Saturday, February 14, 2015

Email #77 (Gilbert, AZ)

February 9, 2015


Hola, mi querida familia!!!
No, this is not my last email. I'll be able to get on next week because my companion will still have to email, so I might as well send one last one next Monday :)
Goodness, I don't even know what to say right now. My heart is full of too many emotions that I'm trying to push away because if I let them out in the middle of the library, they probably wouldn't let missionaries email here anymore... so for the sake of future P-Days for future missionaries AGM, I will keep them in. But they are bound to come out sometime, and I feel sorry for Hermana Haycock when they do!
Speaking of Sister Haycock, she's been doing great. I'm so proud of her and how much she has grown and become. It's so funny because something I have realized as her trainer is that a majority of the things she has learned in the past 11 weeks have not come from the moments I have taught her one on one, but rather from the application of the things that we learn as missionaries. Most of her progress has come from her own personal efforts, not from me teaching her or training her. Even though we've had moments of struggle and occasional sass, we've grown close in both of our individual and collective efforts to invite others to come unto Christ. It's just the best. I'm going to miss her a lot come next week, but I know she is going to be just fine, because God will help her and lift her as she puts her full trust in Him. Out of all the things I've tried to help her understand, the things I hope that stick the most are 1) that God is perfect and He has a perfect plan, so we have no reason not to put our full and complete trust in Him and 2) Our Savior is ALWAYS there for us, as long as we seek Him and His help.She'll do great, I know it!
This week was great, a much better week than two weeks ago. We taught a lot and were able to continue to help both Tim and Beatriz to progress. We are praying that Tim got his answer this past weekend about the Church being true and that he chooses to get baptized this coming Saturday. It will be the best day of my life if he does! But even if he doesn't, I feel strongly that one day he will join the church when he is ready. A ver lo que pasa con el esta semana. 
I also just wanted to tell y'all that the week before was rough because God wanted me to learn a difficult lesson and get rid of my pride, but that lesson has refined me to be a little bit better than I was before, so I needed it. Thank you for your letters and emails of support, fam:) they helped me a lot. I am so blessed to have the best family in the world. I think one of my favorite things was Max's sticky note that said "You are beautiful in your mission clothes". That just melted my heart:)
And don't you worry, I will definitely be "Enjoying to the End"! I can't believe there is only a week left of my mission. In all honesty, it isn't real yet. I don't think it will be until next Tuesday when I'm on that plane and I am flying home to you. I have so little time and still so much I feel like Heavenly Father wants me to do! This week is going to be hard, but great. I want to ensure that I come home ready to keep on changing, progressing and sharing the Gospel by giving it my all this week!
A strong, comforting thought from the Holy Ghost came to me yesterday: "It is NEVER over". Yes, my mission may be ending and yes, I will not be able to wear my tag forever. But this past year and a half has changed me because I have come to know my Savior Jesus Christ much better than before. I am a different person because now I know my Savior. And just because I'll be released and have to take my tag off, does not mean my life as a faithful disciple of Christ is over. In fact, it has only just begun:) Just like Elder Holland says in his talk The First Great Commandment, "After an encounter with the living Son of the living God, nothing is ever again to be as it was before." Nothing will ever be the same, in the best way possible. I know it is going to be really hard coming home, but I also am confident in God's plan for me. Everything is going to be alright.
And, don't worry Mom, we can definitely talk about the fact that I am coming home, because I cannot lie about being SUPER excited about seeing the best familia in the entire world!!! I can't wait to see you all and give you all a big hug:) My one rule for next Tuesday is that Mom gets the first hug, okay? haha
I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SOOOOOO MUCH!!!
Nos vemos bien pronto!
Hermana Lattin




0 comments:

Post a Comment