Jane Rottenbacher - Arcadia Ward

I was born and raised in Indiana. One summer when my family went on a vacation, we drove through Salt Lake City and went on a tour of Temple Square.  I still remember watching that old version of “Man’s Search for Happiness.”  That fall, missionaries knocked on our door and taught my family the gospel.  It was easy to accept their message, it made sense to my mother and I also knew at 11 years old that it was the truth with no doubts.  Our lives were never the same, life was so much better than before. My family became more united and stronger.  We moved to California my senior year in high school and then I went to Ricks College.  While there, I decided to go on a mission but I had to wait until my junior year at BYU before I could apply.  While praying one night to decide if that is what Heavenly Father wanted me to do, a strong voice told me to read my Patriarchal Blessing. I got off my knees and went to bed deciding to read it the next day.  I couldn’t sleep, that voice kept telling me to read my blessing right then, so I got out of bed and read it.  In my blessing, I found five places that referred to missionary service that I never noticed before.  With that kind of prompting, I knew without any doubt that Heavenly Father wanted me to go on a mission.  My mission call was to Tokyo North Mission where my testimony grew even more.  The more I testified of Joseph Smith and the restoration, the more I knew it really happened.   Testifying about the restored gospel was exciting in an area of those who were anxious to learn of Jesus Christ.  Some of the best times of my life were when someone my companion and I found and taught, gained a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Those who were truly converted, those whose lives had changed for the better brought pure joy to my life.  Someday I hope to see them again in the life after this one and as I am reminded in Doctrine and Covenants 18:15, If you labor all your days and bring one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him (or her) in the kingdom of my Father!  Our missions don’t end at 18 or 24 months.  So many members have used this time during our stay-at-home orders to reach out to others through social media and spread the gospel.  There are many waiting to hear, waiting to change their lives for the better, waiting to learn of the gospel of Jesus Christ and experience the joy it will bring to their lives.  We can experience joy now and we will have joy in the future, in this life and in the next with those we love and those whose lives we have touched by spreading the gospel.  I know this is true because it happened to me. Jane Rottenbacher - Arcadia Ward