Sisters take on mission in Iola

Becoming missionaries wasn’t what either woman thought she would do, however, Sister Wright and Sister Spivey found themselves putting their lives on hold to serve others and spread the word of Christ as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At the end of September they were assigned to serve as the first sister missionaries in the area.
“Initially I never expected to serve a mission. I was living in northern California and the thought of serving kept creeping into my mind,” Sister Wright said. “I started really thinking about it and praying and then I started getting direct answers that this was the right thing to do.”
Sister Wright, originally from Arizona, took those answers and began her journey as a missionary.
The sisters share similar experiences in being called to their work. Sister Spivey, originally from Georgia, was graduating from college when she, too, began to have thoughts of serving as a missionary.
“Which was odd because I had never thought I would do that,” Sister Spivey said.
She began praying, found her answer and has been a missionary for three months.
After applications are sent to the church headquarters in Salt Lake City, a board, including members of the quorum of the 12 Apostles, reviewed applications one by one.
“Through prayer the board sees where the Lord wants each applicant to go; it is an inspired process,” Sister Spivey said.
Both sisters were assigned to the Missouri-Independence missionary, which covers portions of both Kansas and Missouri.

ONCE missionaries dedicate themselves to the mission they essentially put their lives on hold for 18 months.
They are allowed one email per-week to their families and two phone calls per-year, Mothers Day and Christmas Day. They are not allowed to visit home or date in the 18 months.
They dedicate themselves solely to having a faith-based relationship.
Missionaries are never in one location for the entire duration of their mission. When they are transferred to a different location they are given a day and a half’s notice.
Iola is Sister Spivey’s first mission and Sister Wright was in the Independence, Mo. area prior. Where the missionaries go next is up to the discretion of their missionary leader who gets divine inspiration from God.
“That insures we are in the right place at the right time,” Sister Wright said.

While serving their missions they help people who can’t help themselves, such as the elderly, they volunteer at community organizations and visit with community and church members about the word of Christ.
“We help people who are looking to be closer to the savior,” Sister Spivey said.
They also live a very disciplined life. Each day they wake up at 6:30 a.m. and begin their day with a prayer. They exercise until 7 a.m., followed by studies until lunch. After lunch they “go out and find people that they were guided to and we serve,” Sister Wright said.
Their studies come from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Because the sisters were assigned to be Spanish-speaking missionaries, they also have daily Spanish lessons.
Being a missionary is a sacrifice in of itself, and it helps the women that their families have been supportive during their journey.
“My family was supportive, but shocked,” sister Spivey said.

WHETHER IT is reading to kids, cleaning up a house or sending out letters, the sisters are constantly looking for people and organizations to help.
 For anyone who is looking for help in faith the sisters want to help.
 “For anyone looking to strengthen their relationship with God, that’s what we do and we would love to teach them,” Sister Wright said.
 For more information contact the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 620-365-2777.