Missions

   I was dining out with some friends last night when the topic of missions came up. I turned to the woman sitting next to me and said that I thought she and I were the only two who had not served a mission. A word of explanation is in order here. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving a mission means a two year commitment for young men or an 18 month commitment for young women. They are sent to serve in an area either in the United States or overseas to teach those investigating the church and many other tasks.
  Maybe I was just imagining it, but she seemed a little sheepish when she said, "No, I got married instead." I felt like I had sort of put my foot in my mouth. (It happens often enough that I recognize it when it happens.) There are age requirements for mission work. The age requirements were higher at the time this woman could have served. Then she said that she never really wanted to serve a mission. At this point my toes were definitely tickling my tonsils.
  I apologized quickly and the conversation moved on to other subjects. The thought stayed in my head. Serving a mission is a very big deal in the LDS Church. Young people, boys especially, are encouraged to prepare to serve a mission starting at a very young age. Young people wait with anticipation to see if their paperwork has been accepted and to find out where they will be sent. When the notification arrives it is an event. Many times family and friends will gather for the opening of the official call to a mission. A young person who leaves on a mission is given a send off party and gives a talk in their home ward before leaving. When the missionary returns she or he is welcomed back warmly with a party and another talk.
   These young people do a lot of good work and important work. For a period of time it is the only work they have to do. To me this is one kind of missionary work.
   It is my opinion that there are all kinds of missionary work. It is not limited to those things that are done by full time missionaries of any age. When I looked up the definition of the word 'mission' in the dictionary, I found eight different meanings. All of them refer to doing some type of specific work. The last definition on the list is, "A self-imposed duty." This means that a mission can be anything from learning a skill, to helping someone in need, to getting an education, to preserving something for future generations.
  My friend did in fact begin a mission. Her mission was to support a man that she loves by marrying him and to have and raise their children. She's still on that mission. She'll be on that mission for the rest of her life.
  I also began a mission. My mission was to become a pharmacist so I could help care for people who have to manage their health challenges with medication. Ten years ago I accepted another mission to be a good and faithful partner to C and to be a good stepmother.
  While these are not "official" missions, they are as important as those that are. The LDS teach that the life of Jesus is a model that we should all try to follow. I have been taught that Jesus went about doing good and he commanded those who would follow him to do the same.
   I had mis-spoke when I said that my friend and I were the only two who had not served a mission. We have begun our missions and we are still on them.