Mission Report

Final Mission Report to President

I feel so privileged for the opportunity that I have had these last eighteen months to represent my Savior, Jesus Christ. As I have invited others to come unto Him, I have found that it is more often myself that is the one being changed to come unto Him. My relationship with the Savior has grown so much on my mission and through His grace I have truly been changed. 

         Experiences that Have Caused Me To Change: I have loved sitting in lessons and feeling how strongly the spirit testifies during moments of silence. I went from being a greenie that taught everything way too fast, to a missionary that thrived off short and powerful statements, followed by moments of silence. Throughout my mission I have also witnessed many answered prayers. This has led me to completely trust the Lord because I know He will not fail me. I also have been changed as I have feasted daily upon the words of Christ. Words cannot express my love for the Book of Mormon.  I know without a doubt that it is the word of God and another testament of Jesus Christ. I also know that its young translator, Joseph Smith, is a true prophet that was called in these latter days to restore His church.  As I recently completed reading the standard works, my testimony has been strengthened that the fullness of the gospel has been restored. I have also been able to meet so many amazing people with diverse lives that have changed me for the better. From members, investigators, less actives and street contacts to my companions, flat mates and other sisters I was privileged to serve with. Through all of this, there has been one experience in particular that caused me to stretch myself and exercise more faith. After a special meeting we had with an area seventy, he approached my companion and I and told us specifically, "No more just planting seeds. You both are harvesters." I felt like he was looking into my soul, especially with those last four words. My whole mission up until this point was focused on the small miracles, the tender mercies, and the seeds I was planting. In my eyes, I felt very competent and successful with the label I had given myself as "just" a seed planter. Yet that day, I learned I was limiting my vision and lacked the faith to harvest. Shortly after, I was able to witness a precious soul enter the waters of baptism.

         Memorable Spiritual Experiences: I feel so blessed to have had so many spiritual experiences on my mission that I will always treasure, even if they are difficult to put down in words. The first time an investigator told me she got an answer that the Book of Mormon was true. Meeting a less active for the first time and instantly seeing him as he could become. Watching a stubborn part-member atheist have their heart softened. The results of my first real and sincere fast, that my progressing investigator's less active husband, would be worthy to baptize her on the date she had prayerfully selected. Setting weekly goals in faith, fasting to achieve them, and all the miracles placed in our path as we worked extra hard on our "Sunday Sprints." Teaching someone that spoke less than 10 words of English and then finding out, once we had a translator, that she understood everything. Seeing the overflow opened in a sacrament meeting in a ward I had served in for nearly 8 months. This included less-active members that hadn't come to church in decades, recently ordained Melchizedek priesthood holders, and a former less active with his call to serve a full-time mission.  Inviting someone to read the Book of Mormon, who was then brought to tears because it had been the "Bible" she had found comfort in since her Nan's funeral. Reinstating hope to one who thought it was too late to see the promises of her patriarchal blessing fulfilled, when she randomly opened to Alma 55:28 and read that she could again become victorious and reclaim her rights and privileges. 

         The Impact of My Mission on the Rest of My Life:  I never knew such a short period of time could have such a profound impact on my eternal progression, but it has. Before my mission I had a lot of good priorities, and I felt like God was a part of each of them, but He himself was not my first priority. As I have done my best to serve the Lord with all my heart, might, mind and strength, He has now become my first priority, and the umbrella over every part of my life. I am determined that as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland states, my mission will be forever. I can't wait to continue to reach out to less actives as a visiting teacher, to share the gospel through social media, and to be a friend, and help find people for the missionaries to teach. I have loved the precious time I have been given to study. I know the love I have for the scriptures, and the knowledge I've gained, will continue to grow throughout the years. All of the experiences of my mission have come from the most valuable lesson I have learned, the ability to recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I will also return home with the conviction that God lives and answers my prayers, that Jesus Christ is my Savior, that His church and the fullness of the gospel have been restored to this earth today.