News Release

Gardening to Pay for a Mission

Twins in Uganda Kampala called to serve full time missions

My name is Obadiah. My twin sister Norah and I were born in 1998 to Ssalongo Lule Edward. My father joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in December 2003. When my sister and I turned eight years we were baptized and confirmed.

  

 Growing up in the church, a blessing to me in my life that I would not for anything. I have watched my father serve in different callings and witnessed blessings in our family as he diligently served in his callings. Three of my elder brothers served honorable missions and as I watch them before and after missions, I am in amazed at how much the gospel changed their lives. This gives me the enthusiasm to serve a full-time mission. 

         

I vividly remember singing the song “I Hope They Call Me on a Mission” in Primary. I loved the song but felt that my time to serve was very far away. However, I am eternally grateful for the Church programs, especially Seminary and Institute, that enabled me to study and equip myself with the needed knowledge to serve when the time comes.

In mid-2017, my Branch president told my sister and me that it was time to think about the idea of serving a full-time mission. All the needed expenses to serve as a missionary surfaced. Neither my sister nor I had a passport or any of the items needed. We calculated the costs of everything including, yellow fever cards, police clearance and missionary clothing and realized that we could not afford to pay even 30% of the total cost. 

We counseled with our father who clearly stated that “the church was in full support of self-reliance.” He also added that he would not freely give us the money and stressed that our missions would be successful if we learned to sacrifice from the time of preparation. He presented a plan on how we could raise the funds.

       We could work with him in the garden, spending three or four hours, five days a week. We would earn our way for the needed items. This seemed a little tough at the beginning, but with little other option, it was the way forward.

This plan bonded us with our father and we could pay for our mission expenses. We submitted our applications in January and I received my call in February. My twin sister is waiting for her mission call and we are excited to know where she will serve.

We will be eternally grateful that our father allowed us to learn sacrifice and self-reliance—both heavenly values.

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