Hey
Everyone!
I can't believe last week was my last week as a full time
missionary. Let me tell you about my week and then I've got some final thoughts
to wrap up this email series.
Last Monday we managed to squeeze 4 lessons into the brief time
after pday. It was a busy week as we were helping a struggling friend and
preparing another friend, Juan, for baptism. I had my departing interview with
President Riding, which was so crazy! Basically this week was so busy, but it
was awesome!
Yesterday we were talking to people on the streets of Anderson,
and we talked to several who weren't interested, but the last lady we talked
to, it was so cool! She had just been praying to God for him to help, to give
her something to believe he still cared about her. Then, we run into her and
ask if we can share a scripture, I started reading a verse from Matthew, which
turns out is the name of someone she's been struggling with. She just knew we
were such a direct answer to her prayer! It was so cool!! We prayed with her,
and she gave us her address to come by and share more, and HOLY COW THAT WAS SO
COOL!
Juan's baptism was awesome; my favorite part was hearing his
testimony. He doesn't know everything yet, but he knows that God has worked a
huge change in his life.
Last night we had kinda like a family home evening with the
Bowens, Roger, and Juan, and watched a conference talk, and sang, and it was
just so awesome. God is so Good, he lets us keep trying, and helps us along the
way.
But yeah, that was kinda my week.
I feel a lot like Juan. I don't know everything, I don't know
exactly how all my plans will work out when I get home. I don't know how I made it to this point of
going home. But I do know God has worked a huge change in my life. The love I
feel for the people I've taught, for the members I've met, it is incredible. I
know Jesus Christ is living, at the head of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, and is actively involved in the lives of his children. He
loves his children, and wants them to be able to return home.
I know that the Book of Mormon is true and as Brian Taylor said
in a general conference talk: When you feel hurt, lost, scared, upset,
sad, hungry, or hopelessly abandoned in life’s extremities—open the Book of
Mormon, and you will come to know that “[God] will never desert us. He never
has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so].”
I know that God hears and answers sincere prayers. Prayer and
grace has carried me on my mission. Praying with faith means pleading with real
intent, and then getting on your feet with the faith that he will give you the
strength to make it to the end of the night!
Serving a mission has been the best year and a half for me. The
best year and a half, period? 👀Ummm, some parts... Haha, it's been
hard, but because it's hard I have grown stronger in so many ways.
This week Mosiah 2:17 has been on my mind. When ye are in the
service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God. The
past 18 months have been a labor of love for my God. When I have walked a
million miles and biked a million more. When I have knocked the doors of his
children in the rain and snow, searched the scriptures to answer their
questions, and pleaded on my knees in their behalf, I have only been in the
service of my God.
And it is God who sacrificed the greatest for me. Heavenly
Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ to pay the price for my sins, and to suffer
my heartache. Jesus Christ's condescension and infinite and eternal sacrifice
makes it possible for mistakes to be part of the plan. You learn and grow so
much from mistakes. Jesus Christ has the power to heal and console us.
When no one understands, he does. How do we access that power and
strength?
Through the incredible gift of Repentance. D&C 19:15-16
describes the sacrifice born out of love for us that he experienced. It says:
"repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by
my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you
know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. 16 For behold, I, God, have
suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would
repent;"
The most bitter moment of Eternity was experienced by our
Savior. He did it for me. And I can feel that love strongest when I choose to
follow him and change to become more like him.
And so the past year and a half I have sacrificed as a full time
missionary have been in behalf of Jesus Christ.
1 John 4: 9-11
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his
Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we
ought also to love one another.
It's hard to believe my mission is over. But my service in
Christ's church, and in my life is just starting!
I love this quote shared in a talk by Sharon Eubank: Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland once remarked: “Prayers are answered … most of the
time … by God using other people. Well, I pray that He’ll use us. I pray
that we’ll be the answer to people’s prayers.” Brothers and sisters, through
your ministry, donations, time, and love, you have been the answer to so many
prayers. And yet there is so much more to do. As baptized members of the
Church, we are under covenant to care for those in need. Our individual efforts
don’t necessarily require money or faraway locations; they do require the
guidance of the Holy Spirit and a willing heart to say to the Lord, “Here am I;
send me.”
Ya'll God is so Good.
Catch ya'll in Utah!
Sister Cox
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