I Know These Things are True

8/20/18  I cannot believe that I have gotten to this point... I have seen so many get to their last p-day and watch them all write something special ha ha. I'm not much of a writer but I would like to share how I feel now and a few more thoughts on what's happened during these past 2 years...

Recently I have been reading my journal that I have kept and written in on and off during my mission. Aside from laughing a ton it has helped me realize something, that even though while writing I thought that what I was writing wasn't relevant or important... it is very important to me now, and I am so happy that I wrote at least something... because it has helped me realize that ever since I got on the plane it's been a learning experience. 

The MTC and my first area were really rough- I will be honest. I was (and still am haha) immature and was not able to stay focused to save my life... it took me a long time to get my act together, and I had to work really hard to start improving in that aspect. More than anything, God's grace made it possible, because people do not change as fast as I did. I know that there was divine intervention there, because if there wasn't, I would probably be the same as I was then. working through that was just the beginning of the changes that would happen throughout my mission.

I soon found myself in my second area, Moyobamaba. By then I could speak better and was somewhat confident in myself and in my abilities as a missionary. But that was soon put to the test! I soon found a lot of opposition in almost everything that we did, day after day we tried and tried without seeing much results... There were several occasions where I went to sleep crying because of how hard it was, but oh man were we blessed. Everything good that ever happened in that area was a blessing from heaven. We had real success, converts who are still active in the church today, and I was blessed in the experiences that I had. It was all for obedience, we did our best, and the Lord came through. Up until now it has been my favorite area.

After Moyo and up until the offices, things were crazy, two short transfers in two different cities were exciting and I learned several things in those transfers. I had my hardest companions in those changes, we had a lot of difficulties but we always were able to work out our differences. In all we were blessed, we also saw a few baptisms, but I don't feel like they were real converts. It was then when I learned not to baptize people just for numbers, and I felt a lot of guilt for not being more careful... But then I soon got to the offices and the whole mission changed...

 It was strange being in charge. I was used to having someone there to help me but when you only respond to the president, I had to rely very heavily on personal revelation. It was there when I learned that the Book of Mormon is so important. Not reading made things very hard and I felt the spirit much less often and with less strength. It really is the iron rod. If we are to have His guidance we need to read it and treasure what it says. Since my time there I have seldom gone a day without reading something from the BOM. 

And now I'm here.. haha the hardest area for last. It has been really rough but I have learned more about the will of God and what He wants for me. I also learned that I need to accept it, and be happy with what he has given me. It's not easy, but necessary. I would like to end with my testimony:

I know that this is the true church, there is opposition because it is the truth, and that we can obtain happiness here and forever if we keep our covenants and stay true to the Lord. He lives. He loves us more than we know and has a plan for each and every one of us. The Book of Mormon is true and is the evidence that this is God's work. It has the power to change lives and hearts, and heals all who need Christ. It testifies of Him and guides us in our lives. Prayer is the way we receive revelation and guidance and without it we would be lost forever. I know these things are true because I have seen their truthfulness during these two years and cannot and will not deny it. This I share in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.