He Works Hard For The Mission

So far, I've given a little bit of the who, what, when, and why of my current situation. In regards to a mission though, I haven't quite given the HOW. That is, how exactly do I plan on funding my mission, as well as paying for school. So I thought I'd give you a little bit of the inside scoop on my job.

I work in the Winter Season with the City of Eagan and I'm also currently employed with Little Caesar's Pizza. I've been working there since February and I really enjoy it. I work with many interesting characters, and aside from a few grease burns and headaches, the job isn't bad at all. You would think that working there would be a temptation that could inhibit my quest to be fit. WRONG! At first, it seemed like the greatest thing in the world, but after about 2 weeks, the very mention of Little Caesar's was enough to make me cringe. I'm also proud to hold the title of no. 4 employee for Little Caesar's in the land. Well, maybe the state of Minnesota. We recently finished our reviews. Our manager's boss came in and inspected all of the employees and watched us work for a few days. We were given scores and compared to the other employees in the other 12 locations in the Twin Cities area. Despite the fact that our store had some of the lower sales averages, we had 5 of the top 10 employees, which was definitely a dismal honor to say the least. Since then, I've become one of the "untouchable" employees. It's very humbling, but also somewhat gratifying to know that putting in hard work by using the principles taught by my parents and the church; being honest in our dealings, working diligently and showing pride in whatever task you're assigned to, even in such a setting as Little Caesar's does indeed pay off. It doesn't matter what you do, just how you do it that counts.

I have really learned a few things about myself from working at Little Caesar's. First of all, I have fully confirmed and reaffirmed the fact that college is NOT optional in this day and age. I have a few 20-something co-workers who have no idea where there lives are going. REALLY?? As my dad would say, "they are on the non-plan plan". This is not the dark ages without all the technology and counselors and opportunities and ALL of the things that were blessed to have now a days (according to anyone over 35 years old). Being brought up in a strict household and in the church, it has always been about being prepared and doing the work necessary to make sure your future is void of indecision. I was like every other teen who rarely heard anything my parents said while I was in school, but now it's becoming crystal clear that if I don't take my life seriously, I would end up a joke and there would be nothing funny about that.

My second point would be, a mission isn't a bad thing at all. I am no stranger to angst, self doubt and fear of failure. There is no age requirement for any human to know these are real feelings. I do know personally, serving a mission would help me immensely to be rid of these feelings. What a wonderful thing to put my complete trust in the Lord. If you are put out in an area unfamiliar to you, no contact with everyone you ever trusted before you served, where would you turn? You have no where to turn except to put all your faith in the Lord. I believe the human spirit always tries to fight for survival. Part of that survival plan is your mind and soul going to things that put your mind at ease. I believe that faith in the Lord is the first place any Christian mind thinks of first to save yourself. I look forward to finding my TRUE identity by developing a deeper relationship with my Heavenly Father. I hear the older you get the more you start to realize who you truly are. I could not see myself on my journey without the companionship of my Heavenly Father. Is there another way that will lead a man in a more perfect path?? I highly doubt it.

Lastly, I have always known that I would have to finance my mission 100%. My mom has never let me think otherwise. I have always been told that I would not appreciate my mission or want to serve the Lord honestly without complaint, unless I paid for my mission on my own. If I wanted something bad enough I just had to work hard for it and believe the Lord would make all opportunities possible for me to earn those finances. I believe myself to be a hard worker, more importantly an honest worker. I am sure that work ethic is pleasing to the Lord, so I don't doubt that my mission efforts will be blessed.

Although I am a full time college student and work at Little Caesar's , I am still looking for a second job. I am taking this time to fully immerse myself in my preparation period. It seems like a small price to pay to ensure a successful future.