What a weekend!!!

I know I say this almost every post...but what an absolutely amazing weekend!!! I'm SO blessed to be a member of the true church on the Earth, and for the opportunities we have to hear from our living prophets and to know that what they tell us is said in order for us to return to our Heavenly Father and live for eternity.

This weekend was one of firsts for me. I got to go to the temple for the first time to do baptisms with my best friend. Never would I have thought that anything could compare to the day I came out of the font and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Temples are such an important part of our faith and everything that we do on the earth prepares us to live eternally with our families. I'm so grateful for that knowledge, and for the opportunity we have to go do baptisms for those who were not able to do them while they were on the earth. The reverence that  is present as soon as you walk in to the temple is so amazing. I've been waiting for months (since March 17th) to go in to the temple and do baptisms. The older woman who was in charge of giving us our jumpsuits, was one of the sweetest women I've ever met, and even in the short time we interacted, I could feel her spirit and her pure joy at being able to do work in the temple. She was so happy to know that I had given up part of my Friday afternoon to help those on the other side of the veil. And the look on her face when I told her this was my first time in the temple was priceless! If I thought she was full of joy before, that paled in comparison to the look on her face when I told her I was a convert and this was my first time in the temple. I was so grateful for the opportunity to help those who were not able to help themselves and I feel so lucky to live 45 minutes away from a temple where you don't have to make an appointment to do baptisms and just for the opportunity to go. Little did I know what was going to happen to me the next morning...

This weekend is also General Conference. All the talks that have been given this weekend have touched on a topic I was thinking about, and I'm so grateful for those that have spoken this weekend and what has been said. The most exciting part, however, was hearing the living prophet speak. And I'm not just talking about in general, even though that is amazing! I am talking about the announcement that was made Saturday morning in the first session of this conference. The living prophet has decided that worthy young men are going to be able to serve missions starting at 18. He has also decided that worthy young women will be able to go starting at age 19, instead of 21. So, you my readers are going to be the first to know, I will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I hope to be entering the MTC next summer, after my sister has graduated and has started her summer. I have known that I wanted to serve a mission since I got baptized and this is just confirmation that I am supposed to go now instead of waiting 1 1/2 more years to submit my papers. Kylene, Fee-La and I had a major happy cry session yesterday morning as soon as we were told the news and I told them I had plans to serve. They are the best support system I could have ever asked for, and I can only hope my family will accept my decision and know that I am doing this so others may have the experience I have had the past few months. I want people to understand the pure joy and happiness that I have found. I love this church so much and the people who are a part of it.
I know that this church is true and that President Monson is our living prophet. I'm grateful for everything that has been given to me the past few months and for the opportunity to serve people the way the Lord wants me to.