Sorry! We ended up doing PDay today instead of yesterday... but I don't think it makes a big difference at this point right? ;)
I also don't really know what to write ... so this one's gonna be shortish hehe
Thanks for all the birthday emails! It didn't feel like my birthday AT ALL yesterday, just out working doin' what I've been doing for 18 months now. I think when I go home it will finally hit me that I turned 21 yesterday because I feel EXACTLY the same as I did on Sunday. On Sunday night we did have a missionary fireside where I got to share my "final" testimony for our ward. Well I'd already shared my testimony that morning in sacrament mtg., so I decided to sing my testimony instead. Yes. I sang a solo. in Chinese. in front of 30+ Taiwanese people. I sang "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul". It has been one of my favorite songs of my mission and has taught me a lot about my relationship with my Savior. More on that later(; Anyways, after I finished singing, my companion pulled a table in front of me with a HUGE birthday cake on it. Everyone started singing "Happy Birthday" in Chinese, then English. It was so crazy!!! Then I had to make 2 wishes out loud, and make one in my mind and keep it a secret, because that's what you do on your birthday in Taiwan apparently ... haha. So it was a pretty cool way to celebrate my birthday. :)
Sunday was also full of TONS of other miracles! Basically finding has been going really rough lately so when we got to Saturday and still had only 1 other lesson and no new investigators, we were getting a little bit stressed out. We also only had 2 hours planned for finding on Sunday afternoon, so I wasn't sure how our numbers were going to end up by the end of Sunday night. A few weeks ago on Fast Sunday, Sister Xiao and I didn't fast because of some sickness. So this Saturday I remembered that I hadn't fasted yet this month, and if there was a month that I and our area needed blessings it was this one. I fasted first that I'd be able to continue to 'press forward' after the mission and be bold and courageous in standing for the testimony I've gained these 18 months. I also fasted that our area would be taken care of and we'd know how to best help it. Well, fasting works and God loves His children. We had a really great Sunday. Our amazing golden family, Xu Jiating came to church, even the daughters! And an investigator I've been working with since I got here FINALLY came to church! Miraculous last Sacrament Meeting! Then in the afternoon, we decided to take our Ward List out finding with us Sunday afternoon. We picked a road that had a lot of LA's on it, then to knocked that road. We really felt that that was what the Lord wanted us to do. Well, we were able to teach 4 other lessons and find 2 new investigators, one of which is now on date for May 28th! Then later that night we got 2 referrals and one of them set up with us and became our new investigator. It was truly an amazing Sunday. I really felt like we were being personally led to do the things He needed us to do. I think it also blessed Sister Xiao with more faith in herself and this area moving forward. It was another witness to me that God hears His children and wants to help us. :)
Now some final thoughts about this thing we call a mission.
It has been quite a ride. 18 months. 2 missions. 3 mission presidents. 6 areas. 11 companions. Countless miracles. Countless tears. Countless people that I'll never forget. All pieced together to createone perfect mission for one of Heavenly Father's imperfect daughters. I say "perfect mission", not because everything went exactly right or according to my plan, but because Heavenly Father put all these things together to create a perfect environment for my personal learning and growth. If I wouldn't have had just one of my companions, just one of my areas, I would've missed out on an opportunity to serve, learn, and progress. To quote Preach my Gospel, "There is no mortal man that is so much interested in the success of a [sister] when [s]he is preaching the gospel as the Lord that sent [her] to preach to the people who are the Lord’s children." This week I read a really beautiful verse in the Book of Mormon. It is Ether 3:18. It takes place just after Christ appears to the brother of Jared. "And he ministered unto him even as he ministered unto the Nephites; and all this, that this man might know that he was God, because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto him." How did Christ minister to the Nephites? One by one. Personally. Individually. He did all this that thisone man might know that He was God. How has Christ ministered unto me? One day at a time. One experience at a time. One prayer at a time. One by one. Personally. Individually. He did all these things for my on my mission, so that just this one daughter might know that he was God. I say "imperfect daughter" because I have cried to Him as I've tried to overcome my weaknesses and temptations on my mission. I'm still not a perfect teacher. I'm still not exactly obedient everyday. I'm still not perfect at Chinese. I'm still not perfect at loving my companion and investigators. I've never been perfect and I won't be until the next life. But as I've learned on my mission, that's okay. He just wants us to turn to Him and use His Atonement to improve everyday. He is always there. Elder Kent F. Richards said, "Perhaps His most significant work is in the ongoing labor with each of us individually to lift, to bless, to strengthen, to sustain, to guide, and to forgive us." I know that His Atonement is both infinite and individual. Eternal and personal. Because of all of these experiences I've had, all of the lifting, blessing, strengthening, sustaining, guiding, and forgiving, Christ has done for me, I know that He lives. Our Father lives. They love me. They love you. Their church has been restored and is the ONLY way to return to live with them and our families forever. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
-Sister Oviatt
No comments:
Post a Comment