14 Days!!! I'm so excited, it's stupid!
My testimony of prayer became stronger this past week. We have three or four people we are teaching who are ready to be baptized. They know the Book of Mormon is true, they know the church is true but they have certain vices that are keeping them from taking their faith that much further. One is quiting smoking, the other needs a diviorce and then to be married to the man she lives with, another needs to find a job that doesn't go against God's commandments, i.e. selling drugs, and the last needs support from her parents before she is baptized.
This is life though isn't it. We all have goals and things we want to accomplish but it seems there is always some hurdle we have to clear in order to get there. Some of us look at the hurdle and think it is too high or too stubborn for us to jump over or run through. But those of you who have jumped and have plowed right through know the joy that waits for us all as we achieve our goals. God has promised us to never give us challenges we cannot overcome. The stipulation though is that we look to Him for help. Then we can overcome anything.
One of the people we have been praying for decided to jump the hurdle of her un-supportive parents and prepare for baptism this Sunday!!!!! I cannot imagine what people like this go through in making this decision. I have so much respect for converts of the Gospel. They are unique. Elder Jacobs and I were talking about this the other day. Those of us who were raised in the church have all the knowledge that comes from years of Primary and Sunday School. Converts do don't. However, they do have an attribute that is difficult for us life-time members to develop. They have desire. And with that desire they gain knowledge. They are an example to me and the life-blood of Christ's church and they set a great example for me. Keep the Desire.
So our new missionaries came in on Wednesday! It was weird watching them flood the baggage claim at the airport thinking, "They go home in 2 years, this is their mission now." 29 new missionaries came in that day! The good thing is that all of them seemed like great, solid missionaries. It made me think back to when and why I decided to serve a mission. I feel the Lord has strengthened and enabled me throughout all of this. There have been times where I've almost given up but I pressed forward with strength I didn't know I had. As a result I saw miracles and blessings that I never would have otherwise. There is no better way to spend 2 years!!!!!!!!
The process of leaving a mission is bitter-sweet. A swell of emotions, thoughts, and dreams occupy my mind. Logistically, things are the same as if I weren't leaving. that is until August 3rd. That day all the departing missionaries go to the temple together. Then on August 6th we have a dinner at the Mission Home with President and Sister Neider. We all spend the night at their place, watching movies, playing ping-pong, even the Wii!!! Then we leave early the next morning for the airport. It's a process I've been involved in several times throughout my mission and one I never imagined would include me!
I love you all and am in denial about the days I have left. I'm sure it will all hit me at some point.
Love,
EC
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