area: Lake Houston YSA Branch (Humble, Texas)
zone: Summerwood
companion: Elder Keech
I love being a missionary! But sometimes it's hard. I have a few things to talk about:
1) We had a Tri-Mission Conference on Saturday with President Russell M. Nelson and Elder Corbridge. It was a wonderful conference about specific things that we can do to become better disciples of Jesus Christ. At the beginning, each of the nearly 700 missionaries got to go forward and shake his hand, that was an awesome experience! It answered a lot of questions. However, my favorite part of the whole thing did not come from what was said, but from what the Spirit taught me. Towards the end of the meeting as President Nelson was speaking his voice had so clear of a determination and confidence and the Spirit whispered to me that he KNOWS that this is true. Now, I have a testimony, and I've felt the Spirit from praying about the Book of Mormon. But I've always thought that Apostles either know it's true, or they know it's not, but either way they know. And it was so reassuring to my testimony to receive that witness that President Nelson knows this is true.
2) A returning less active named Evelyn passed away on Friday. We didn't find out until Saturday. After the conference we went by to see how she was doing and her mom answered the door and started crying. She was 19 years old and just recently decided to prepare for a mission. She was also dating José, our recent convert, and introduced him to the church. He's taking it pretty rough. Trying to comfort the mom and the younger brother was one of the hardest things I've ever done. After church they all seemed to be doing a little better.
3) Kayla is awesome! On Wednesday we received a text from her saying, "I can't wait to be baptized!" Then a couple hours later we received another text, "I didn't go to work because I'm sick, and I was lonely so I prayed asking what I should do, and I had this overwhelming desire to be at the temple. So I looked it up and I'm driving there right now! I'm so excited!" Then a couple hours after that, "I'm sitting in the temple parking lot! I'm too nervous and cold to get out and walk around but I'm listening to a YSA Devotional on Gospel Library and it's answering a lot of questions and concerns I have!" She's so awesome! After she's baptized I'm going to have her write her conversion story and I'll send a copy home.
Again, I love being a missionary. Sometimes it's just hard. But it's the best! I love all of you. But I love Jesus Christ more. And this is where He wants me. So this is where I want to be.