THE LONG WAIT IS OVER - EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT

So yeah, the long wait is really over. My mission call arrived at my parent's home last December 20th. I still have work at that time so I went home the next day. You could say that I considered this as my early Christmas gift.

This is the excerpt of my mission call:


Dear Sister Ordanza:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the England London Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the England MTC on Thursday, March 6, 2014. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language. Your assignment maybe modified according to the needs of the mission president.

Mission call selfie. :D

"Doubt Not Fear Not"

I want to serve the Lord. I really do. 

By the time I graduated in college, Pres. Monson has not announced yet the change on missionary age requirement. I have already planned my life since I was sixteen. I graduated at 20 y/o, so I thought I've a year left before I leave for mission. I'm so excited to serve but it's okay for me to wait for just a year because I can make all the necessary preparations. Right after I graduate that April I went to another city found a job and signed a year contract to work for them. In a short period of time, I got the uhmmm one of kinda peculiar positions in that entity.

And then the October 2012 Gen Conf came... Imagine my frustration when I heared President Monson announced the age change. I can't breach my contract so I continue to work there. But Satan tempted me and used my career as one of the hindrances for me to doubt my desire to go on a mission. I got so busy with my responsibilities and forgot my main purpose, which is to prepare on serving Him. I began doubting my desire. Like, "What if I can't have a job like this when I get home from mission? I love the benefits I get on this company and I love my position." I began to procrastinate the day of when should I serve Him. And then I attended the Multi-Stake YSA Conference. It opened my mind to lots of things regarding on serving a full-time mission. I began attending the Mission Prep Class on the ward I'm attending in. My Mission Prep teacher's a newly returned missionary. He's taking up the same major as what I've got. I didn't tell him my "doubts". But one day, when I came to class twenty minutes early, he's already there. He made me open my Bible, to the 18th chapter of Luke. He made me read the verse 27 aloud and continued to verses 29 to 30. "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." How awesome is that?! Verses 29 to 30 are promises for a man who'll leave on serving the Lord. Go check it out right now. I don't know what to say that time. That week also, I got my patriarchal blessing. After few promises, the first blessing that the patriarch told was about me serving a full-time mission. Second thing? MY CAREER! Tears won't stop flowing on my eyes that time. After my contract ended, I immediately went back home, (here in Palawan) and made an appointment with my bishop. While processing my papers, I found a job. It's a "much better" job than the former one. Higher position, greater benefits to name a few. Right now, I'm just waiting for my mission call. As of Nov 27th, my assignment has been made. I am not afraid to leave this company nor to postpone any opportunity that will boost my career. Why? Because I know, I have a more important thing to do first. Which is to help the Lord on his "business".What business? "To bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men." I have a firm hope and faith on the blessings indicated in my patriarchal blessing. It's up to me to gain those, I know, that's why I'm working on it.

So for any of you who are struggling with the same dilemma, ask Him through a sincere and earnest prayer, He listens and answers. Answers come through reading the scriptures, Liahona, or even from people whom He sent on your way. I know, that through the Holy Ghost, you'll receive those answers. :) Remember, "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." The Lord loves you and He doesn't want you to be confused. :)

I'll Go Where The Lord Wants Me To Go

Or one and a half year for me. ;)

Hola!


FAQ to a young man or woman like me who is preparing to serve on a mission is "Where do you want to go?", I would probably answer right away that "I wanna go to Chile" (because SOMEONE I know is serving there ) or "I wanna go to Hogwarts (if there's one because I love Harry Potter that much). But if I would be given a chance to choose and pick one, I have a prompt realization on serving my fellow Asians. Why would I choose to serve the Orientals? Why not in the U.S.? Or Europe? Or Canada?

Being a Filipino is not a coincidence. As we all know, Philippines is the only Christian nation among Asia. Leaders told us (in a multi-stake YSA Conference) that Filipino 'rising generations' are the hope of our neighboring countries.I wanna help them obtain the truth that they are seeking.

I may not have Mormon great grandparents but I wanna be the pioneer of my clan and in the generations to come. But honestly, I'll go wherever the Lord wants me to go. This is not my mission nor yours, it's the Lord's. It doesn't matter where will you go, what matters most is how you serve. There are two greatest commandments, which is to "Love God with all thy heart, might, mind and strength" and to "love thy neighbor as thy self". King Benjamin taught us that "if ye are in the service of your fellowmen, ye are in the service of your God." I am going to serve on the Lord's mission because of my expression for Christ's atonement. I love my Father in Heaven and I want to help Him on His errand, which is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men". So, choosing to serve is like hitting two birds with one stone. Oh, I know it's probably more than that!

I can not wait to open up my own mission call!
It will be the best eighteen months for sure!

I am grateful for the missionary work. Without this "noble work" I have not found the truthfulness of the gospel. I have not known that the Lord still speaks to His chosen servant, the prophet, today. I have not known that there was a fine young man named Joseph Smith who had seen Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and who served as instrument for the restoration of the gospel and the translation of The Book of Mormon which is the another testament that testifies of Christ. I can not express of how grateful I am through words for my heart is overwhelming with happiness for the truth that my family and I have known. This is my testimony of which I bear in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.