Every time I say that my heart skips a beat. Okay, maybe a few more beats. But, Japan! WOW!!!! The funny thing about mission calls is that they ask you if you have taken a foreign language or would like to, and of course I took a language I actually took 2, I took Japanese at a little charter school in 7th grade, I took the class and vowed never to take it again because it was too hard... so I did Spanish for the next 6 years and you know what? I didn't go Spanish Speaking. I even took Spanish in college for a year... and I went to Costa Rica for a week and spoke some there too! But, the one thing I have always told myself, you are called by the LORD... the Lord, he's the one who helps the presidency or the apostles on figuring out where they think you should go and, Heavenly Father said he needed me in Japan. So I will do as Nephi said "... I will go and do the things the Lord commands,,," And let me tell you I am in a way a little scared, I know how can you be scared? But, honestly I love my family to bits, my friends are amazing, and I don't know a single word in Japanese except the given "Konichiwa" that everybody knows. I think one of the hardest things for me as a missionary will be getting up at 6:30 am duh... that's actually a given that is hard for everyone, but I think knowing the stories in the Book of Mormon and the scriptures and trying to explain the gospel to the people. I know in Japan or I have heard that the people there don't even know anything about Jesus. But, that's the thing.. I don't know all the stories about Jacob, Alma, Mormon, I only know stories about Jesus Christ... which is good. Then I am learning with them too. But, I know that they are big on ancestors and that they believe that we live after we die and they can talk to their ancestors, and with that in their culture, my hope is to bring ancestry and family search into their lives and talk a lot and I mean a lot on The Plan of Happiness or Plan of Salvation.
One of the most amazing choices that I have done since I received my call was getting my endowment out. I got them out on Saturday, July 9, 2016 my session was the 11:00 am session. I left from BYU-I with my roommate Dani at 6:40 and went to my aunt Renae's and we drove to Twin Falls. I had my parents, my nana, and grandpa Bill, my two uncles ( Aaron and Cody ), aunt Lisa, my roommate Dani, and Starr and Travis Thomsen there with me. Making that choice was one of the greatest decisions I have made in life. After that day I felt like something sparked again inside of me. I felt that everything was making sense again. Fast forward to August 4, 2016 and I was sitting in the office of the president of the Boise temple. The next day I was set apart as a ordinance worker in the Boise temple. The following week on Wednesday I was working in the temple. Now it's the 4th week and I end my shift tomorrow. The things that I have learned while in the temple is incredible. I have learned to overcome anything and everything in my way, I have learned how the Plan of Salvation works, inside and outside. But, what I have learned the most is that I can do anything, I can accomplish anything.
To leave my family and friends may be very difficult and I can already feel the water works. But, to leave my family for a short time so I can help families be together forever is the greatest feeling in the world. I may not know anything in Japanese, but I do know that my adventure is just about to start and I am so ready and eager to serve.
XOXO
Jordan (soon to be Sister Lockett- in 3 days)
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