Bolivia

The time has come…It’s time to think about Bolivia.
Today I’ve been cyberstalking Bolivia via a blog I found on google. I’ve been thinking a whole lot about my mission these past few days. At first, I was pretty scared, thinking about the types of things I’ll encounter during my 18 months. But I’ve come to a couple of realizations over the past few days:
If the Lord has called me to Bolivia, not only is that the right place for me, it is MORE right than any other place I could possibly have been called. More right than Oklahoma, Paris, or Tokyo. Bolivia is where I can do the most good, and where I, too, will benefit the most. This is so comforting to me when I start worrying about the types of trials I’ll encounter during my time there. A mission in Bolivia will challenge me where I am most in need of growth. A scary thought in many ways, but also encouraging since I know I need some serious growth in numerous areas.
The night I got my call, I remember so vividly sitting in front of my computer screen, looking at google images brought up by the search terms “Bolivia” and “Bolivian natives.” I remember just having this huge pit in my stomach as I thought, “I’m going to sacrifice 18 months serving these people?” I felt absolutely no connection with them whatsoever. Embarrassingly, I even felt a slight revulsion because of how different from me they seemed. Inside, I wished my call could be reissued. Bolivia was so unexpected…South America hadn’t even crossed my mind at all as an option. But, as I’ve been talking to people and reading the blog I mentioned, I’ve had a couple of distinct impressions. 1. I’ve felt the amazing spirit of the people—their humility and their strength because of the trials they endure. These people will more than likely teach ME how to better live the gospel. 2. It is exactly BECAUSE I was called to such an unexpected place that my call must be inspired. If I had been called to France, I think I would have thought, “Oh, yeah, of course. Makes perfect sense.” No need for a testimony when logic nods its head at the call.
This goes along with what I just said, but one of the things that struck me about my call was the conditions I’ll be living in. Bolivia is the poorest nation in South America. I know the Church takes care of its missionaries, especially the Sisters, but that doesn’t change the environment I’ll be in. It scared me to think of seeing that kind of poverty. Still when I think about it, it’s overwhelming, but I know that I need some serious humbling in this area, so it’s fitting that I would be called to such a place. I know that seeing people live in poverty will be shocking and tough on me emotionally, but I also know that it will strengthen my testimony as I see these people accepting the gospel and living it with more gumption and devotion than many of us who’ve grown up with it in such blessed conditions.
In a nutshell, I’m coming to know more and more firmly that serving in Bolivia will be an experience tailored to the areas the Lord wants to see strengthened in me. Ether 12:27 will become a dear friend, I’m sure. I have a tendency to be somewhat Pharisaical in how I live the gospel, and I really believe Bolivia will help me to be more of a Spirit-of-the-law person, to become more Christlike and charitable towards everyone.