. I use personal experiences from my mission to share principles that can help young women prepare to serve their missions. My hope is that my advice can enable sisters to YOMO, meaning to make the most of one’s mission and serve with confidence and joy. (YOMO means you only mission once! It’s YOLO, missionary-style).
In my book, I draw on personal experiences, and with this blog, I’m including advice from other sisters as well. I thought I’d introduce myself though first!
What was the process like for you in deciding whether to serve a mission or not?
I hadn’t planned on serving a mission, but I remember when my family had the sister missionaries over for dinner when I was growing up in Indiana. I was always impressed with their faith and testimonies. Later, I attended Brigham Young University (BYU). Many of my friends were putting in their papers, and serving a mission suddenly became a possibility. I didn’t feel pressured to serve. I was actually really focused on school. However, as I prayed about a mission, I felt the Spirit. For months I prayed about whether I should serve or not. I felt like I wasn’t getting an answer, and looking back, I realized that I just wanted God to tell me what to do, but God wanted me to choose. I decided to serve, despite the fears I had, and the Spirit confirmed it was a good decision. I put in my papers and got called to the Germany Berlin mission!
What was hard about your mission and what helped you improve?
I’m going to be honest, I felt like a lot of things were hard for me about the mission (but serving a mission was so worth it!) Two of the biggest challenges were talking to strangers and obeying all the rules. I was shy and had to learn to speak up and to open up to people, and as I did, I experienced a deep sense of joy I had never experienced before. I learned that I loved getting to meet new people and hearing people’s life stories.
As for the rules, they got easier to follow as I adjusted to the missionary schedule. Whenever I broke a rule, I quickly learned why that rule was there (if you don’t go to bed on time you’ll feel exhausted, or if you don’t help your companion back up the car, she might almost drive off a ramp!) 😊 (Some rules though you may never know the why and just need to trust the Lord).
It was hard for me though throughout my mission to be with a companion 24/7. I yearned for alone time. However, I learned that as you serve your companion and work on communication skills, you can develop fun and meaningful relationships. I also struggled with following the no flirting rule, but you can read more about that in my book, YOMO.
What did you love about your mission?
I loved the adventure of it all. I loved meeting new people, hearing their life stories, and teaching them about the gospel of Christ. Nothing made me happier as a missionary than getting to teach and bear testimony of my faith!
It was amazing and humbling to see the faith of the members in Germany and to work alongside them. It was also amazing and humbling to experience miracles and daily tender mercies, such as God sending someone to say something kind to me on a difficult day.
I enjoyed getting to study the scriptures daily, and getting to expand my gospel knowledge. I was also elated to be in Germany and fell in love with the culture. In particular, I liked eating all the good food, including Döner, Schnitzel, Bratwurst, and Klöße! I explored as many castles as I could find on Preparation Days (one day set aside a week where you are given time to clean, get groceries, and do a fun activity).
What did you learn on your mission about yourself and about God?
I learned a lot from my mission. My faith was strengthened as I witnessed the faithful examples of the members, felt the Spirit as we taught friends of the Church, and experienced tender mercies. I also grew socially from my mission. I learned more about myself. I learned how to love more deeply and how to connect with people. I also learned more about God, and how He loves each of us infinitely and equally. I know that Heavenly Father sees great value in each of us, and He never doubts us. Even if everyone else in the world doubted you, He would never doubt you. I learned that the Savior is there with us in times of trial, and a zone leader in my mission once said, “God did not send us here to fail.” Not on our full-time or earthly missions.
How can sisters best prepare to serve a mission?
What I wish I knew before I served: It helps to be more than spiritually prepared! Social, emotional, and physical preparation can be helpful, too. Ultimately, what’s most important is following the Holy Ghost, so beginning to learn how the Spirit speaks to you is a great way to prepare for a mission.
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