Your Next Best 2 Years

This last weekend was a great one with stake conference. I had so many moments and inspiration that it'll take a few posts to organize it all. I'll begin with the topic: Your Next Best 2 Years.

I have a brother currently serving a mission. I have many friends currently serving missions. Many are coming home this year while many others have just left. I have many more friends who have returned from missions, and I'm engaged to one of them. When the topic of "The Next Best 2 Years" was discussed, I really listened to the words he had to say as well as what I can do.

I've never served a mission. When I was a child I wanted to because my mother served. Then for a long time I didn't. However, last year I was listening to a devotional or a CES fireside, or something, and I felt that I should begin preparing. I was turning 21 in a year and a half. For young women, 21 is the minimum age to serve a mission. I learned that preparing for marriage and preparing for the mission are the same thing. If I had neared by 21st birthday with no one in my life, then I was going to serve. If there was someone, then I wasn't. Elder Richard G. Scott quoted council from the First Presidency:

"'Worthy single women ages twenty-one and older … may be recommended to serve full-time missions. … These sisters can make a valuable contribution … , but they should not be pressured to serve. Bishops should not recommend them for missionary service if it will interfere with imminent marriage prospects'” ("Now Is the Time to Serve a Mission").

Funnily enough, once I made this decision and moved forward, I met my fiancé. But that's a different story.


As a result of my never serving a mission, I listened to this topic and figured out ways it could apply to me as well as all the returned missionaries out there. People say the mission has your best two years. However, it was only the best two years at that point in your life. The next two should be the best. Then the two after that should be even better. and so on.

A mission teaches you talents, skills, and qualities that should be used throughout the rest of your life to help you move always upwards.

Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service is the manual used by all missionaries in every country as well as all members. Each chapter is entitled by a question. My stake presidency also asked questions and made comments that could be used in our lives based on the chapter headings.

1. Are there commandments you used to challenge others to live that now challenge you?
2. Do you still seek and follow the promptings of the Spirit? You have the gift of the Holy Ghost that no one outside of the church is blessed with. Do you use it still? Have you progressed in paying attention since your mission?
3. How do I develop Christlike attributes? Play the compliment-cutdown-compliment game. Ask a friend to tell you something you do well, something you could do better, and something you do well. You want to grow and progress, so find where your weaknesses are and work on them.
4. Will you continue to grow after your mission? Will you grow as drastically every two years as you did on your mission? Will you launch off from a foundation of your mission?
5. How do you use time wisely? You were obedient to go to bed early and rise early, do you still? Are you controlling your life or is controlling you?
6. How do you find people to teach? On a mission you get involved in everyone's lives, loved them and hunted them down because you had a message that would make their lives happy. Why don't we do this with roommates and friends? Don't loose your missionary eye. (Missionary eye: looking for those who look lonely and needs and friend, etc.)
7. Challenge them. You used to ask investigators if they'd like to be baptized within the first or second lesson. If they said they weren't ready, you'd tell them they were. Quit being afraid. "Go forward with faith and marry them."
8. Are you magnifying your callings? And working to build the kingdom? Serve diligently.
9. Be happy with being busy until the day you die (and beyond). We have a lot to do on earth.
10. You have claim on the Atonement, even if you haven't sinned, to be holy.

To be a little bit better get on your knees and ask your Father in Heaven to have a pure heart. You need to have a true intent to truly change. Once you have it, put it into action immediately. Obedience is the first law in Heaven.

I'll be working on making the next two years the best two years, and the two after that even better, and so on. Will you?

For more on this topic: "When 'The Best Two Years' Are Over"