Why Do I Want to Volunteer as a Missionary?

Our stake has a blog that the youth write for.  Douglas was asked to be a guest writer.  Here is the article he submitted.

By Douglas Orchard

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to volunteer as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  The question was never IF I would serve a mission, the question was more where would I be going to serve a mission.  I have always known that a mission was the right thing to do and my dad has constantly told me that there are things you will learn on a mission that you will not learn anywhere else.  I have a love for the gospel and I know without a doubt that it is true.  I am grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and I want to go out and share it with others so they can have this same knowledge.  I want the people of Mexico to have the same happiness that the gospel has given me.  President Thomas S. Monson has said,

"First, to young men of the Aaronic Priesthood and to you young men who are becoming elders: I repeat what prophets have long taught-that every worthy, able young man should prepare to serve a mission.  Missionary service is a priesthood duty-an obligation the Lord expects of us who have been given so very much.  Young men, I admonish you to prepare for service as a missionary.  Keep yourselves clean and pure and worthy to represent the Lord.  Maintain your health and strength.  Study the scriptures.  Where such is available, participate in seminary or institute.  Familiarize yourself with the missionary handbook Preach My Gospel."

I have been super blessed to have amazing examples in my life of people who have dedicated their life for two years to serve the Lord on a mission.  The one who sticks out to me most is my uncle Dallas.  I say uncle but our relationship is more like he is my brother.  He left on his mission when I was five years old.  I was pretty excited to take over his room at my grandparent's house where we lived at the time.  This is the first person I can completely and 100% remember going on a mission.  Little did Dallas know that he would inspire a kid who had not even been baptized yet to go on a mission.  I wrote Dallas constantly while he was gone, I couldn't wait for his letter to come and see what he had to say.  To this day I have his letters saved in a binder that I will occasionally go through.  Now it is apparent more than ever how often he bore his testimony of the importance of a mission.  The small and simple things that he would say in his letters about his love for the Filipino people and his love of the gospel helped push me to serve a mission.

Now it is my turn to go and serve the Lord.  I know that there is nothing more important for me to do at this time in my life than to go and serve the Mexican people.  I know that it will not be easy but I know that the things I learn and the experiences I have will bless me and my family forever.  I hope that I can be as influential as Dallas was to me.