What's a Missionary

My companion Sister Trevino and me (I'm the taller one) in front of the NCCM office.

If you've read anything from my blog, you may have noticed I reference to being a missionary all the time. In fact, it is even in the description of my blog: "Being the observations and experiences of a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the North Carolina Charlotte Mission of Miracles" (it's a run-on sentence, I know). Seeing as how being a missionary is why I am having all of these observations and experiences, and that is the reason for the blog itself, I guess I had better explain what it is.

A missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an official representative of the Church, who is called to help others come closer to Christ by helping them receive His restored gospel. This gospel consists of faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism by the proper authority of God, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As we strive to follow and act upon these teachings, we will be able to return to and live with our Heavenly Father, who is God.

It is our job as missionaries to help others realize this divine destiny, for we truly believe Christ's command  to  "go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15, New Testament). As we apply His teachings, namely exercising faith in Christ, repentance, being baptized by the proper authority of God, receiving and following the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end throughout our lives, we "shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). 

It is because we truly believe that we can have "eternal life," meaning that we can live with God forever and be "joint-heirs" to his kingdom (Romans 8:17, New Testament), that we leave our jobs, schooling, recreational pursuits, and -- hardest of all -- families, to share this message. We get up at 6:30 every day. We study for two to three hours every day. We knock doors, talk to strangers, plan and teach lessons, coordinate with members of our congregation, bike, walk, ride the bus, and do a million other things every day. Just so we can share what we know to be true.

I testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's true and living church. It is the same church that Christ established during his mortal ministry in Jerusalem, 2000 years ago. We have a living prophet, to whom God speaks, who leads this church exactly the way Christ would lead it if He were here physically, because Christ is the head of this church. I also know that within this church is found Christ's full gospel, as well as His priesthood, which is His power and authority.  I know that through following this gospel, I can be with my family forever and you can too. That is why I am serving a mission.