Friday Free Day- How to become a missionary

I figured I needed to tell my story of how I came to be a missionary at the Referral Center. I have a heart condition called neurocardiogenic syncope. It basically means that I faint sometimes if I get too hot or don't eat, etc. Any individual who wants to be a missionary fills out an application, called mission papers. Those papers are sent up to church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. 


When I filled mine out, the word came back that I was not expected to serve a mission for the church because of my heart condition. Through my local church leaders I was given the option to serve other service missions. It wasn't quite the same as a proselyting mission though and I had decided before I turned in my papers that if I wasn't called on a proselyting mission I would pursue other interests.

When my papers came back and they told me that I need not serve, I was devastated. But through the work of my Stake President my papers were sent back up to Salt Lake City for further review. Two weeks later I was called to the Provo MTC-Referral Center Mission.

The RC Mission was a pilot program when I first arrived. Meaning it was still in testing stages. Nobody was sure how successful the mission would be. However, over a year later we are the highest baptizing english speaking mission in the world, per missionary. I am definitely blessed to be serving here, with the wonderful missionaries that I serve with. My heart condition has gotten continually better the longer I've been here, and I know that I am blessed by God to be able to do this work.