What are you doing, Michael?

I assume you all know that I'm Mormon, or a member of the LDS church. This mission is an opportunity recommended for members as young as 18 to preach the Gospel somewhere in the world. The Gospel we are preaching can be found at mormon.org, on the right sidebar! You should totally look around there!

Though I should tell you, that I am not the type to interrupt my education so I can run off to Washington State for two years, but I've prayed about it and I feel strongly that this is what God wants me to do. I can tell you that the LDS church is an integral part of my life, and I know the Gospel I will be preaching is true. It's real, and its good, and I know it will help other people who desire to live it.

Now for some interesting background, if you like:

Joseph Smith Jr., first Prophet of the LDS church

In a nutshell, the LDS church believes that the divine right to run the church that Jesus Christ established 2,000 years ago was lost, due to the martyrdom of the apostles, as well as corruption among the members. We believe that God and Jesus Christ officially restored this divine right to reestablish and run Their church in 1829 to Joseph Smith Jr. and Oliver Cowdery, with Joseph being called as the Prophet, or official head of the church. A Prophet, just as in  the Old Testament, serves as a "mouthpiece" for God, receiving direction as to how God wishes His church to be run, giving new guidance to adapt to changing times. God, through the Prophet, calls twelve apostles (as in the New Testament) and other church leaders, who are also given the priesthood in order to help run the church, thus organizing the church as it was in Christ's day, with the Prophet, apostles, seventies, bishops, priests, teachers, deacons and so forth. Also, when a Prophet dies, God inspires the twelve apostles to appoint another to the position. The current Prophet is Thomas S. Monson.

Thomas S. Monson, current Prophet of the LDS church.

The upshot of this is that I have applied, been accepted, and subsequently been officially called by the Prophet and assigned an area by one of the twelve apostles, to work as a representative of Christ in preaching the Gospel and providing service. Which is why I didn't know where I'd be called beforehand, because I believe that God inspired one of the twelve apostles to send me to Federal Way, Washington State because God knows there are people there who need Michael Pierce, specifically, to teach them.

SO ITS REALLY COOL!

If you have any questions, feel free to check mormon.org (link on right sidebar).