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Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Week 80: The Good Fight



Well.  This is it.  How surreal.  Yesterday was one of the greatest days of my mission, and probably my life.  It was a perfect ending to a glorious journey.
The whole weekend was stellar actually.  I spoke in sacrament about becoming Christlike, via the two great commandments, loving Heavenly Father and loving one another.  I hugged everyone goodbye, got my pictures, and everyone had kind things to say, thanking me for my service (and trying to predict my date of engagement, but we won't talk about that.)  Yesterday, I guess I should have spent the day packing, but there were too many people to see.  We taught three lessons instead.  We visited an investigator at the hospital, about the reality of the Resurrection through Jesus Christ.  Her poor health and tired body will be so relieved when that day comes.  We visited a member of the ward in the same hospital, and sang to her : Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing.  Words that have always been near to my heart.  "Here's my heart, o take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."  We taught her about the Atonement and repentance.
This whole last week, we had many opportunities to testify specifically about the Savior and His Atonement.  Either that, or I took every chance I could to testify of such things.  My daily experiences have never been so joyful or fulfilling.  We dropped our young agnostic on a mutual understanding that maybe this just wasn't the right time for him.  But we testified of the Plan of Salvation, of a God who loves him, and made him promise to look up the missionaries when that day does come that his heart yearns again to know his Maker.  We taught twice more the woman who's working on being baptized, and she receives our message of the Plan of Salvation like a child  would - eagerly and gratefully.  She told us she feels so good after our lessons, like she doesn't have any worries anymore, and I wanted to shout for joy.  That's the Spirit!
Anyway, we finished yesterday at Lonnie's, and Junior was there!  Back from the dead!  We leapt on the opportunity to teach him again, asked him about baptism again, how we do it to follow Jesus Christ, and how the Father promises us the Holy Ghost.  For a moment I remembered what it was like to be seventeen as Junior pondered how such a gift could help him in his life.  "I know I want to be baptized," he said.  "I'm just not sure when."  He's on his way.  I have no doubt.  He knows Jesus died for him, and that's enough to get him started.  To top it off, we had dinner with K-dog who is already planning to see me next winter when he goes through the temple for the first time in Salt Lake City.  That's all a missionary ever wants to hear from their converts.  That their conversion is deep and will last.  So maybe I didn't get completely packed until 3:00 this morning and am currently running on two hours of sleep, but it's alright.  I wouldn't trade it for nothing. 

 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: [2 Tim 4]

I'd been praying for a feeling of peace when I reached the end and the Lord granted it.  He led me through the wilderness. He chose me out of the furnace of afflictions.  He worked miracles before my eyes in the lives of others and in my own.
20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
 21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
My bags are packed. My heart is full.  I'm ready for the next adventure. I love my Heavenly Father, I love my Savior, I know they live.  I love you all so much and can't wait to see you.  All is well.
Sincerely,
Sister Valdez

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