Can you talk about the missions of the Church and your participation in them?

I served a two year mission in Russia almost 20 years ago. All of the greatest blessings in my life have come from that decision to serve the Lord - my success in college and my career, my marriage, my children.

Not only did I learn to be responsible and accountable at a young age, living in a foreign country with adult leaders several hours away by train, but I learned to feel and recognize the influence of the Spirit in all that I did. I focused so much effort in trying to do what the Lord wanted me to do during that time, that I gained a much better understanding of how to involve the Lord in the rest of my life. That lesson of learning to listen to the Spirit has been so helpful as I returned home to finish college, finding a good woman to start a family with, and in the challenges of working and raising our children. I am so grateful for the chance that I had to spend two years volunteering as a missionary to teach people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.