I was looking for a job that would help me save money for a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A member of my ward worked for Deseret Industries (DI) as a job coach. He explained to me how working at DI would not only help me earn the money I needed but also give me valuable experience dealing with people. One of my biggest concerns was having the confidence to talk with people. I agreed that working at DI would be helpful, so I applied. I was hired to work on the dock. It was my job to greet people as they pulled in to drop off donations and to be as helpful as I could.

One day, my job coach and development counselor pulled me aside and asked me about my plans. They then encouraged me to set some goals, like studying the scriptures and Preach My Gospel and going to missionary preparation classes.

I now have my mission papers turned in and am waiting for my call to arrive. I feel a lot more prepared and far less afraid of going up to people and talking with them. I would recommend the DI program to other prospective missionaries because no other place will provide a better experience dealing with people from all different backgrounds.

My DI experience offered me even more. The people I worked with also helped me improve spiritually. While I worked at DI, I had opportunities to explain what a mission is to my co-workers. This was something I never really had done in the past. It helped to remind me what I was working toward.

I think that working at DI, along with the goals DI helped me set, prepared me to better serve on my mission.