Gloria, a YWAM DTS grad living in Tepic, Mexico, wrote the account you're about to discover below. Like many Discipleship Training School (DTS) students, Gloria came to YWAM Salem for more than Bible study. She was looking for spiritual growth and true discipleship training, which is exactly what she got with our discipleship curriculum that was tailored to her interests.

It's about more than making disciples -our program is designed to help you achieve spiritual maturity by choosing a path that disciples before you have walked - one that you can follow every day. Our discipleship curriculum seeks to deepen your faith and kickstart life transformation through Bible studies, reflecting on God's word, discussions in small groups, daily worship, elective courses, and service opportunities.

Do a YWAM Salem DTS and experience the contagious disciple-making that will shape your future and transform your heart to carry a missional mindset.Apply for DTS today and check out Gloria's story below.

Gloria's Story

If it wasn’t for my experiences at YWAM Salem, I would have never been able to make as much of an impact in my home city of Tepic, Mexico, as I have. 

My Season with YWAM

It all started with myDiscipleship Training School in 2010, which opened the door to the vast array of training and ministry opportunities within the YWAM network.

With every new experience, God continued to sharpen my skills and my calling. One of the best decisions I made was taking the Chronological Bible Core Course (CBCC), asecondary school at the YWAM Salem campus.

I began to understand the importance of studying Scripture; it gave me a desire to teach sound doctrine in the church. I didn’t know then how crucial this course would be in equipping me for my next step.

Making an Impact at Home Post-YWAM

After several years of serving with YWAM, I felt called to return home to Mexico to pursue my degree and make a local impact. Just two weeks later, I had the opportunity to be a part of my church’s local discipleship training school.

I’ve been given many opportunities to teach through this experience. For example, I recently taught the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) to 35 students! I’m so grateful that God has opened the door for me to apply and teach everything that YWAM Salem taught me at my local church.

Without my experiences at YWAM Salem, I would have never had the confidence to teach in front of that many people!

It’s also been an honor to mentor girls from my hometown and to help them in their journey with Christ as they discover who God is and who they are in Him. It is an incredible experience to walk with someone as they realize how God wants to use them in His Kingdom.

Sharpening My Skills at YWAM Salem Prepared Me for Home

For me, the joy of being on the YWAM staff did not come from exciting travels overseas or academically challenging courses, but from the opportunity I had to invest in an area on base and build real community with the rest of the staff.

One of those places was serving with the student communications department. Yes, a desk job was very life-giving!

I was able to work on videos and design promotional materials. It was a daunting task at first because I had never done any design work. It took me hours to design something on Illustrator or Photoshop, but after 6 months of learning, I realized I enjoyed design.

Once again, I now see how God prepared me for what he had planned for my life. Currently, I’m in my third year of university, studying graphic design. I am excited to use my design skills in ministry in the future.

A Bittersweet Goodbye - An Exciting Future

When God told me that my time in Salem was done and it was time to go back home, I obeyed Him even though I didn’t understand why He was doing it or where He was leading me.

I believed that if God was taking me out of such an amazing place as YWAM Salem, it was only to take me into an even greater season of my life in the same way. I now understand why God called me back to Tepic.

After three years of being home, I can finally say that I am grateful that God took me out of YWAM Salem and put me where I am right now. I will always miss my YWAM family, but I’m also grateful for this new community I’ve found in my hometown.

I left YWAM Salem a completely different person than the one who arrived. God showed me my identity and calling. YWAM Salem equipped me with the spiritual formation and skills building I needed to be a disciple-maker and teach the young people here in Mexico how to become effective disciples.

I'm forever grateful to YWAM Salem for helping me take control of my God-given spiritual gifts, and for the opportunity to steer my life onto the path God had always laid out for me.

Interested in Jesus, Adventure, and Growing in Your Faith?

Do a Discipleship Training School, YWAM’s flagship missionary training course. It's a great gap year option. It's also perfect for anyone looking to step out of the ordinary and grow in their faith. Get answers to your burning questions about DTS on our website, and when you're ready to answer God's call, apply today!