The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly....I'll Take It!

Wow, I have 30 days and I'm gone for 18 months. When I opened my call, I had 90 days until I reported to the Provo MTC and now I have 30 days. WHERE IN THE CRAP DID THE LAST 60 DAYS GO?!? The past 60 days since I got my call have been eventful... trips to Bear Lake, Team Leader at a summer camp, volleyball 24/7, mission prep, camping, and much more.

Of all the past 60 days, July 30th will be the most memorable. July 30th I took some of my closest friends and family members to the Ogden Temple as I received my own endowments. The temple is a very special place and I hope all can one day enter The House of The Lord like I did. David A. Bednar said something that I love, he stated that "The temple is a point of intersection between heaven and earth." I can't begin to tell you how true this is. I have never felt so close to heaven than I did the moment I entered the temple. The moment you enter the doors, the world can no longer touch you. You become separated from the world and you feel so close to heaven. The temple is a piece of heaven that our Heavenly Father has given us. Please take time to go to the temple as much as you can. Whether it is baptisms, endowments, or simply sitting on the grounds. We have been blessed with so many temples close to us. I can testify that when you feel as everything is falling apart, you will feel the peace you are searching for at the temple.

Let me tell you something, after I enter The House of The Lord, the next two weeks I felt as everything was falling apart. I felt empty inside, depressed, and alone. I would randomly start bursting into tears for no reason. I was an emotional wreck, making me embarrassed and ashamed. As I was sitting outside the temple at 1:00 AM I received a text that I want to share. It said:

"these next several weeks are going to be the hardest you'll ever go through. Satan knows the influence and power you will have, he knows you are going to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who don't have it and he wants to stop you. Don't let him win, don't let him get you down. Never forget you're a child of our Heavenly Father and sister to our Savior. They will never leave you alone, they will never stop loving you."

 I took this text to heart and I gained the greatest lesson out of this trial. When you are making the greatest decisions in life or simply living a Christlike life, it doesn't mean it's always going to be rays of sunshine. Satan will attack and trials will come. There is always light at the end of the tunnel but you can't stop in the middle of the tunnel and give up, you have to endure to the end of the tunnel to feel the light once more. A dear friend of mine once said "Remember that Jesus Christ never gave up on you in the Garden of Gethsemane so don't you dare give up on him." We have someone who understands every joy, pain, happiness, sadness, and any emotion we feel. When you feel as if you can't go on, remember that someone knows exactly what you are going through. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is powerful if you apply it to your life daily.

The good, the bad, the ugly.... I'll take it if that means I'm one step closer to living with my Father in Heaven and my Savior. I can testify to you that you are NEVER alone. Someone is always there for you. Seek for the Lords hand in your life everyday. I promise you that if you make a point, to look for miracles everyday, you will see how much our Heavenly Father and Savior are in your life. I love this gospel and the peace I recieve from it. I know that it's not always going to be easy but in the end, it'll be worth it. I love you all so much.

XOXO
Soon to be Sister Detamore

Two Curve Balls Later and I'm Packing Up for Ohio

Well, I guess I can say I'm jumping on the bandwagon and starting a blog (not just any kind of blog, I might add...but a mission blog). As many of you know, I have been called to serve in the Ohio Columbus Mission and report to the Provo MTC on September 16th, 2015.

Here is a side story: While I was waiting for my call, I was constantly telling my mom how nervous I was that I would be unable to pronounce my mission. I had nightmares about staring at my call and just blanking. Well GUESS WHAT Y'ALL? That exact thing happened.. Yes I could not pronounce OHIO. Through all the excitement and nerves, I totally forgot my reading skills that I learned in all my years of school. Rapidly in my head I was thinking...."That doesn't say Iowa..it doesn't start with an I...but HOW DO I PRONOUNCE THAT WORD." To make it worse...after it was all said and done...(meaning I finally got OHIO COLUMBUS MISSION to come out of my mouth)...I continued to tell people for two days that I was going to Iowa and my dear best friend, Kira, had to remind me it was OHIO. So...to all my IOWA peeps out there I love you but OHIO has my heart.

Many people have asked me "why a mission?" "how'd you make the decision?" "what about marriage?" blah. blah. blah. Let be honest, making the decision to serve a mission is honestly one of the toughest decisions I have made in my life. but here is my story: 

I told myself in 9th grade, sitting in good ol' Brother Jones seminary class, that I would serve a mission. But when I hit junior year, that decision was way out the window. I never thought about it until one day in my best friends apartment in Orem.

 I had been going to school at WSU and she was at UVU and it was a struggle because we never saw each other. One night I was sitting in her room and was seriously considering moving down to UVU after summer to go to school with her. I text my mom and said "hey mom, I have been really thinking a lot and I was thinking about transferring down to UVU. is it okay if I fill out an application for UVU?" and you know what? My mom decided to throw the biggest CURVE BALL OF MY LIFE. you know what she says?? "That's fun to think about but..what about a mission?" Boom. tears began to stream down my face like Niagara Falls. Who knows where she came up with that idea but that one text from my sweet mom changed my life forever. After that, I began texting, calling, emailing, talking to every soon to be missionary, current missionary, and return missionary that I could. I asked for any advice...what made it hard?...what made it worth it?....how to make the decision?

 After about two weeks, I decided to start my papers. My mom continued to tell me to be patient and really decide if the decision was meant to be...but I was determined to start my papers. As I was working on my papers, I was extremely excited but after the excitement of starting them slowed down..I didn't really know what I got myself into. Many of you know I am sometimes hardheaded...did I start my papers just because my mom kept telling me to be patient and wait or was it because I truly received an answer that I should go? I did not know the answer to that question and it terrified me. As I continued to start my papers, I continued to search for my answer. Was this right thing for me, Jaclynn Detamore? One day I came across a talk that said something that stuck out to me about making decision. It said there were three answers you could receive when praying to your Heavenly Father to help you make a decision. 1. Yes 2. No     and the worst one     3. No answer. so I thought to myself..."Well...I never got a 100% yes and I didn't get a 100% no. Well great, I got the third one." but what I learned about the third changed my perspective. I learned that sometimes Heavenly Father lets you decide. Particularly for me it was a mission or stay home to continue schooling and one day get married. Sometimes, when deciding between two good paths, both are right and the choice is yours. So I thought to myself "Well..as far as I am concerned I am left to decide which path I want to take and I am choosing a mission." After this, I prayed to my Heavenly Father that I would be able to know that I made the right decision. 

A couple weeks later after my mom and I were taking my best friend back to Orem after a get-away in Saint George, my mom turned to me and said "Lets go find the MTC." I thought nothing of it...but again my mom threw ANOTHER random curve ball that changed my life. As we drove up to the MTC, I was smacked with the spirit. Niagara Falls down my face..ROUND 2. I turned to my mom and as I was fighting back the tears, I pointed to the Provo MTC and said "Mom, that will be my home in a couple months." Today I am proud to say that on September 16th the Provo MTC will become my home for two weeks.

I want to apologize for the long blog post but I felt the need to tell my story on how I made the decision to serve my Heavenly Father for 18 months. It was not the easiest decision I ever made and I struggled for weeks to know if it was the right decision. I cannot wait to serve the people of Ohio. I know that it will be tough. I am going to miss my family, friends, normal activities, everything. But I am willing to put everything aside for 18 months because I KNOW that this church is true. I have felt the joy and comfort it has brought to me in my life. I will have bad days and I will have good days but it is going to be worth it. I know that I will gain a closer relationship to my Savior and my Heavenly Father. There are so many reasons I could tell you why YOU should serve a mission but it is your decision. My one advice would be to simply pray to our Heavenly Father and ask with sincerity if a mission is the right thing for you. I love you all and I am so grateful for all the wonderful examples I have in my life.

XOXO Soon to be Sister Detamore