Hello everyone! What a week it has been. And it's a special week, too. For those of you who have been very observant... this was my last week in North Carolina. Tomorrow I report to the mission office. Wednesday morning I'll be shipped back to Arizona.
So, the question is... how does a missionary spend her last week in the field?
Well, it was actually just about like any other week, if that week was particularly AMAZING. We had zone conference on Tuesday, and since it was also President and Sister Alexander's last zone conference (they leave three days after me) they gave us a lot of advice about life, family, education, and careers. It was just what I needed to hear, for sure. I bore my "departing testimony." I don't remember exactly what I said, but I know I talked about how I know Heavenly Father loves and knows each of us personally and puts us into situations where we have the chance to learn and grow into the people he needs us to be.
After zone conference I had my exit interview, where I talked with President Alexander for close to an hour and talked about my mission and what it has done for me and my plans for back home. It was a eeally good experience. I know our new mission president will be great, but I'm glad I had President Alexander for the full time.
On Wednesday we (aka the talented Sister Miller) made a coconut cream pie for a member who just got out of a serious surgery. She was so thankful to get it and we loved talking to her! That night we went to visit the Marshallese members, who gave me a few gifts from the Marshall Islands as an early going-away present since they would be going out of town this week. It was so sweet of them!
Thursday I managed to get through weekly planning before we went out finding. It was more or less a normal missionary day. Friday was the day D would have been baptized, and also happened to be the one day that week that no one signed up to feed us, so we took our dinner hour to have a little party by ourselves. It lifted our spirits pretty well! I am so glad I have a companion like Sister Miller. She is just great. I also got to say goodbye to the stables that day by picking up poop in the fields and making it into piles. Good times.
On Saturday morning we had our sister's conference call. I got to give my departing testimony there, too, and I talked a little about how our position and prominence doesn't matter, as long as we are doing the things God asks of us and becoming the person he needs us to be. Later we went to the baptism of a boy in the ward. It was such a good experience for him!
Yesterday we met a Bible referral who was actually very happy to see us, which is not always the case! She had actually recieved a Book of Mormon before and said she learned something every time she read from it. We are so excited to keep teaching her!
And now... here I am. My bags are mostly packed. I still doesn't quite feel real in my mind.
Before I close up I want to leave you my testimony. I know that God is real and loves each and every one of us. He loves you. He loves me. I know His son Jesus Christ suffered and died for us because He loves us, too. I know that because He lives, we can live again. I know that the Bible and the Book of Mormon are the word of God. Studying the Book of Mormon has helped me feel so close to Christ, and my fsith in Him has grown so much. I know now more than ever that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's true church restored to the earth. I know Christ is my Savior and God is my Father, and I know I will see Them again someday. I am forever grateful for this opportunity I have had to serve Them in the beautiful and blessed land of North Carolina.
I love y'all! See you soon!
Love,
Sister Reay
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