I'm Moving On

I'm finally going to the field, as crazy as that is. I am extremely nervous, but I am even more excited. I don't know what the field will hold for me, or how difficult or new it will be, but I know that the exoeriences that I have are meant for me! The challenges will be difficult- but they will help me grow closer to the Lord. The people may not accept the message yet, but I am there to set the example. The mornings will be early, but they will help me get everything done. I know that my mission will be difficult for me, but it will prepare me for my future. One day I will look at the challenges I've faced and will be able to recognize that I am worthy of my future family. 

This week during our last day of class, we wrote a letter to our future missionary. Inside this letter were the words of our soul and the words of our testimony. I know the person that I am, and the weaknesses that are a part of me- and that is what I addressed- I wrote my future self the reminders that I will need in my future to face the challenges that will find me during my mission. 

My favorite thing to motivate me to control my weather is this question: What will you let the worst day of your mission be? When I get back from my mission, I am going to make sure that my honest answer is "the day that I had to retire my tag." My personal goal during my mission is to face my trials with joy and gratitude. Maybe this is a little unrealistic, but that is what I am working towards and I challenge you all to do the same. Your challenges will seem as tall as Mount Everest- but there is a reason we go hiking, right? We hike because we enjoy the exercise and we love the view or the satisfaction when we get to our destination. This is how we should all think of our trials- as a hike. The challenge won't last forever, but we enjoy the time that it takes to reach the peak. And then once we finish our hike, and we want to do it again. I challenge you all to think about your trials in that light.

Earlier this week, I was thinking about Jesus Christ and how he is each of our advocate. And now I know that this isn't gospel truth, but I imagine Christ up there pushing for a trial to come our way because he wants us to gain the experience that we came to this earth to recieve. I hope that trials are in my future- because I know that I have plenty of room to grow. 

My last thing is actually from earlier this week. My companion and I had just finished getting ready for bed and we had just said our nightly companion prayer. I said my personal prayer and was laying in bed and felt the random desire to tell my companion that she will be an amazing missionary- so I turned over in my bed and broke our nightly silence and said "Hermana Oakes, usted sera una buena misionera." Please remember that I am still learning spanish so don't judge me if that is incorrect. Right after I went to sleep and didn't think a thing about it. The next day, we were walking to one of the computer labs... I think to take our EL test ( a test to see how we are doing in spanish before we enter the field)... and she asked me "Last night, when you told me that I would be a good missionary, why did you say that?" I told her that I just felt like it, and she said that she had just been thinking about hoe nervous she was and stuff. 

I have a testimony that our prayers are answered through people around us. God listens to our prayers and knows what is happening in our life. If you haven't prayed in a while, or feel like your prayers haven't been sincere or you haven't felt heard from your heavenly father- I ask you to pray to feel the Love of God and to see the hand of God in your life. I promise that he will answer your prayers and will shower his love on you in your life. 

My question for you this week is: Who is Jesus Christ to you?