The journey towards deciding to serve a mission was a long
and important one. It is a decision that has to be made between you, your
family, and Heavenly Father. I have never been one of those girls who have
always known they’d serve a mission. So, in October 2012 when the Prophet,
Thomas S Monson, made the announcement in Saturday Morning General Conference
that girls are eligible for missionary service at age 19, I had some deciding
to do. I was blessed to be in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City for that
moment, and the Holy Spirit in that room was tangible. This feeling rushed over
me, stronger than I have ever before felt the Spirit. I knew, then and there,
that God needed me in this work. I knew that I was supposed to go. I felt like
I was called to the work in that instant. Since that decision, I have gone
through a rollercoaster of emotions! I was so terrified about where I’d be sent
to serve, but the Lord loves us so much He wouldn’t send us somewhere that we
wouldn’t be able to cope with. As I exercised faith in this promise, I have
seen the hand of the Lord direct my paths. When I submitted my papers in May
2013 I felt the happiest I have ever felt! I know that this is right for me. I
waited 3 weeks and 4 days for my mission call! Once it came through the door
and I held the envelope in my hands, I felt so calm and peaceful; it was a nice
contrast to the impatience and curiosity I’d been feeling for those almost 4
weeks. This peace was such a blessing because I had to hold it in my hands for
7 hours before I was able to open it! I had to wait for all of my family to
finish their daily affairs before I could find out where I am needed for 18
months. I had decided that I’d like to open my mission call in the grounds of
the London Temple. We had the easiest journey down there – there were no
traffic or problems and we got there faster than we ever had. The sun was
shining, which is extremely rare in England ;) I felt that these were blessings
from my Heavenly Father because of His love for me. My family sat on the bench
next to the David O McKay oak tree, and we prayed, I shared a few words and
then the time was really here. I’d wondered about this day my whole life. Would
I ever get a mission call? How would I react when a letter from the Prophet
came for me? It felt so surreal that this was real, my real life, and no longer
a dream. My hands trembled as I opened the big envelope, and my mind swirled
with the possibilities. But, the peace prevailed and I still felt no fear or uneasiness.
I pulled the letter out, and slowly read
“Dear Sister Nicholls:
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 Utah St.
George Mission. In addition to your calling to share the gospel, you will be
assigned to serve in the St. George Temple Visitors’ Center.”
St. George!!!!! I had never even considered St. George! But
as soon as I read it, it felt like I’d always known that that was where I was
going. It was like a “duh!” moment! As I read out the first part, in my
peripheral vision I saw the line below, and saw a capital S. I wondered if it
was Spain, Sweden, Singapore or Salt Lake City. But as I read St George, I knew
that that was where the Lord needed Sister Nicholls. I couldn’t have chosen
somewhere more perfect for me, and know that the Lord had heard my prayers,
knows my potential and limits, and had sent me somewhere that I am needed. We
all hugged one another and walked the grounds of the Temple talking excitedly
about this next step in my life. The smile on my face in all the pictures of
that evening is a smile that is rooted deep from the soul. An enduring
happiness with celestial potential! We had previously determined to eat the food
of the country I’d be going to for dinner - burgers, fries and onion rings were
enjoyed by all ;) I felt so light and peaceful, like I was walking on air all
evening. As I have spent time researching St George, I have discovered that
within the boundaries of my mission resides the family of the missionary who
taught and baptized my father. If he hadn’t served his mission, I wouldn’t be
serving my mission. Hopefully I can see the Christensen family for which I have
so much gratitude for changing my father’s life now and eternally. Furthermore,
as I have looked at pictures of the St George Temple, it has answered a
question I had many years ago. I did home study seminary, and saw a picture of
the most beautiful temple I’d ever seen, lit up in front of a backdrop of red
rock and desert-looking canyons. Ever since then I wondered which Temple that
was, and how can I get there? It was the most beautiful Temple I’d seen to that
point in my life and it intrigued me. I made it my goal to find out which
Temple that was and attend it before I die! Well, as I was looking at pictures
of the St George Temple, I received my answer. That was the Temple that I
discovered in my seminary studies all those years ago, and now I am going to serve
there for 18 months. The Lord truly knows our thoughts and desires and loves to
make us happy. Ever since I opened my mission call tears of gratitude have been
shed no matter the location I am at; whether I am at the gym, driving in my car
or shopping, I just cry with the overwhelming peace and perfection of this plan
for me. From these experiences I have learned that God has a plan for each of
us, but we have our agency to choose. We need to make the decision, go forward
with faith, and ask Him if it is right for us. He’ll tell us before we get too
far down the wrong road. He loves us and wants to be involved in our lives, if
we will let Him. Since then, I have made all the preparations I can, and am
waiting for my time to come. This will be the blog my emails are posted to on
my mission, so please, come and share in the experiences I’ll be having as
Sister Nicholls in the St George Temple Visitors’ Center.
