The words in the Doctrine and Covenants section four, verse three kept coming to my mind as I grappled with the decision of whether or not to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: “Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work.” I found myself wanting to serve, but I was facing a lot of fear and uncertainty regarding the decision. However, after lots of pondering and prayer, I decided to serve a mission.
I have been called to serve in the New Jersey Morristown Mission, Spanish speaking. This means that I will leave home and put my life here on hold for 18 months so I can go and teach people about Jesus Christ and to spread the love of God. I start missionary training on August 12. My mission covers parts of New Jersey and New York, and specifically focuses on the Spanish speakers that live there. I know that this mission call was meant for me, and that God knows exactly where I am supposed to be. I love the people of the New Jersey Morristown Mission already, and I can’t wait to meet them in person.
As excited as I am, choosing to serve a mission was the hardest decision I have ever had to make. I’ve had to do a lot of deep thinking about why I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I’ve had to consider whether or not it seemed right for me to make the sacrifice required to serve a mission. After some time, I was able to find my “why” to serving a mission.
One of the reasons behind this “why” is my own personal experience. Throughout my life, I have been blessed with opportunities to meet many wonderful people across many different religions and cultures. I have experienced visiting holy sites from numerous different religions, such as the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I’ve walked through synagogues and cathedrals, and looked over the Baháʼí Gardens. I have even had the opportunity to attend mass and a non-denominational Christian service.
I have felt a wonderful spirit in all of these places, as I saw people worshipping God; however, despite my fondness of all of these places and the good feelings I had while visiting, I have never found a religion that brings more peace and hope than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Through personal experience, I have found that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a gospel of hope. The gospel of this church is about the hope of becoming a better person. It’s about the hope of life after death and eternal families. It’s about the hope of finding joy, both in this life and in the life to come. This hope has gotten me through the most difficult periods of my life. This hope has brought me peace when nothing else seemed to be able to. This hope has brought me joy, even in the hardest situations.
This leads me to the second reason why I want to serve a mission. As I mentioned before, I already feel a lot of love for the people in the New Jersey Morristown Mission, even though I’ve never met them. I want them to have that same hope, peace and joy that I feel. It is difficult for me to imagine what my life would be like without the gospel. I know that without it, I would not be the person that I am today. It has supported me, comforted me, and helped me to find a greater purpose in my life. I want to go on a mission to share the blessings that I have received with all of God’s children because I love them.
The last reason that I want to address is the biggest thing that has propelled me towards serving a mission. This is my love for God and for His Son, Jesus Christ. All of the hope, peace and joy that I experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is because of Him. As the famous hymn goes, we are “called to serve Him” (emphasis added). As I have come to know Him and love Him, my desire to serve Him has increased, and I have found the courage to go on a mission.
I am so excited for this next phase of my life and for the unique opportunity I have to serve Him as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am grateful for the gospel and for the hope and peace that it brings me, and I am looking forward to being able to share that with others.
– by Nadia Griffin
Feature image caption: Nadia has been called to serve in the New Jersey Morristown Mission speaking Spanish.
Read the testimonies of other missionaries like Nadia in Let Your Life Glorify the Savior by Elise Sarles and Serving in Buenos Aires, Argentina by Kyle Morgan.
Nadia Griffin – Escalante
Nadia is a designer and junior editor for The Byway. She graduated from Escalante High School in 2023. She is also the oldest of nine children. Nadia enjoys writing in almost every genre. In her free time, she loves to play and compose music. She also likes to compete in basketball, cross country, and track and field for her high school.
Starting August 12, Nadia will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New Jersey Morristown Mission.