What a week!
Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Clayton, the President of the Seventy came with their wives this Friday to speak at a combined mission conference we had with the Arcadia mission at the Los Angeles stake center. It was so incredible! We got to hear them all speak about missionary work. It was a very powerful meeting with all of those missionaries there. It reminded me of the Missionary Training Center. Elder Perry told some really incredible stories, like about how when he was twelve his dad had taken him and his brothers to meet a man who had known Martin Harris when he was a boy. He had worked for a family that Martin Harris was staying with in Utah. Martin Harris was very old and witheres, but he still bore a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon and it had really impacted this man, who then then told the story to Elder Perry. Martin Harris was one of the Three Special Witnesses of the Book of Mormon, who had personally held the gold plates and testified of their reality. Elder Perry told us how it was such a powerful experience for him to realize that he was just two generations away from a man who had actually held the Gold plates in his hands, and who bore special witness that they were from God. Elder Perry then bore a powerful witness of the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ.
There were a lot of things at the meeting that were surprisingly very applicable to my life after the mission. I also keep meeting people in the Visitors' Center that somehow find out that I am about to come home and that have been giving me really good advice. There was a man that came in and he told me about his nephew who was such a great missionary, that he loved his mission, but then he had come home and married someone who hated the church and had gone completely inactive. It is so sad to see people that fall away after having such an incredible experience as a missionary. I've decided that a big part of it comes from a need "to be commanded in all things," instead of being the wise servants that Doctrine and Covenants describes in section 58 that is "anxiously engaged" and "does many good things of his own free will and choice," or something along those lines. I am really grateful for the self-control that the mission has taught me, and I plan to keep learning and growing, and setting goals to grow spiritually as well so that I don't catch myself backsliding. Another old man asked me "So are you happy right now? Do you feel close to Christ and more of his love?" To which I of course replied "yes." "Well, then keep doing what you're doing." I don't think that he meant in a freaky "act like I'm still a missionary" kind of way, but there is a value that comes from the habits I've formed, from the daily scripture study and prayer, and from really applying the gospel to myself that I hope to always have with me in my life.
After the fireside and later Friday evening I was lucky enough to be right at the entrance of the Visitors' Center when Sister Perry and Sister Clayton came by, so I welcomed them and offered to give them a tour. They are the sweetest ladies! They loved the Visitors' Center. It was really amazing giving them a tour, because they are so wise and it was great to learn from them and also to see two really great examples of women that have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord. Their husbands were busy in a meeting, which is something that I imagine they are both very used to. Elder Perry even made a joke about how he loved being out with the members instead of being in meeting after meeting after meeting at the Church office building. They were especially excited to watch the Special Witnesses of Christ with the video segments of the newer apostles that aren't on the DVD. We also watched Elder Perry's, and Sister Perry commented on how much she disliked the tie he had chosen to wear. When we were in the "Savior of the World" exhibit there was a video clip that starts out with Christ on the cross, and sister Clayton gasped and hurried and changed it saying "oh I just can't handle that." They were both so cute.
Yesterday was the Departing Missionary Fireside. You would think that the fact that I am going home soon would hit me there, but it didn't and it really hasn't yet. It kind of just feels like a weird dream and home is still just another alternate reality. The fireside was great, except that they put me first! There were seventeen of us going home, so they told us that we only had three minutes to share our testimony, so I felt completely unprepared. I had thought that I would have some time to sit there and think about it, but no. As I got up I could still hear them discussing how we really needed to make sure we didn't take more than three minutes, so I was so nervous about going ever that I only talked for about a minute and then sat down. Hopefully I made up for it in a really nice musical number that I did with Sister Stout. It was a duet of "Lead Kindly Light." It was so great to see a lot of the people that I have come to know and love on my mission that were there! That was definitely the best part. The Marquez family came and they gave me balloons and a huge stuffed animal bunny. It was really sweet of them. :) I gave Mirna, Melissa, and Clarissa some of my mission skirts to remember me by and I gave Felix my hymnbook which I wrote my testimony in so he can take it with him on his mission. Did I tell you that Felix is getting ready to serve a mission?! I am so excited for him. So now I'll have two little brothers out on missions! Wouldn't it be great if he got to be companions with James? Or if they are in the MTC at the same time?
I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and I have felt him carrying me so much throughout my mission, and I know that he will keep taking care of me in the future. "So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still will lead me on." Heavenly Father loves all of us so much! It was so incredible to see some of those blessings of my mission and the fruits of my labors in his vineyard. Wow. Like I said, I still can't believe it.
I hope that you are all doing well, and I look forward to seeing you all pretty soon.
I love you all!
- Sister Dansie
Pics:
1. The Dickson's came in to the Visitor's Center!
2.Dinner at the Bishop's with Diane
3. Sisters Perry and Clayton
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