I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go- Part 2 of 2

*If you haven't read yesterday's post about how missionaries receive their mission calls please first read that before reading this post.
   So now that you have an idea of how the Apostles receive revelation for us missionaries and our mission calls I would like to tell you about when I received my call. There is first some paper work you have to submit to the church that states you want to go on a mission and that you have been approved by your local leaders and found worthy to serve a mission for the church. Your paper work and assignment of the call then goes through the process Elder Rasband spoke on. You then receive a letter stating when and and where you'll be serving. This is a very big deal to those who have prepared themselves to serve the Lord and to their families to see where they'll be serving.
   The night I received my mission call is one I'll never forget. As I opened the letter from President Monson I was surrounded by family and friends both in person and over the phone. I had felt pretty calm about opening it and finding out my fate until  I ripped open the envelope, took out the paper, and started to read. Then my heart started to pound. As I slowly read aloud making sure my eyes didn't creep down to where it said I'd be serving I finally reached it. You are hereby called to labor in the Montana Billings Mission.
   My family and friends cheered and the first thought that came to my mind was hey, I know where that is! My quick next thought was I have no clue what is up there. This is when a quick thought of disappointment hit me....Montana? That quickly disappeared though as I soon heard a lot of great things about Montana from my parents, grandparents, and good friend. I went to bed that night with a feeling of great excitement!
   As I look back on that experience, being out on my mission a year now, I can't think anything other than what Elder Rasband testified of. I was called to this mission for a reason! I have been placed in the Montana Billings Mission by inspiration and revelation from an Apostle of the Lord and I continue to be placed in areas of that mission by a mission president for a reason. They both have and continue to be guided by our Heavenly Father who knows the people that I personally need to touch and those who need to touch me. He will continue to place me in the right paths to bring His sheep back to Him.
   As I ponder this and as I leave an area to a new and unknown place one of my favorite church hymns comes to mind. It says
     It may not be on the mountain’s height,
     Or over the stormy sea;
     It may not be at the battle’s front,
     My Lord will have need of me;
     But if by a still, small voice He calls,
     To paths that I do not know,
     I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine,
     I’ll go where You want me to go.
     I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord,
    O’er mountain, or plain, or sea;
     I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord,
      I’ll be what You want me to be.
I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord. I have trust in Him and I know I have been called to serve in Montana for a reason. Some I already know and others continue to be discovered each day.

I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go- Part 1 of 2

For anyone who has ever wondered about the process by which missionaries are called to their designated missions here is an expert from a talk in the April 2010 General Priesthood session by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Seventy. He tells the story of being able to sit in on this process and how it built his testimony that the Lord truly calls each missionary to their specific mission that is best for them and the people they'll be serving. Check back tomorrow to read about how this has affected me in receiving my mission call to serve the good people of Montana.
    
Elder Rasband: I joined Elder Eyring early one morning in a room where several large computer screens had been prepared for the session. There was also a staff member from the Missionary Department who had been assigned to assist us that day.

First, we knelt together in prayer. I remember Elder Eyring using very sincere words, asking the Lord to bless him to know “perfectly” where the missionaries should be assigned. The word “perfectly” said much about the faith that Elder Eyring exhibited that day.

As the process began, a picture of the missionary to be assigned would come up on one of the computer screens. As each picture appeared, to me it was as if the missionary were in the room with us. Elder Eyring would then greet the missionary with his kind and endearing voice: “Good morning, Elder Reier or Sister Yang. How are you today?”

He told me that in his own mind he liked to think of where the missionaries would conclude their mission. This would aid him to know where they were to be assigned. Elder Eyring would then study the comments from the bishops and stake presidents, medical notes, and other issues relating to each missionary.

He then referred to another screen which displayed areas and missions across the world. Finally, as he was prompted by the Spirit, he would assign the missionary to his or her field of labor.

From others of the Twelve, I have learned that this general method is typical each week as Apostles of the Lord assign scores of missionaries to serve throughout the world.

Having served as a missionary in my own country in the Eastern States Mission a number of years ago, I was deeply moved by this experience. Also, having served as a mission president, I was grateful for a further witness in my heart that the missionaries I had received in New York City were sent to me by revelation.

After assigning a few missionaries, Elder Eyring turned to me as he pondered one particular missionary and said, “So, Brother Rasband, where do you think this missionary should go?” I was startled! I quietly suggested to Elder Eyring that I did not know and that I did not know I could know! He looked at me directly and simply said, “Brother Rasband, pay closer attention and you too can know!” With that, I pulled my chair a little closer to Elder Eyring and the computer screen, and I did pay much closer attention!

A couple of other times as the process moved along, Elder Eyring would turn to me and say, “Well, Brother Rasband, where do you feel this missionary should go?” I would name a particular mission, and Elder Eyring would look at me thoughtfully and say, “No, that’s not it!” He would then continue to assign the missionaries where he had felt prompted.

As we were nearing the completion of that assignment meeting, a picture of a certain missionary appeared on the screen. I had the strongest prompting, the strongest of the morning, that the missionary we had before us was to be assigned to Japan. I did not know that Elder Eyring was going to ask me on this one, but amazingly he did. I rather tentatively and humbly said to him, “Japan?” Elder Eyring responded immediately, “Yes, let’s go there.” And up on the computer screen the missions of Japan appeared. I instantly knew that the missionary was to go to the Japan Sapporo Mission.

Elder Eyring did not ask me the exact name of the mission, but he did assign that missionary to the Japan Sapporo Mission.

Privately in my heart I was deeply touched and sincerely grateful to the Lord for allowing me to experience the prompting to know where that missionary should go.

At the end of the meeting Elder Eyring bore his witness to me of the love of the Savior, which He has for each missionary assigned to go out into the world and preach the restored gospel. He said that it is by the great love of the Savior that His servants know where these wonderful young men and women, senior missionaries, and senior couple missionaries are to serve. I had a further witness that morning that every missionary called in this Church, and assigned or reassigned to a particular mission, is called by revelation from the Lord God Almighty through one of these, His servants.

       Check back tomorrow for Part 2

To read Elder Rasbands full talkClick Here.

To learn more about Mormon MissionariesClick Here and scroll down to "Missionary Program"