This Is Your Mission; You Can Do It!

I thought, “They must be joking. There must be a mistake.”

Knowing I’d be serving a French-speaking mission in Africa, I felt insecure and doubtful—feelings I recognized as coming from the adversary.

I also discovered no one from my country had ever served in Cote d’Ivoire before! At the Ghana missionary training center, I realized that no one there even spoke Spanish. It was overwhelming to not be able to communicate in my native language.

I wanted to give up and go home, but then I remembered that Nephi had a similar experience. When he entered the city looking for the house of Laban, he said, “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do” (1 Nephi 4:6).

I felt like Nephi. And, after praying fervently, I felt peace. When doubts arose, the phrase “This is your mission, and you can do it” came to my mind. And I knew that with the Lord’s help, I could.

When I arrived in Cote d’Ivoire, I was struck by the humble homes and intense humidity. The first months were challenging, with limited water and electricity. I prayed for strength, and the same phrase came to me: “This is your mission, and you can do it.”

One day, I came across 3 Nephi 5:13: “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.”

This shifted my perspective. I learned to reframe bad experiences into fun ones and see the blessings I had.

I began to worry less about what I didn’t have and more about what others needed. Thanks to the Lord blessing me with the gift of tongues, I learned French within a few months and mastered English so that I could speak three languages! My doubts and fears were replaced with joy in serving the Lord.

Eventually I discovered why I was called to serve.

Elder David F. Evans of the Seventy taught: “Do you want to be happy? … Serve your fellow man as a missionary for the Lord. … It will change everything. … The work will be difficult, but there will also be great satisfaction and joy as you serve. If you are faithful during your mission and thereafter, you will look back on your life and say with President [Gordon B.] Hinckley, ‘Everything that has happened to me since that’s been good I can trace to that decision to serve a mission and give my life to the Lord.’”

If you’re worried about what will happen to your family, friends, studies, work, or romantic interests, remember that the Lord promises, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:18).

“Forget yourself,” as President Hinckley said, and lose yourself in this great cause. The Lord will bless your efforts, your families, and your life, as you give your all to Him.

If you want to be happy, follow the path of the gospel, and if you have the opportunity, go on a mission. The blessings that come to those who have served the Lord are also seen after their missions.

I also invite everyone who is able to prepare for and serve a mission. The Lord invites us to find His children who are looking for Him. Trials will come, but with faith in Christ and a positive change in your perspective, you’ll see God’s blessings as you serve Him.

By having my mind and heart focused on the Lord, my mindset changed. I began to be more positive, my fears and doubts disappeared, and I was able to experience the lasting joy of living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I know that God loves us and knows us personally, and it is because of this that He sent His Only Begotten Son, “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

He knows where we need to serve. Soon I will have the opportunity to see my family again and to testify that Jesus is the Christ, that no matter where we are called the Lord needs us, that His gospel is the same in all languages, and that truly: this is my mission, and I was able to do it.

You can too!