June 25, 2012

Hello Everyone!,    I am feeling a bit of nostalgia at the moment. Tomorrow will mark my 17th month as a missionary and Thursday will be my 15th in Florida. Not only that, but this week also happens to be my last as a full time missionary in this chapter of my life. I can't believe how quickly it has gone, and that now it is over. I felt like this wouldn't happen to me; how wrong I was. To be honest, I have so many emotions going through my body that I don't really know what to think or feel. I know that I am happy to be returning home, hopeful for the future, tired in my mind, body and soul, sad to be leaving such an important part of my life and family, but more than anything, grateful for every moment that I have had to be a missionary in the Florida Tampa Mission, the best mission in the world, as a representative for the Savior.    In Sacrament meeting yesterday I had a bit of heartburn as I was surprised by a small presentation of gratitude from the Largo Spanish Branch. I was innocently passing out programs when I noticed that my name was inside and that no one had told me anything! I had no idea what to say or do, so I mostly just kept my mouth shut. Inside I was not what could be described as a calm and tranquil person! After the Sacrament was passed President Lopez came to the stand and started telling the story of Ammon. He described the love that Ammon had for the people he served, especially for King Lamoni. He described how even after his conversion Ammon continued to fight for Lamoni, even to death with Lamoni's own father. When he had the opportunity to claim the whole of the Lamanite kingdom, he asked only for the independence of Lamoni to rule and to worship how he wished. President Lopez then asked me to come to the stand and told everyone that he and all of the Largo Branch had felt that kind of love from me for them. I was blown away. I honestly didn't know what to say or do. He presented me with a card that all had signed and a token of appreciation. He then asked if I would share some words and my testimony. As I stood at the pulpit looking out at my family with tears in my eyes and seeing their own tears reflected back at me I had a clear vision that life just doesn't get any better than this. I told them how much I loved them. How it wasn't fair that everyone talks about all the sacrifices we make as missionaries because I had received so many more blessings than things I had sacrificed, and that was largely due to them and their love for me. I told them how proud and grateful I was to be a part of their family. I told them I would love them forever and be grateful for their love and the experiences we shared until the day I die. I told them that this church is true. I know it. I know that there is no other way to find true happiness. I told them that their Savior loves them, and that I will be eternally grateful that He shared the love He has for them with me.    I feel to echo the sentiments of President Hinckley, because like him because of my mission, 'The whole world changed. The fog lifted. The sun began to shine in my life.' I have never felt so much sunshine in my life, and it is not all from this wonderful Floridian sun I see each day! Although I do not have sufficient hindsight at the moment, I feel confident that I will agree whole-heartedly with Elder Holland when he said, "My mission was the most important thing that ever happened to me in my life, that it’s brought so many blessings that have now become important and now take their place in my life, but would not have happened, I’m absolutely confident they would not have happened, if it had not been for the privilege of a mission."    What a glorious opportunity I have had this last year and a half. I look forward to every moment, every second that I have left. While they are few, they are just as important as my first few seconds and moments as a missionary. I look forward this week to bringing souls to Christ, to inviting them to repent, to be baptized, and to receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and to encouraging them to endure to the end. This will be the best week of my life. How could it not be? I'm a missionary.   With Honor,       Hermana Levanger