Welp, as you all know this is my last email as a full time missionary. I say that so hopefully I'll believe it too....Yeah I'm still in denial....
This week has been a crazy crazy week!! We taught Marissa (our miracle investigator) this Saturday about missionary work. I asked her if she had thought about serving a full time mission. (She's 21) and she said that she was going to bring that question to church last week. But she said that she was kinda scared to because she feels she already knows the answer. She said she would defiantly take that question this last Sunday! It was so precious because we hadn't even taught her about missionary work yet and she was already thinking about a mission. She is so incredible!!!
Can I just say that the Lord has blessed me so much. Yesterday, I got to go to a special stake meeting in the Meeker stake. And for those of you who might not remember I served in Craig/Baggs which was in the Meeker stake. I GOT TO SEE PEOPLE FROM THE CRAIG 2ND WARD AND BAGGS BRANCH!!!! Oh i was in heaven. I was just running around hugging all of them. IT WAS THE BEST!!! Then they were reading the names of people who received the Melchizedek priesthood and they read RANCE MOON'S NAME!!! He was one of the investigators I taught who got baptized in May. Oh my gosh it made me cry. That was the sweetest sunday meeting ever. And the most incredible part was Elder Oaks was there...
I forgot to tell you last week, but AN APOSTLE OF THE LORD CAME TO OUR MISSION. I got to shake Elder Oaks hand in a special meeting we had with him saturday night. I felt the spirit so strong the entire meeting we had with him. I absolutely loved it when he said, "You are not on your mission.....you are on the Lord's mission." That is SO true. I have been feeling that this whole week. But when he said it that's when it clicked for me what I was feeling. I just feel so blessed that I have been able to serve on the Lord's mission.
Wow, I just can't even express to you how much I love my mission and my lord and savior. I have had very very mixed feelings the past couple days. A couple weeks ago I would just cry because I really really didn't want to leave. But now when I cry it's because I am just so grateful....Word's can't describe how grateful I am for this experience. It has taught me how to be a better mother, wife, and disciple of Christ. It has taught me what is important in life, it has taught me to love and receive revelation through the scriptures. It has given me a strong testimony of our Prophet Joseph Smith and just how true the book of mormon is. It has taught me how to pray and have a personal relationship with the Lord. I have never loved people so much in my life. It has taught me how to work hard. It has taught me what the sacrament truly means and how to endure the hard times. It has taught me the importance of the priesthood. It has taught me the importance of families, and it has taught me how to be a leader. And most importantly it has taught me how to apply the Atonement in my life and the important role it plays every day. I just want to let all of you know, I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I know he loves me. I have seen his hand every single day of my mission. He has lifted me, carried me, and showed me the way. I have never had a stronger relationship with him and have never loved him more in my entire life than i do now. I want to be his servant for the rest of eternity. I want to show him, by how I live how much I truly truly love him.
This next step is really hard to accept and prepare for, but I know the second I get released it is now the time to apply every thing I have been teaching The Lord's children for the past 18 months. It is now the time to become his servant with out a tag. Your mission is never truly over... I am really nervous, but also really excited. Thank you all for being so supportive and loving. I appreciate all of your prayers in my behalf. I have really felt strengthened by them. I love you all so much. I just love, love love my mission.
See you soon.
Love sister JOnes
