I just decided to send this to only some of you because... I just wanted to let all my excitement and happiness out.
Okay, I just don't know where to start. Reading your emails really gave me some positive views and uplifting. I am happy hearing from both my friends and family back home and those who are currently serving their missions. I am so inspired in reading all of your emails and making me rethink and reponder or even to change my thought processes. And to my mother, thank you for the encouragement and the kind words. I miss you all so dearly.
So... Let me start with transfer week.
General Conference happened a few days after transfers. And on Thursday while we were getting "pumped-up" for conference weekend, President Poulsen mentioned about ushering. I had really no idea what he meant by that and never really took any thought because we weren't given that assignment... well, not until the sisters who were supposed to do it had another important meeting that they asked my companion and I to cover. At first I had simply no idea what to do or expect during the ushering thing until we went to the Church Office Building and told us to do table setting (Fine Dining during my Nutrition Classes in College and in my Home Economics Classes in High School was put to use.) After that, I found out that we were doing that to prepare the lunch of THE Brethren (Twelve and the Seventy). I was okay with it until they gave us half-aprons and we will be serving them as well. (I actually had fun that I was thinking that I want to work in Hotel and Restaurant industry when I get home instead of being a nurse but then... I just love being a nurse so I will just stick with it.) At first I was so nervous because I don't want to screw up and especially one of the twelve might be the one who received the revelation of sending me here. Things went well in the end, My anxiety was lost when I started
putting away the plates from Elder Andersen and Elder Ballard's tables. (We were each assigned to certain tables then.) Then while I was doing my work, I saw Elder Scott, Elder Holland
and Elder Bednar. (He even gave way for me to pass by him in order to continue putting away the plates.)
What made me even more excited is that when Elder Teh stopped to talk to me and asked how home and my mother was. It was really wonderful to be able to talk to an apostle of the Lord.
What really made last week special is that we were able to have the opportunity to attend at least a session of General Conference. It was totally inspired that I went to the afternoon session where I really had Elder L. Tom Perry's talk stand out and hit me so hard that it made me ponder even until today. "Obedience is the emblem of faith." Oftentimes, we think that because the commandments are difficult to follow but easy to invite/commit, we choose the once that are easier. Well, upon pondering, that is not the case. My mom would always tell me that "Exact obedience brings forth blessings." in this case, miracles. Being obedient to the commandments is not just obligatory but an act of faith, that we trust that the Lord will give us the blessings that He has promised as long as we obey His commandments. It also shows how much we love Him by acting on faith. Faith is not a passive thing, but is an action. Just as James says "Faith without works is dead."
Days before that I was able to teach people who were truly prepared for the gospel. This made me feel happy because I felt that I was doing my purpose. Earlier, I was pondering... after reading the emails and thinking about what I had heard in General Conference, I realized that in order to achieve my purpose as a missionary is that I need to realize my own divine nature and individual worth and everything will eventually fall into place.
But I wonder, how? Somehow, I would find the answer by searching the scriptures and supplicate myself in daily prayer. It is just amazing how the gospel really brings us to become positive thinkers, to always hope for the best no matter what trials and challenges we face in life. Each and every single day, I have realized, little by little, the blessings that Heavenly Father has given me from my family to my experiences here in the mission. Slowly but surely, these experiences have made me grow both spiritually and more sensitive to discovering my individual worth. I know that as I am doing this, the more that I could understand my purpose as a missionary and become more effective in inviting others discover their divine potential by coming unto Christ.
Sorry for the long email. This week has been really spiritual for me and I just hope to share these things with you, especially there in the Philippines, General Conference is coming up. Watch it, there is so much to learn and hear from those whom God has called to remind us of these things.
I am happy to know that no matter what, I am not alone and that my Savior is there to comfort and uplift me. I know that I am loved by my Heavenly Father. I know that I am His daughter. And I know that because of this experience, because of my family and friends who constantly pray for me and support me in whatever I am going through, and most of all, because I am born in an environment where gospel principles are taught and cherished.
I love you all. 'Til my next email.
