Sis. Jarvis received the news of the change in missionary eligibility on Sunday at church....
Hello, hello, hello, hello!!
18 and 19 WHAT?!!!! Is this not the coolest, craziest thing ever!!! Let's go back to a Thursday night two weeks ago.........my companion and I were sitting in our beds talking and she asked me if she thought they would ever change the ages for missionaries........I was like "uh I don't know, they've been this way for so long - I don't know if they would ever really change them again."( o o o was I wrong ;D) Flash forward to yesterday at Church......we were talking with the primary president, Sister Skyles( her husband is American, but they are living in Taiwan right now), and she suddenly asked us if we had heard the news that they had changed the age requirements for missionaries to 18 and 19. I was like, " zhen de ma?!( trans: really? o come now....) She was like, "Zhen de!" But I still didn't really fully believe her - in my head I was thinking, "O stop, pulling our leg Sister Skyles" :) Well, there we were sitting in Sacrament meeting and the 1st counselor announced it again! I turned to my tongban (companion) and we both had shocked faces - so honest truly our first reaction was, "Ah! We're so OLD!" Selfish, I know :) But once it settled in, I couldn't believe what incredible revelation this was! How many hundreds more missionaries there would be, how much this helped girls after freshman year who wanted to go, how marriages will be changed forever (as I think there will be many more people getting married sooner in their early twenties), and of course what this meant for the world - For missionary work! These Book of Mormon prophecies that this message would fill the entire Earth- it's happening, right now! Ah! I think that mormon culture and the church will be changed greatly because of this revelation. There will be so many more people serving missions, so many sisters!! I wouldn't be surprised if most girls end up going on missions now - the youth are ready to fight this fight and spread this glorious message! They are stronger than we were at their age :) I could have a companion in 6 months or so who is two years younger than me - that's so crazy! But so cool! The time is now for the Gospel to be spread to every land and people - what an exciting time to be a member of the Church! I'm so excited for these young men who don't have to worry about school immediately and can go right out on their missions and for these young women who can leave just after the young men do! I think about myself going at 19 (not sure that I was mature enough to go then ;) )- it would have changed my life.....and will change so many lives! So excited to see what great plans the Lord has in store for missionary work!!
All is well here in Tainan! Fall is in the air- I left my hair down all day for the first time yesterday so I know it is getting cooler :) All of the sisters were so touched by the Relief Society General Broadcast- it was so powerful. Everyone here is so excited for General Conference this coming weekend- a time to hear living prophets speak and receive personal revelation. We taught an investigating family and an inactive family this week. So grateful for this sacred opportunity to help these amazing people.
Sorry, talked a lot about the new missionary standard, but it's just so exciting! I'm so grateful to have a living prophet on the Earth who leads and guides us. I'm grateful for technology that allows members all over the world to hear his words in their own language. I love this Gospel with all my heart and know it is the truest thing on the Earth. Hold onto the truth that you know- it is our anchor of hope in this world :) 3 Nephi 28: 31- great and marvelous works are happening every day!
Love you!
Sister J
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