Chapter 40 already? Wow where has the time gone? Being a missionary is literally the best thing ever.. 😀 well I was super happy to get online and email yous today and so far I’ve read nothing but GREAT news from all of you!!! It was an amazing feeling after last week’s bad news… 🙂 So some of my dear friends in my home ward shared with me some of their absolutely amazing spiritual missionary experiences with introducing their friends to the beauty of the gospel. I’m so happy for them and can’t wait to meet my new brothers and sisters in the Ward when I get home! And my not-so-little little sister graduated on Friday and is now a full blown GORGEOUS USU Aggie!! Congrats sis!! And I also heard from one of my dear sisters I had the blessing of knowing in Wylie, and she’s getting baptized this week!! Woohoo!! And I heard back from my incredible recent converts and their faith and diligence in living the gospel is so inspiring! The gospel is such a beautiful thing, I’m so grateful to be a part of it! 🙂 And a big thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! I love you all so much and it really made me feel special! 😁 My birthday was pretty fun! My awesome companion and flat mates surprised me in the morning with notes all over the flat and sang to me 🙂 So fun! And also my sweet companion Sister Verances gave me a little figurine because she knew I’d been struggling with Roxy’s passing.. and it’s funny, it actually looks quite a lot like her! <3 And a big thank you to my family for their awesome package and all the sweet letter’s I received! Y’all are the best!
The biggest thing of last week was probably our Mission Conference that we had with Elder S. Gifford Neilson Of the Seventy 🙂 It was AWESOME!!! I loved it so much(: He and his wife are so inspiring! It made me want to be a better missionary, member, human and daughter of God! I learned so much but I think the one thing that stuck out to me most was the promises that God gives those that He calls as missionaries. So this is for all the other missionaries out there… When we serve God with “all our heart, might, mind and strength” we are forgiven of our sins. Plain and simple.. We are pure before the Lord. This is of course dependent on our obedience and faith, but as we serve missions we can be completely forgiven of all our past sins. That is the promise and blessing of Missionary Service! How amazing is that? And I believe that we can stretch that to anyone who dedicates their “heart, might, mind and strength” to serving the Lord whether on a Full-Time Mission, or on their own life’s mission. 🙂 God is so great and amazing that He provides the way for us to find forgiveness and peace as we serve Him. (See D&C 84:60-62 or the whole section because it’s super great!)
As he closed the training, Elder Neilson left us with his blessing that as we are obedient and faithful we will: “feel the arms of God around us always, our sins our forgiven us, the powers of Heaven are open to us, through our obedience we become new creatures in Christ, we become powerful teachers of Doctrine through our desire and hard work, our families back home are richly blessed, and we can know we are on a deep spiritual and eternal journey, and through our efforts our family will be one.” So neat, and that is for all the missionaries out there and for those preparing to serve. These are the blessings you receive for your service. God loves us and He loves each and every one of His children!
Another blessing of the week was that I got to go to the Temple again!! And even better was that the Woden Ward came up and I got to see some of my favorite people again!! It only would’ve been better had the whole Ward been there.. x) I love the Temple so much and this time we actually got to participate in proxy Sealings. 🙂 Wow.. what an experience! I have such a testimony of Eternal families and the power of the Priesthood that binds us all as one for time and all eternity. There is no such thing as “Till death do us part” in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Family is forever and it’s so beautiful and wonderful, I just love this Gospel and how it blesses our families and our lives! I only wish that everyone I know could experience what joy this Gospel brings to our lives, as it has mine.
I hope this week finds y’all well and I pray that if you have a desire to know more about why I’m out here doing what I’m doing and why it makes me so happy… Find the missionaries near you! (or ask me because I can find them for you) This is truly the one and only thing that has brought me joy… even more than Pineapples!!! 😉 🍍😅
Love y’all heaps!
Sister Swan
PS enjoy the pictures.. WE SAW YVETTE!!! <3 love here I’m so excited she’s a member now!! And I got to see Elder Agreda from the MTC again.. good times good times x)
