When I decided to serve a mission may people asked, "Why serve now? Why didn't you go when you were 19?" I was 19 when the Lord lowered the age for girls to serve a mission. I remember exactly where I was the day President Thomas S. Monson announced that girls could serve missions at the age of 19.
After listening to the prophet I felt very unsettled. This age change was not part of my plan! I was going to graduate from Weber State University with an AS in Early Childhood, and if I wasn't married by then maybe I put my papers in. After that day I prayed asking my Father in Heaven if I should stop going to school and serve a mission, or continue on my path of school. Feeling very confused and lost I continued to pray in search for answers.
I signed up for the mission prep class at the Ogden Institute remembering the advice given to me by a friend, "Prepare for a mission. If you happen to find your husband then you will be ready to be a wife. If you don't find him you will be prepared to serve a mission." One day after mission prep class I was on my way to another class when I felt the spirit testify to me that I was to serve a mission, but not just yet. I felt the impression to follow my original plan which was to finish school then serve a mission.
Back to the question of "Why serve now?" I believe that I am meant to teach one person that I can only teach. Perhaps this one person was not ready for me to teach him, or her, or maybe I was not ready to teach him, or her. I know now that this is the time that we are both ready to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
