Gladstone, QLD, july 2021
Sister Mill: The sacrifice that I've made to be where I am right now is, as a normal 20-year-old... You know, they don't usually go out and sacrifice their time with their family. Back home I left my family and my friends. And I also left studying, career, to be in control of my myself and what I do and the choices that I make. I definitely sacrificed, I would say, my pride, what is easy, and I would say that I have also sacrificed fear. I'm not usually somebody that really enjoys talking to people or getting outside of their comfort zone. But as a missionary, I meet so many different people and it requires me to be bold, to talk to strangers. This is not something that's so normal in society. And so often it requires me to sacrifice what I feel and the fears that I have because I desire others to find more joy and happiness and to find more purpose.
I desire for them to know of God and just to help them, just to help out in the community. So I would say that I have given a few things to be here in Gladstone. I'm pretty far away from home but in saying that, sacrificing those things is the best decision that I've ever made. And I have found so much more joy and I've found so many more blessings from letting go of those things as I meet people in the community and see the joy that comes into their life, as I make meaningful memories, as I just get out and help those that are in need. So it is a sacrifice, but I also get so much in return, something that you could never get anywhere else.
I desire for them to know of God and just to help them, just to help out in the community. So I would say that I have given a few things to be here in Gladstone. I'm pretty far away from home but in saying that, sacrificing those things is the best decision that I've ever made. And I have found so much more joy and I've found so many more blessings from letting go of those things as I meet people in the community and see the joy that comes into their life, as I make meaningful memories, as I just get out and help those that are in need. So it is a sacrifice, but I also get so much in return, something that you could never get anywhere else.
Sister Hinves: As I grew up on a farm with not many people my age in the community, I found it really hard to talk to people. I guess giving up things that I wanted, for other people, to help them, has brought me out of my comfort zone, in a sense. For example, I love to stay home and spend time with my family, play games or help them where I can. But now I'm in Gladstone instead, helping other people...
I guess for me, Love would be the biggest sacrifice. One reason I am on my mission currently is to allow one of my siblings to see that there is another way and that he is able to turn around anytime he needs. Does that make sense? Being able to be that example and... I see [my siblings] go through so much and... I would do anything in the world for them. I would literally jump off a cliff.
To be honest, before my mission, a mission was nothing I wanted to do. I put in because I was like, oh yeah, this is an option. And so when I first started my mission, I actually started questioning things. And I started asking the Lord things, and that's when I actually kind of came into the church and thought "this is actually something that will improve my life".
I guess for me, Love would be the biggest sacrifice. One reason I am on my mission currently is to allow one of my siblings to see that there is another way and that he is able to turn around anytime he needs. Does that make sense? Being able to be that example and... I see [my siblings] go through so much and... I would do anything in the world for them. I would literally jump off a cliff.
To be honest, before my mission, a mission was nothing I wanted to do. I put in because I was like, oh yeah, this is an option. And so when I first started my mission, I actually started questioning things. And I started asking the Lord things, and that's when I actually kind of came into the church and thought "this is actually something that will improve my life".
Sister Mill: We get asked a lot "did you grow up in the church?", or "is it because of your parents raised you that way?", that sort of thing. But honestly, it's so much of a choice because there's just such a big difference in doing something because you have to and doing something because you want to and because you love it. People can really see that difference. I found myself really unhappy and I found myself feeling like there had to be more and there had to be this purpose that I was searching for. And I just remember that I hadn't really given God the opportunity to become a necessary part of my life. I wasn't really putting the effort in that I needed to get something back. So I decided to just start letting go, to start praying and to start studying the scriptures and to change my habits. Honestly, that was the best thing I could have done because, I have so much joy and so much purpose and fulfillment.