Can words accurately describe what it’s like to be a
missionary...the anticipation of the long-awaited call signed by a prophet, the
surprise when you open it, the realization that you will actually be
gone for a year and a half? It’s the shopping for sister missionary shoes that
are the ugliest things you’ve ever seen. It’s the MTC, the food, your district,
your teachers, trying to learn the language. All of it is new, exciting,
overwhelming, filled with the Spirit. Then you are off to the airport for the
biggest adventure of your life. You have no idea what is before you or what to
expect. You land in a foreign land and you have no idea what anyone is saying.
You pray and you beg for the gift of tongues. You think it would all be easier
if you could only express what you wanted to say and be able to understand what
in the world these people are saying. Days are filled with sicknesses,
surprises, rejections, spiritual lessons, miracles, and a lot of
walking, getting used to the culture, how people talk, the customs, what is
important to the people. Your testimony grows as you see that the
Gospel is the answer to all of life’s problems. It’s the way to be truly happy.
You leave your trainer, learn to work with new companions and learn to work
with and love the members. Packages from home arrive with much-needed supplies
and encouragement. Zone conferences are attended and interviews help with the
mission president, which help you to improve your way of teaching. It’s
realizing that those ugly sister missionary shoes are your most valuable
possession, since they are comfy and trusted. The Spanish comes and the Guarani
you understand only by using context clues. You see the miracles, the baptisms,
the baptisms that didn’t happen because people chose something else over God.
You see a family enter the waters of baptism and you know that they will never
be the same. They have made a change for eternity. You pray that they will
accept Jesus Christ; you pray that they will see the importance of it all. You
begin to train, even though you feel like you were just trained. You feel like
your imperfections are magnified but you can only hope that what you are doing
will be enough.
Before you know it, it is ending and you look back at what happened, what you learned, what you accomplished. As you have served others, you have grown and received many blessings for yourself. You have met amazing people who are amazing examples of how to live the Gospel. You have made friendships that will never fade. As you stand to give your closing testimony and say goodbye to the people you have served and loved, you can’t help but give thanks to a loving Heavenly Father who gave you such a wonderful opportunity and was with you the whole time. You express your love for the Savior and how He made everything possible in this life through His atoning sacrifice. Your voice is shaking and the tears begin to roll down your cheeks because you realize that while you were in the "service of your fellow beings, you were only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). You realize that you will never be the same because of what these people taught you and you realize that you have and always will love them with all your heart.
Every mission ends but the lessons will never fade. You will think of your mission everyday for the rest of your life.
Hermana Brittner
Before you know it, it is ending and you look back at what happened, what you learned, what you accomplished. As you have served others, you have grown and received many blessings for yourself. You have met amazing people who are amazing examples of how to live the Gospel. You have made friendships that will never fade. As you stand to give your closing testimony and say goodbye to the people you have served and loved, you can’t help but give thanks to a loving Heavenly Father who gave you such a wonderful opportunity and was with you the whole time. You express your love for the Savior and how He made everything possible in this life through His atoning sacrifice. Your voice is shaking and the tears begin to roll down your cheeks because you realize that while you were in the "service of your fellow beings, you were only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). You realize that you will never be the same because of what these people taught you and you realize that you have and always will love them with all your heart.
Every mission ends but the lessons will never fade. You will think of your mission everyday for the rest of your life.
Hermana Brittner
***Jamie will be arriving home tomorrow. We are holding an Open House at our home on Saturday, August 18 from 5pm-7pm. On Sunday, August 19 she will be speaking at 9am & 1pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Jeffery Way in Brentwood, CA. Everyone is invited! For those of you who live in Utah, Jamie will be returning to BYU on August 23 and would love to catch up with you then.
Bobbie Brittner
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