Dear Brethren, I accept.

We have a big hype in the church when it comes to mission calls. A "mission call" is probably one of the most important letters you will ever receive in your life. It is a letter from the prophet telling you where the Lord wants you to serve for eighteen months. You can read my mission call here. 

But what we talk about less is one of the most important letters you will ever send. 

After you receive your letter signed by the Prophet, you are given an opportunity to send a letter back to the "Brethren" or the leaders of the church in which you accept your call to serve.

I thought it would be fun to share my acceptance letter with you guys so here it is!

Dear Brethren,

I accept my call to serve in the Florida Orlando Mission. I feel lo blessed to be given this opportunity to teach people in the sunshine state about the light and happiness that comes from living and loving the gospel. There are a lot of things in my life that have bought me happiness, but nothing compares to the true happiness that comes from this church and from loving and serving God's children. I am humbled by the knowledge of Christ's sacrifice for me and I recognize that He did more for me than I am able to even comprehend. Everyday I learn more about His love for his children and His effort in following His Father's plan. I hope to be able to do as He did and to learn to love the people I serve. I hope to be able to follow in His footsteps as an example of service in helping assist my fellow brothers and sisters return home to meet their Father in Heaven and receive the blessings of exhalation. I recognize that He has given me everything, and that it would be easy for me to take that love that he has given me for granted, but I feel that eighteen months is something small that I can give to the one who gave me life. I am willing to set side my life to serve Him. I know that it will be the hardest thing I will have ever done, but I also know that if I give it my all, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Thank you so much for this opportunity to love and serve the people in Orlando. Although I have not met them yet, I can already feel God's love for them and I pray that they will be prepared to hear the gospel when we meet each other. I cannot wait to meet them. I hope to be able to be a strong missionary in the sense that I recognize that alone I am nothing, but with the help of my Father, anything is possible. Because I am only a tool in His hands. And I promise to strive to best serve Him, His Children, and the world to the best of my abilities. I have a testimony of this divine gospel. I know that God sent His only Son to Atone for me in the Garden of Gethsemane. I know that this is, in fact, His restored gospel and that He is the head of this church today. I know that God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. Did visit Joseph in the Sacred Grove that morning, and that Joseph was a true prophet. I know with every fiber of my being that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and my desire is for everyone to come to love this book and its teachings. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the only person on this earth today with the keys to govern and direct the Lord's work and the entire Church today. I sustain and uphold his teachings, as well as the teachings of the rest of the first presidency, the quorum of the 12 apostles, and all other church leaders and officers in position to direct and lead the church. I know that my call to serve the people in Orlando was divine revelation and that it is where God wants me to serve. And I can't wait to accept this great opportunity. Brethren, I am thrilled to accept this call to serve.

Sincerely,
Sister Whitney Reid

feel my sunlight

p.s. SHOUT OUT TO DALLIN AND CHANDLER WHO GAVE AMAZING FAREWELL TALKS TODAY! Dallin will be serving in Peru and Chandler will be serving in Boston and both are going to be INCREDIBLE missionaries. Thank you both so much for the example you have set for me in my life. I look up to both of you a lot. Good luck! See you in two!

p.s.s. This blog is is going to slowly be transitioned into a mission blog hence the new blog header. Let me know what you guys think!

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