Letter 18 - Hand written letter sent the end of May/beginning of June 2015

Hey Momma,

I don’t really know how to express through words how much I miss you guys.  I’ve realized how much I truly love each one of you and how important every single member of our family is to me while I’ve been out here.  

I hate to say it, or even admit it, but you never truly know what you have until you loose it.  I think this concept really goes along with our Heavenly Father’s plan for us.  Even though it’s probably so hard for him to watch.  We have to pass through these trials so that we can find happiness.  Without bad, there can’t be good;  Without darkness we would never find the light. 

I wish I could have shown the gratitude I have now to you guys and my Heavenly Father before I left.  Although I may not have shown it before, I love you so much, you and dad both.  I was always upset with the rules and restrictions you guys gave me, but they have truly SAVED me, and I am so GRATEFUL now that you LOVED me enough to give those rules and guidance when I was younger!

I’m ever so grateful for this opportunity to be out here.  Although it is so amazing to bring others unto the light on a mission, I believe a mission gives more to the missionary.  It is the best environment to build a testimony, or the foundation for which you will build off the rest of your life.  The people here, even non-members, call us angels.  I don’t think it’s because we are angels or even close to them, but they can feel the presence of those angels that walk with us and are helping us in every angle of the work.  

The Lord has so many promised blessings to faithful missionaries in the Doctrine & Covenants it’s ridiculous.  We have the opportunity to put his promises to the test and see  miracles.  I have already seen so much and received so much.  One thing that I have grown in testimony about is the power of prayer.  My whole day, every single day, is run off prayer. Most especially when I am on divisions. I have had to do divisions with the district leader of few times and that means I am by myself in my area with someone that doesn’t know English or my area.  I have to run the day all by myself, which is super intimidating.  But, somehow those days always turn out to be the best days.  

One experience I had my last division showed me again the power of prayer.  I had every single appointment fall through and only had two more hours left to get two lessons in.  My companion and I had managed to find a new investigator and teach them earlier.  We had made a covenant of three lessons for that day and I knew we were going to get them, I just didn't know how! (Oh, and yes, 3 or 4 lessons in one day is a lot here in this area.)  I said a quick prayer in my head reminding my Father in Heaven that we had made a covenant to work as hard as we could if he would give us three lessons.  

I prayed for guidance and felt prompted to visit and old contact from like a month before, but it was super far away, 2 sectors away.  We went anyways.  When we got there I knocked on the door and waited... and waited... and waited.  After like 6 or 7 minutes I was like, what the heck, and was about to leave.  Then I felt prompted to knock again even harder.  I did and an old man poked his head out the door and asked what we wanted.  We were able to get a solid, super spiritual lesson in with this guy.  In fact, one of the best we have ever had!  He was super interested and full of great questions.  Our next visit we are going to bring him a Book of Mormon.  

After that lesson, it wasn’t over.  I didn’t know where to go again, but felt like we should go up the hill and visit a 19 ear old that we had been visiting.  We got into his house easily and got our 3rd lesson.  In the middle of the lesson it started pouring rain like crazy.  By the time we were going to leave the streets were filled with a few inches of water and the water was coming down so hard we were going to be soaked head to toe. Luckily, the Lord was watching after us and sent us to the home of a taxi driver who offered us a ride home.  He drove us to the entrance of our sector, but when he tried to drive up our hill the water was coming down so fast and deep that it was pushing the car backwards and it couldn’t make it up the hill.  

We got out and ran to our apartment with our bags in our hands, trying to protect our books.  We made it to our apartment soaked. At the apartment I found I had left my window open so my bed was soaked.  That sucked!  Also, the water was pouring down our stairs hat lead to our roof like a little waterfall.  It wasn’t so bad because not long after we got home, the rain settled down and the little waterfall went away, hehehe.  I’ve been having experiences like this every week.  They make the time fly by.  The Lord is shoving so much at us in just two years.  

Anyways, I love you Momma! I’m sorry this won’t get to you by Mothers Day, but I hope you had a great one!

XOXOXO