Hermana Rivera's Birthday
La Serena Zone
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2011 9:35 AM
Subject: Halfway through Augost!
Wow, How fast time goes by!! I cant believe its August 15th. I cant believe Blake is coming home from his mission this week! I cant believe how fast time flies!!
This week, I feel like I have come to a realization about the mission, and I am going to share it with you haha Sorry if you don't want to hear it! haha But, as missionaries, we are always teaching and testifying about the plan of salvation, sometimes it seems to natural to say "I know where we came from before coming to the earth. I know what our purpose is here in the earth. I know where we are going after we die." Really, I can say these things with such confidence (and I imagine and hope that you can too!) Really, stop and think for a moment. We have answers to some of life's greatest questions. It is a humbling experience to bring the answers to those who are searching. But with that said, this week, I came to the realization the the mission is like a mini version of the plan of salvation. Let me explain. hahah
Before serving a mission, I was living a very very happy life. I was happy, and comfortable with where I was in life. I think those of you who know me could say that I really didn't have any complaints and felt very blessed with my life. But I felt that I was missing something. I felt like I had something more to do with my life, I just didn't know what it was; school, marriage, traveling, graduate school. What was I missing??
Then, in the blink of an eye, the Lord decided to send me to Chile, where I would be a stranger roaming in a foreign land. Haha I would leave those I love to learn a new language, newcustoms, new companions. In a whirlwind of 3 months, I found myself in a place, way far away from home...
But, what do you know.. I LOVE IT! Sure its hard, sure there are times when I feel very very inadequate. Sure there are disappointments and and long list of "commandments" (the white handbook) to follow. But I am happy! I wake up everyday oh so happy to be where I am! I am meeting new people, building powerful relationships, Learning to be a better person, andlearning to be a more faithful servant to my God. And little by little, I find it hard to remember my life before. I am forgetting English (really this week I learned how bad my English is and how strange English sounds to me) I know I have a loving family waiting for me, but I know I don't have to worry about them, because they are in God´s protection. Then one day, we become trainers (or Moms) to the new missionary and help them learn and adjust to the new life.
We know our purpose as missionaries. (seriously you can ask any missionary what is their purpose is and they can recite it to you... "Our purpose is... invite others to come unto Christ by helping them to .... etc. ) And pretty soon, we are so accustomed to our new life they we don't want to leave.
I imagine that when the day comes (or as Blake is feeling this week) that it is a very heavy feeling to leave the life you have grown to love so much. The name badge that has come to define you. As the end draws near, you say your goodbyes, with one last interview from the President and you "die" in the mission. ahaha Before you know it you are on a plane back home, with feelings of sadness and longing for the life of a missionary you are leaving behind.
But I imagine the minute I will see my mom, my dad, my sisters, my brothers, my friends waiting for me, it will all come back to me. Remember how happy I was before? Remember my awesome family and friends? Remember my ipod and music and car that I left behind (haha ok just kidding that stuff doesn't matter) But, there is life after the mission! There is a future, there is family. But we come back as better people, with experience and strong testimonies, with a knowledge of our loving heavenly father.
OK I know that this sounds cheesy, but it is how I am learning to really understand the Plan of Salvation. We were happy before we can here to earth. But we were lacking something. A body, experience, a family. We are here with a purpose to learn to exercise faith, repentance, baptism, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and Endure to the End our of lives so return to our Heavenly Father. I know He is waiting. I know that the moment that we see him ,we will remember. How great will be our joy!!
Ok, ok, now that I have shared my perspective with you, GO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS! Ask your friends and family members who aren't members where they came from, what is their purpose here on the earth and where they are going after they die. See what their answers are and give them the opportunity to learn! I promise you it will make you and them more happy!
I love you all! We have a big week ahead of us, We are working to ensure the baptisms of Fransico and Monica for the 27 of August. I have been working with them for about 4 months. Lots of ups and downs but I know I won't leave here until I see them dressed in white for their baptisms! Pray for them!
I love you lots
Hermana Royal
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