There and Back Again

Dear everyone.

This is the last time I will write from Florida as a Full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is bittersweet, as I would love to stay but am happy to return to the land of my fathers.

 

I'm not really sure how to express my feelings right now, but I tried to as I wrote to my Mission President one last time. So I hope you will permit me to share with you what I shared with him. If it doesn't all make sense, I'll explain later.

 

"Dear President Anderson,

I can't believe this is it. I really don't want to leave because being a part of this mission has been such a wonderful experience and I know that it will only go up from here. But, alas, I must go, because that is the way God wants it to be. 

 

I really have loved being here in Florida. Not only was the weather nice, but the people are amazing, and the spirit of this mission is incredible. I am so grateful that I got to serve in such an obedient mission that is worthy of bringing forth miracles. Even today, as we went out to eat with several members, we were blessed with a miracle. One of the waitresses came up to us and said, "With so many Mormons all in one place, there must be a church around here somewhere!" We laughed and she told us she had just moved here from New York. Luckily, I had a chapel card with me and the member immediately invited her to a new member dinner they are having on Thursday. It was awesome. Afterwards, the member noted the miracle saying, "If you weren't going home, we wouldn't have been here to meet that woman! God definitely has everything planned out, doesn't He!" I was grateful to be an instrument in God's plan once again.

 

At the end of District Training yesterday, our district leader had me share my testimony before I left. I was going to stand up and say the common "I know the church is true . . ." but I stopped and decided to share some of what I've learned on my mission. As I spoke I realized how important my mission has been and will be in my life. I can already see the changes that have come as I have gone through experiences and used the Atonement during my mission, and I know this is just a school of sorts for the rest of my life. As a member put it, a mission is for you to learn and become so that when you go home you can apply and use all the knowledge you have gained. But if you don't maintain or continue adding to what you've learned you may regress. 

 

I also came to understand a quote I found towards the beginning of my mission in "Jesus: The Perfect Leader" that says "Stretch your soul in fresh achievement . . . to bring about lasting change." When we accomplish a goal we've never before reached we set that as a new capstone. Never again should we go back to old comforts for we know and have seen ourselves at that higher level. If we consistently strive to reach a capstone or fresh goal, we will continually move higher until we no longer have any desire to reach anything less. I remember at the beginning of my mission when we were struggling to get 12 blessings in a week. Now we strive to get 12 by Wednesday without giving a moments hesitation. Also at the beginning of my mission, the mission had a goal to get 100 baptisms in a month. Now we achieve this regularly and strive for more. I have no doubt that this mission will set 150 or 200 baptisms as a norm in the near future. This is possible because we are only restricted by our own limited faith and can perform miracles for the Lord if we only choose to believe. Never again will we be content with 100 baptisms or 12 blessings in a week because our faith as grown to a perfect knowledge that we are capable of far more.

 

One more thing I learned this week is that when we truly have faith, and show it by our hard work and diligence, God may still not bless us when we think he should! His timing is perfect and He knows exactly when we need the blessings we have "earned."  I am comforted to know that God does not show his love in the way that mankind tries to measure it. It is not in the outward blessings others can see that you have, but in the peace and joy in your own soul.

 

I thank you for all you have done and will continue to do for this great mission. I feel truly blessed to have served here and will remember it everyday of my life.

 

Love, Sister Sheffield"