I have EXCITING news! I am a MISSIONARY! I know this is a surprise, so let me start at the beginning! A couple of weeks ago, I got a SURPRISE email from the Missionary Deparment in Salt Lake City! In this email, I was told that the church is looking for members to serve as Worldwilde Support Missionaries in the Family Search/Church History Department. It asked if I was interested and had the time to serve in this manner. There was a phone number in the Missionary Department to call, if I was! Those of you who know me well know that this email came as a direct answer to prayer! For quite some time now, I have been frustrated with my life because I WASTE too much time! As an empty nester... with lots of time on my hands I have felt that my life was USELESS AND MEANINGLESS! I just wasted away the days... filling my time with some fun PROJECTS and MANY WASTED HOURS, feeling that I should be doing something more meaningful with my time! So, I started praying about this situation! I asked Heavenly Father to help me find something to do that would
" satisfy my soul!" Well, HE DID! I received my missionary papers and filled them out and then went to see my Bishop & Stake President for their interviews and signitures!
On Saturday my mom came down with the mail from El Paso! DRUM ROLL........
The week has been spent on the telephone with the Family History Department in Salt Lake City! They tested ME and MY COMPUTER! We BOTH had to be ready to serve! I had many phone calls from them as I made lots of adjustments to my computer! I had to upgrade my internet service and install some new programs on my computer.....do some required drills for them so they could see if I know enough about the computer to serve! It took some effort but we both passed!
Yesterday.... EASTER SUNDY I was set apart by my bishopric and my husband as a WORLDWIDE SUPPORT MISSIONARY for Family Search! My 2 months of training (through a classroom on the internet) will begin TODAY! I will be trained in how to use the Family Search Program and then how to access other's computers and help them with their search for their relatives and preparing their temple ready sheets to take to the temple. From what I understand, this will be done through Skype, telephone conversations and email. I am expected to spend a minimum of 15 hours and not more than 30 hours a week. I was set apart yesterday between the morning and afternoon sessions of General Conference! The very first talk in the afternoon, after my setting apart was by Elder Russell M. Nelson! It was about the love we feel for our families and how we can, through the Family Search Program search out our families and have them sealed in the temple! I LOVED his message! The SPIRIT OF ELIJAH is already getting ahold of me!
I am SO EXICITED about his calling! SERIOUSLY! I AM THRILILED! I will be starting my training today and I PRAY the LORD WILL QUALIFY ME for this great work! I am a MORE THAN WILLING SPIRIT and so thankful for such a direct answer to sincere prayer! I love my SAVIOR AND HIS GOSPEL and am EXCITED to be involved in the GREAT WORK of helping families be sealed together for eternity!
On Saturday my mom came down with the mail from El Paso! DRUM ROLL........
The week has been spent on the telephone with the Family History Department in Salt Lake City! They tested ME and MY COMPUTER! We BOTH had to be ready to serve! I had many phone calls from them as I made lots of adjustments to my computer! I had to upgrade my internet service and install some new programs on my computer.....do some required drills for them so they could see if I know enough about the computer to serve! It took some effort but we both passed!
Yesterday.... EASTER SUNDY I was set apart by my bishopric and my husband as a WORLDWIDE SUPPORT MISSIONARY for Family Search! My 2 months of training (through a classroom on the internet) will begin TODAY! I will be trained in how to use the Family Search Program and then how to access other's computers and help them with their search for their relatives and preparing their temple ready sheets to take to the temple. From what I understand, this will be done through Skype, telephone conversations and email. I am expected to spend a minimum of 15 hours and not more than 30 hours a week. I was set apart yesterday between the morning and afternoon sessions of General Conference! The very first talk in the afternoon, after my setting apart was by Elder Russell M. Nelson! It was about the love we feel for our families and how we can, through the Family Search Program search out our families and have them sealed in the temple! I LOVED his message! The SPIRIT OF ELIJAH is already getting ahold of me!
I am SO EXICITED about his calling! SERIOUSLY! I AM THRILILED! I will be starting my training today and I PRAY the LORD WILL QUALIFY ME for this great work! I am a MORE THAN WILLING SPIRIT and so thankful for such a direct answer to sincere prayer! I love my SAVIOR AND HIS GOSPEL and am EXCITED to be involved in the GREAT WORK of helping families be sealed together for eternity!
mOm, this is awesome! I'm so excited for you! what a great blessing to receive! I'm excited to hear how all your training goes! keep us updated! Love you!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! I had no idea that you could be a missionary at home!! That is so exciting!! Keep the blogs coming to let us all know how it's going!! Congratulations, Hermana Hatch!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome!!! You are going to be great...and good for you to search for some great and meaningful activities to fill your time!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Mom! I am so excited for you. I noticed the talk on the New Family Search as well. How cool that it was the first talk you heard after being set apart. I think what touches me most about the whole experience is to see that you have received such a direct answer to your prayers! The Lord really is mindful of every one of us!
ReplyDeleteYou'll be a great missionary! Love ya!
That is so cool, Cathy...I am way jealous!
ReplyDeleteI'll be looking forward to seeing your blogs about your experiences...if you have time that is...hee
What an interesting way to serve a mission! I like it! You are going to become such a pro at modern technology with all the training the church will have you do (and you can keep teaching my mom how to stay on top of the game!). I'm really, really happy for you!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting it all is. We hope you will share some of your experiences with us. Can't wait to see you with your name badge in place.
ReplyDeleteI will keep plugging along with my Indexing. That is my contribution to society!
I can get "goosebumps" just reading your experience. Is there any doubt that Heavenly Father knows each of us and what will be best for us? He just waits to give it to us until we get to a point where we will ask Him, and then He gives it to us PLUS an extra little goody (like Elder Nelson's talk was for you).
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Cathy. We are very happy for you.
Congrats MOM! You will be a great service to so many people. I had been wondering what was going on. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteBrandon
Cool Mom! You'll do a great job.
ReplyDelete