Well, this is weird... I'm in my 10th Transfer, I testify that the mission is so fast! It's crazy to think that I'm already at the point where I have less than 6 months left and only 3 transfers after this one. Sister Christensen is keeping me sane and very grounded, training is the best, though there really isn't much training to be done, she's amazing! She is a powerful and incredible missionary and I know that we were put together for so many reasons. The Lord is in the details and these transfers with her couldn't be more perfect!
Though out teaching pool be small and sickness has gotten in the way of the work (on both sides) we still strive diligently to do all we can to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping them receive the restored gospel, and that's what it's all about.
This transfer will be a busy one, finishing up training Sister Christensen, being assigned to be District Leader for the second time and also we still have our assignment of Visiting Center Training, which we love so much! It will be crazy, busy, fun, and I will spend a lot of time on my knees, however I know it's going to be incredible! I love the Sisters in my District, they are great hard working missionaries that love the Lord and love this work, they are full of enthusiasm and diligence. Really everything in the mission prepares us for something and this is just another one of those things I will look back on whenever it is and be like "Yep! That's why the Lord needed me in that position at that time."
This week it snowed on Wednesday ALL DAY! I woke up to a blanket of snow and it was the first time in my life seeing this much snow and seeing it consistant all day! needless to say I took a million photos! It was an incredible day and completely random, there is no more snow on the ground, it's been warm and sunny the past two days and the flowers and slowly recovering from the dust storm then the snow, now we can get into Spring. Heavenly Father obviously just wanted me to see it one time in my mission and it was perfect and completely picturesque. I LOVE THE SNOW! It was an incredible day and I was on cloud 9 the whole time, which brightened up a lot of people who were annoyed a little about it, but it helped them realize that there are people that never see this and how exciting it is, which made them smile to see, for lack of a better word my whole innocence to snow and the feeling of it and everything else. Like a child... Mosiah 3:19 right? just likening the scriptures! Hahaha
I can absolutely say with 100% surety, being centered on our purpose as missionaries changes everything, being a Preach My Gospel missionary changes everything. I love in Chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel it says "When you have done your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself. You can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when you feel the Spirit working through you.".
And it is so true, it may not be perfect, our teaching pool may not be large, people may not refer or wish to learn more even when you know they need the Gospel of Jesus Christ more than ever! When it's a family that has been prepared by the Lord to receive these things... whatever it may be. You can still know that you are successful because you love these people, you desire their salvation, because the Spirit was speaking through us, we are obedient, we strive daily to develop Christlike attributes, then Mosiah 28:3 becomes more real than ever before.
I know that I will never in this life understand the immense results of what I have done on my mission, I will never know the impact of my testimony or a shared experience, never know how many people actually go home and check out mormon.org or read the Book of Mormon or let the missionaries into their homes. But really, I don't have to, because it's not about what I know, because I don't have to know it all, I just have to trust and rely on the one who does, and as I focus on the here and now and as I center everything on my Savior, Jesus Christ. That's where the eternities are beginning to be changed, even when I don't realize it.
One example, just before conference we met all these returned missionaries that has served in Tennessee the day they got home, they came from the airport to Temple Square (it happens a lot), we met these two Sisters at the Eternal Families desk and they were still just shining and bright, sad, but so happy to be home with their families, excited to carry their name tags in their hearts continuing with the work by being member missionaries. We invited them all to pray about questions to take to conference and then have them in their hearts while they watched General Conference that was coming that weekend.
Usually we never see or hear about the results of what happens but we were finishing a tour at the Statue of Christ and after we had ended it, one of the Sisters came up to us! She told us of her experience and how it changed her life and gave her so much guidance as to what to do after her mission and how it really just gave her so much comfort, it had been a rough day for Sister Christensen and I and it was a testimony to us of so many things. We got to see the fruits of an invitation that we had extended by the Spirit and because of that her life was changed. I will be forever grateful for her coming up to us and telling us how we played a huge part in all of that and for the kind words and advice she than gave to us.
"The sorrows will out number the joys, but the joys will always outweigh the sorrows" - Kate
With one of the new exhibits we have on Temple Square right now it's called 8 Stories and it's all about the District 2 missionaries in their Pre-Mission, their Mission and their Post-Mission life. They share stories and experiences and something that they have really learnt from their missions. It got me thinking about what I have learnt and it really comes down to as I have said it a million times in my emails "The Lord is in the details of our lives". I see it come to pass multiple times a day, everything comes back to my Savior and my gratitude for His plan for me and how I can have confidence in that. I don't have to fear, as long as I have faith and I am trusting in the arm of my Savior, I have nothing to stress about because He has it all in His hands and He knows a lot better than I do! Which I am so grateful for!
I love being able to have this experience where I get to not only help others come unto Christ, but I to get to come closer to him in ways I never have before, I get to use the atonement in ways I never have before and I get to just learn and grow in ways I never could if I hadn't come on a mission.
Our investigators are slowly but surely coming to know the truths of the gospel for themselves, by reading the Book of Mormon and praying, they are increasing in their faith and developing relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It's been really incredible to see the changes they are making and the things they are doing to really have it for themselves. They are all so amazing and I love them all so much, I know they will come to know these truths and that the Lord has a plan for them, just like he has a plan for all of us. Like Elder Brent H. Nielson talked about in his conference address in the Saturday afternoon session, we're all on the same path back to our Heavenly Father and He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ to help us along the way!
I love the gospel and I love being a missionary, I love inviting others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel, I love the Book of Mormon and how I continuously learn and grow from it every time I read it, no matter what it is. I'm excited for the new experiences this transfer will bring and I'm just grateful for every opportunity and experience given to me in the mission. Especially here on Temple Square.
Love, Sister Ryan xx
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