1 question. 27 true stories.
Read an excerpt from the book's introduction below:
Late in the fall of 2019, a special devotional by President Russell M. Nelson was broadcast to the world. I was in my first semester of college at Southern Virginia University (SVU), trying to decide if I was going to serve a full-time mission. The afternoon of the devotional, our classes were canceled so that we could all gather in the gym and watch it as a university.
I began to wonder what the prophet would say, and the thought crossed my mind, Maybe he’ll ask sisters to serve full-time missions too.
The relief I felt at this thought was surprising. Deciding seemed a whole lot easier if I could just be told what to do—if I could be asked to serve a full-time mission like young men were. There would be no question about it: I’d go, and I’d know I would be doing what was right.
As I met up with my friends and entered the gym, I found out I wasn’t the only one musing over what President Russell M. Nelson might say or with a slight hope that he would ask sisters to serve. In fact, one young woman in our group said, “Maybe he’s going to require sisters to serve missions.”
I was not the only one struggling to know if I should serve a mission, wishing someone else would make the decision for me, and desperately hoping that I could follow the path Heavenly Father had for me and feel peace in doing so.
For many, praying and making the decision based on an answer to prayer is more daunting than being told to serve. Many wonder if serving a mission is right for them, and others wonder if completing their college education, going on a study abroad, or getting married is just as acceptable. No matter the situation, all want to feel a sense of confirmation and peace with whatever decision they make.
Called to Serve? is a compilation of stories of young women from a host of different backgrounds and circumstances who have all considered questions like, Am I called to serve? and What does being called to serve look like in my life?
Wherever you are in your journey, it is my hope that by reading this book, you can draw strength from the stories of women who have been in your shoes before—women who stood in the middle of the path you are on, had the same question you do, and found an answer.
I hope this book will help you find your answer too.