To those I love,
Let me start by saying this: The Priesthood power of God is real and was restored to the earth. I know that is true. I know that God works through His servants and He loves His missionaries. And I think that sometimes we have to fall hard, we have to get cut down, so that we break a little, so that our hearts are prime for perfection. Repentance is a process of change that can hurt. Even for missionaries who are constantly repenting and trying again, it hurts. Because the Lord sees so much in us. He sees so much of who we can become.
My mission is splitting at the end of the month and for the last six weeks I've been praying that I would get transferred to the Kennewick mission. It was mostly a righteous desire and I just knew if the Lord knew how much it meant to me that He would let it happen.
But it didn't happen.
Even after all the prayers (and not just mine, my sweet Sister Sanchez and Sister Tippetts were praying too.) I'm staying and training in Cheney. It's been hard. It's maybe been the hardest thing to bear since the start of my mission. But I received a priesthood blessing of comfort from a humble, worthy young man and that was real. The peace and comfort was tangible. It filled all the emptiness in my soul.
President Mullen wrote me and said this:
"As I go through transfers, I received different impressions regarding where missionaries should go and who they should serve with. Some are ones that are small impressions that I really have to pay attention to in order to feel. Other impressions are very distinct and unmistakable. Where you should serve came to me very distinctly and unmistakably. It is exactly where you need to be and the Lord wanted to makes sure that I knew it. Thanks for your willingness to go where the Lord wants you to go. You will receive extra blessings now and after your mission."
I know there are important things for me to do here in Cheney and on this side of the mission. There are lots of hispanics here and I'm certain that I will continue to speak and use my Spanish. I've still been using it all last transfer too. Sister Johnson has been so kind to me. She told me that I'm a really good trainer and that the sister coming in needs me really bad. It was just another comfort and tender mercy. In fact, since all of the sadness has begun, my life has been continually filled with sweet, tender mercies.
We have 5 incredible investigators that are staying for the summer in Cheney. That's a miracle. Most people are home after school for summer but all of our progressing investigators are staying. Cameron, Corey, Chris, Porche and Leslie. I'm excited for miracles. I told you about April last week? And Alex? Well those two are strangely connected but not actually strange because I know there are no coincidences in missionary work but it always just humbles and surprises me to know how I really am an instrument in the hands of the Lord.
I want to shout out to Brother Driggs this week. He sent me a challenge to look up some scriptures and find the blessings that come from reading the scriptures. It was a big blessing for me and each scripture confirmed my testimony of the goodness of God and that we really do have His words. I'd send you the list of scriptures but I didn't bring it with me. Ask that Brother Driggs to give you a copy. I'm going to challenge all my investigators. Good stuff!
Well, I love y'all. I love this work and I know that the trials of our faith build us stronger and bring us closer to Christ. What a privilege to have a loving Father in Heaven.
Hermana (always and forever!) Judd
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