Hey everyone, I know this has been a long time in the making. Ok, it's only been a few weeks. I want everyone to read this to its entirety because it contains a lot of information that hasn't been publicly shared and I think it's important for everyone to know what has happened for the past 3 weeks and everything I have done. I'm going to sort of backtrack on what I have already mentioned to everyone.
About 3 weeks/a month ago, I left the mission field. I left the Vegas West mission, I left the Dove Canyon and Aliante ward, I left Elder Brinkerhoff, and I left part of my heart. I had fulfilled my mission and my call that stated I would only be serving for 3 months. Most trial missionaries usually continue on but for some reason, I was coming home. And at this time, my future was in the air. The mission department was supposed to get back to us and let me know whether or not I was serving the Church Headquarters mission. I was open to that mission and to accept the call. I knew I wouldn't be reporting until the end of July but I figured it would be an awesome experience. I had decided to accept the call, however, I still had to make back up plans.
I came home and immediately removed my deferment from school. I already had a summer job lined up, my brothers boss was going to hire me to work at a car wash, I had friends who wanted me to room with them at BYU Idaho, and I was going to also work teaching English to Chinese children through a company. I thought I had it planned out and everything was going to work. I started signing up for classes, I couldn't wait to see all my friends at school, and after some fasting and praying, I decided that the Church Headquarters mission wasn't the route I was supposed to go. I didn't think I would accept it. Besides, the church wouldn't give us an answer.
For most missionaries in my case, they know a week before they leave the mission field, whether or not they are returning on a mission and so they already have plans set up. However, for me, I had to prepare for the best of both worlds. I had no idea what I was going to do because the church kept putting me off. We got frustrated. They kept telling us that they would give us an answer a certain day then tell us that no decision was made. We were angry because we wanted to know. They wouldn't communicate with us. For a 19-year-old college student, this isn't good because I'm young and have a future I need to prepare for. I have to plan for my future career and family. I need to know whether or not I am going put that all on hold for 2 years or if I need to start preparing now. This is crucial for someone at this age. I figured that the Lord wanted me to go to school and he needed me somewhere else. Maybe he didn't want me going to the Church Headquarters mission. Everything was about to fall into place and work out perfectly... or so I thought.
A week or two later, after I came home from the mission, everything was falling through. My brothers boss said they couldn't hire anyone for the car wash, the friends I was supposed to room with next semester had to change plans due to a rooming complication, and the equipment wasn't working for my job interview online for the English teaching job. Was this a sign? Did this show that I needed to go a different route? I definitely fasted and prayed a ton. I have fasted almost every Sunday for the past month and even fasted on a weekday. I needed a definite answer. In the middle of this, President Ham talked to me and asked, "Do you really want to serve the church headquarters mission? Is this something you want to do? If you don't want to, that's fine, no one is going to hold it against you. I just need to know so I can talk to Salt Lake and be on your side and tell them that this is something you can handle and a desire you have." I didn't know what to say. Did I want to serve anymore? Was everything falling apart because I should go this route? Did I need to continue serving the Lord? Do I need to go to school instead? I talked to my parents and fasted again and decided that yes, it was a desire I had. Everything was falling through for a reason and I really wanted to do that. However, that thought, once again, didn't really stay in my brain for too long.
The following week, things fell into place again. I had an interview with Taco Bell and it led to a second interview. That same day, Dominos moved me forward to a second interview. My equipment started working again for my interview and I moved forward in the hiring process. I had an interview with Kohls, which was scheduled a couple weeks ago, and I felt like it went great. Finally, Taco Bell hired me. Now for those who don't know me, I LOVE TACO BELL AND THIS WAS A DREAM COME TRUE. It was a dream to be able to work at Taco Bell, I know it's a lame dream but let me have my excitement. A leader from church offered me a warehouse job that was paying $15/$16 an hour. Not only did I get a job from Taco Bell but I was offered a job that would not only help me pay for tuition and what not but I could pay off my debt. Things were falling into place. I changed my plan. I decided to defer from school for a semester. I was going to stay home until April and work. I could work for my favorite fast food restaurant, gain a social life (hopefully), be surrounded by awesome members of the church, I was going to buy a car, I planned on visiting Vegas a few times and visiting Rexburg. It was going to be awesome. Life is good.
This was my response to people when they asked what I was doing. "You know what, Salt Lake is considering the church headquarters mission but they haven't gotten back to us. They keep telling us they will make a decision but it's taking forever. I feel that it's time for me to move on. I just got hired at Taco Bell and I need to earn money for school. I want to go a different path and just continue with life." I fasted and prayed, I went to the temple multiple times and that was the answer I received. I felt strongly that I need to move on in life. My mission had been fulfilled and I served the 3 months that I was meant to serve. I felt that it was right for me to move on again. I even had a friend last night tell me that he would give me his car. Well, it has 150,000 miles on it and is about to die at any moment but he said I could have it and it would at least get me to where I needed to go. Free car, 2 jobs, and all around, I was going to be happy. Life had finally panned out the way I wanted it to. I was content at where I was and where the direction of my life was going.
I thought that maybe God was once again testing my patience but he knew that it was meant for me to stay home and work. I thought that maybe the reason everything else fell through was that he knows how much I love Taco Bell and knew the job would be available to me. Maybe he needed me to come to an answer for myself and for me to know what my heart truly desires. Maybe there is someone in Idaho that needs me or needs my help. All these thoughts ran into my head when I made the final decision to work at Taco Bell and teach English, wait to go to school in April and get a free car from a friend. But let me tell you, the Lord throws a ton of funny twist into your life and sometimes you just want to laugh and say, "Hey Father, I know you're messing around. This is a joke. Nice prank." But they aren't pranks and the Lord knows your desires.
At this point, I'm assuming all of you are thinking that I am officially hired at Taco Bell and I start work next week and I'm about to get you all free food. Well, I am here to talk about what happened today. I woke up this morning and headed off to Taco Bell because nacho fries are back and I LOVE NACHO FRIES. I saw my boss and we had scheduled for me to come back this evening at 5 to do some paperwork. AWESOME!!!! Oh, and I was going to pick up my uniform. I WAS STOKED TO WEAR THE COLORS OF TACO BELL!!!!!! Then I headed off to Build A Bear because it was "pay your age" day and I wanted a teddy bear. Well, the lines were too long and they gave out $15 off coupons which is technically a better deal for me. I went to Barnes and Noble because I wanted to go to a bookstore then headed home. At 1 o'clock this afternoon, I paid $27 and began the process to get my food handlers card. It was starting to feel real. I get to work at Taco Bell and this will be awesome. Well, I get a text, "Michael, I have some news. Call me back as soon as you get the chance." That was President Ham. I call him and he tells me that Salt Lake has offered the Church Headquarters mission to me. I told him that I didn't know and asked if I could call him right back.
My first instinct was to say no. After I hung up, I thought about the job I had now, the car I was getting, the friends I wanted to go visit and the support from everyone. There was no way I could say yes. But things changed as I talked to my mom. This whole entire time, she's been like, "Oh, don't worry about working at Taco Bell, you'll be serving your mission soon anyway." And I kept being like, "I'm pretty sure I'm gonna say no because it has been too long and I want to move on." A thought popped into my mind, "serve the mission." As I'm walking around the backyard and talking to my mom, I said, "I'm going to say yes. I'm going to accept the call." Suddenly, she gets super excited and the rest is history from there.
I realized at that moment, I needed to learn to sacrifice. The first 2 years, the Lord made me wait because he needed me to learn patience and he needed me to be humble and not be close-minded on where I wanted to serve. Two years ago, I would have absolutely said no to the Church Headquarters mission. But, now I was open to it. So why did the Lord make me wait this long? Why did the Lord make me wait another 3 weeks? Why did I feel that I got a confirmation multiple times? It's called sacrifice. Before this, I hadn't really sacrificed much. I went to school and got some of my education done, I made friends, I didn't have a job or car, and everything was lined up for me to go on a mission. The Lord needed to test me. He threw a huge curveball at me. The Lord needed me to gain everything I ever wanted and then see if I would sacrifice it all for him. It definitely is no coincidence that I get a call the day after everything worked out but right before it all became official. If I had gotten a call a couple days later, after I had started my first day, I would have declined the offer. But, there was just a little bit of wiggle room to sacrifice it. BOTH JOBS WERE STILL IN THE WIGGLE ROOM SPACE. I WASN'T SET AND STONE WITH EITHER OF THEM AND THIS WAS MY LAST DAY TO BACK OUT. It is no coincidence that I got called on this mission right in between this time. I need to sacrifice.
I know that sacrificing does bring blessings when you are doing it for our Heavenly Father. I have seen and heard miracle stories of other people who sacrificed huge things and got blessed in return. Look at Jeremy Gunthrie for example. AMAZING BASEBALL PLAYER. He signed with the Mets and probably would become one of the best. When he decided to serve instead, he was told that he would never return to baseball after taking a break. 2 years later, he came back stronger than ever, 13 years later, he was winning the world series and making a ton of money, and 17 years later, he was finally called to serve as a mission president over the Houston Texas South mission, which he reported to a couple weeks ago. I know that sacrifice does bless you and your family. I could have said no and continued on working for Taco Bell, getting a car, going to school, starting a family, but I know that I need to sacrifice it all. I am really putting my faith to test right now. I have a huge faith that this is what is right for me and what the Lord wants me to do. I definitely have no regrets.
Now, when do I enter the mission field? Well, crazy story.... 1 week. I leave next Friday to fly up to Salt Lake and then to Rexburg. ALL OF MY REXBURG FRIENDS BETTER BE THERE BECAUSE I AM THERE TO PARTY!!!!!!!!! Then Sunday evening my sister and I will drive down to Salt Lake and Monday morning, July 23rd, I enter straight to the mission and begin my mission. I am so excited and quite honestly really surprised by how much of a turn this took. I was really not expecting to be going on this mission in a week and a half but I'm extremely thankful for this gospel and for the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I am off to a new adventure and I can't wait to see where it takes me.
I love the support that everyone has given me. It has meant a lot and I have truly loved it all. Each and every one of you is amazing and an awesome child of God. Don't forget that. If you are already on my email list then I'll keep you on, if not then give me your email if you would like to continue getting my emails. Thank you for the continued love and support. I love you all and thanks for reading!!!
SACRIFICE BRINGS BLESSINGS.
