Dear Mom, Dad, Eric, Belle, and Coffee,
I feel like over the course of the last few weeks, our email discussions
have gradually shifted from discussions of missionary work and things of such
nature to coming home and schooling. I know this is natural, but where
have the last two years gone? I feel like I blinked once and I was in the
MTC, I blinked again and I was being trained, I blinked again and I was
training, I blinked again and I'm here now. I have been a Zone Leader for
five move calls (don't post that online). How on earth has all of that
happened? How have you three not been by my side through every
step? How have my desires and passions changed so suddenly? Our
mortal existence is brief. Incomprehensibly brief. I'm just
grateful that I have a wonderfully supportive family and the fact that I can
say that I have NO REGRETS from my mission. I love my mission. I
still feel new in many ways, but I'm old. I'm happy I still have the rest
of my life to find ways to serve my Master. I love Him.
Classes can't be selected until October? That's good to
know. I still have a little time to figure things out. It's
honestly very difficult for me to fully decide what I am meant to
do. I have every intention of finishing my education.
Compromise is not an option. I will continue to pray about it and
hopefully come up with an answer in the not-too-distant future.
I would actually appreciate it if you could send me a list of majors
from BYU in the next email. That would honestly be very
beneficial. I want to make the right decision. I want to
discuss these things with my Mission President, but I haven't had an interview
opportunity yet and likely won't for a good while. I suppose I could
just email him or call him, but he's so busy it's hard to justify discussing a
non-mission related purpose with him. The old release date is
still probably what's going to happen. He just sent out an email that
said that he doesn't want to extend extensions unless a need is required.
I'm so happy for you, Dad. I think it's wonderful that after so
much dedication and diligence you accomplished your goal of placing in
the TOP 10. Such a feat is incredibly impressive. You get
what you seek. I think it's a wonderful example. I want to
be equally as committed to the pursuits of my life. I want to give
all of these things my all. I'm grateful that my parents are those
who achieve what they set out to accomplish.
That miracle story from LOTOJA impressed me greatly. I love
miracle stories. The Lord is watching over all of His children so keenly
and so intently in order to protect us from the daily dangers of the day
to day world. I love being a member of this gospel for it is
the only way to obtain a fullness of the Lord's blessings all day
every day. The Lord is mindful of us all and magnifies our efforts beyond
our own understanding. I don't know whether that man with the oil was a
mortal angel or a celestial angel, but he was sent of God at that very moment
to take care of His precious son. How wonderful is the God that we
worship!
The Zone is getting progressively better. There are very few
missionaries that don't want to baptize and don't want to have
success. Almost all missionaries desire to improve and be
better. The problem often stems from not understanding how they
can improve or where to begin. Each set of leaders from Senior Companion
to Mission President oversee a different phase of the work and desire to
improve in their realm of influence. As each level of influence
works together and catch a vision of what they can accomplish, progress is
made. We have exchanged with all of the companions in the Zone in hopes
of inspiring all to catch the same vision. As the Bible says, when we
have no vision, the people perish.
I cannot for the life of me comprehend that Nate is no
longer a missionary in just ten short days, and that he will be home
shortly after that. The thought is mind boggling. I CANNOT
WAIT to hear your analysis of him upon return. I can't wait to hear
how he has changed and improved over the course of two brief years.
He was also an amazing person from the beginning. He prepared long and
hard for his mission. He prepared longer and harder than I did, so I
can only imagine how much better of a missionary he must've been than me.
After I came out on my mission, I realized how much I admire Nate and his
constant perseverance in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He loves the Lord and
has always worked as hard to align his with the Lord's. I'm grateful that
I have such an outstanding friend that I can trust for the rest of my
life. Good friends are hard to come by. He is the best kind of
friend.
Winter. I don't know what that feels like anymore.
It doesn't sound very inviting honestly. Winter in Taiwan is pretty
nice. It's cool, not cold, and it doesn't rain very much.
Taiwanese Winters are where it's at. The last thing I want to
think about it feet of snow and frigid winds. Hopefully this blazing
hot Summer will carry over into the Winter months as well.
I got to exchange with Elder Taylor last week. Can you believe
that? He's in this Zone now. For the first time in over a year and
a half of missionary work, we finally had the opportunity to work together proselyting. It was a load of fun.
Imagine being a missionary with a great friend for 24-hours: talking to
everyone, teaching lessons, etc. He's a great missionary full of
sincerity and a burning desire to serve God. He is incredible. I'm
so grateful for the wonderful friends that I've been blessed to know. He
told me about all of these friends of ours that are either married
or engaged, and I was blown away. He also told me of his brother
graduating High School and many, many, other crazy events that have happened
over the course of the last couple years. Truly staggering.
I feel as though I won't recognize home when that point arrives, but I
know that aside from the first few days, everything will seem as though it
hasn't changed. I can't comprehend it nor do I wish to.
This mission has changed my life. I love it. I love the
Lord. Thank you for supporting me. It means everything to me that
you all love the gospel too. You are my best friends.
- Elder Woolsey
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