(Before)
Well, It’s been 7 months since I returned home from the great Canada Winnipeg Mission. The memories have almost become a dream. But the feelings are still just as prevalent. I remember getting my mission call and wondering where in the world Winnipeg was. Realizing at that same moment that it was a place that would have very cold winters. I was scared. Nervous, Excited. Name an emotion and I felt it. But overall, I felt peace. Peace, comfort and a knowing that the Canada Winnipeg Mission was where God needed me. I will forever be grateful for the time I spent there.
I will never forget the people, or the places. But most importantly I will never forget those feelings I had while serving my Heavenly Father. I had many sacred experiences, some that I will hold dear to my heart forever. But others I will share with all those who question going on a mission. I promise you that the experiences you have on your mission, will be worth so much more than anything else you can gain staying home.
I can honestly and easily say that I loved my mission. I loved everything about it. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I loved tracting in the heat of the summer. I loved tracting in knee deep snow. With each step I took, I not only got closer to those who were prepared to hear the gospel but I got closer to my Father in Heaven. The biggest blessing gained from serving a mission is a stronger relationship with God. I now know who I am and how God sees me. I am a Child of God. I am his daughter. Nothing can ever change that. I know that He loves me. I also know that our Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of His children. I believe that as a missionary you are able to feel just a portion of the love that our Heavenly Father has for his children. There were many times that I would be sitting in a little cigarette smoke filled, Animal hair covered living room, and tears brought to my eyes as the spirit whispered “These are my children.” My heart will always hold the Ward Members, Investigators, Less Actives and Recent Converts close. I am so grateful to know all of them. And see them the way God sees them.
My mission has also taught me patience with God and well myself.
I had always wanted to be the perfect missionary. I wanted to be the one that everyone looked up too . I was kinda selfish in that way. I thought that the moment I got into the field I would know everything! I would be so on fire I would out do my trainer.. Well needless to say I crashed and burned. Okay maybe not crashed and burned but I wasn’t perfect. I had a lot to learn. And you know what! I am so grateful I had to learn. I learned that I didn’t need to be the best Missionary ever. I just needed to be the best Sister Bersie I could be.
The Experiences I had as a missionary have changed my life forever. Along with those experiences came new family! I will never ever forget the experience I had meeting Cynthia and Keith Rennie and their adorable 3 little boys. A bit of a background story, I had been in the Waverley are about 5 months. and to be honest didn't really see any progress. I had been feeling discouraged because we sisters hadn't had a baptism in.. well a very long time. The assistants were in our area and it seemed like they had a baptism every week! I bet you can imagine how hard we sisters took that. I began to feel doubt and jealousy as the week went on.
One day President Craig called my companion, Sister Orr and I into the mission office to speak with him. My heart sank.. "Was he going to reprimand us?" "Was he angry that we had taught a single lesson in 3 weeks?" I was sacred. But President Craig loved us and as I saw that smile I knew that I was going to receive help. During our conversation President Craig brought up a line he had used in our Christmas zone conference. "Picture them in white Sister Bersie." From then on, every person I saw, I saw in white.
The next week, the Elders had given us a potential investigator they had tracted into. We decided that we would go contact her the next morning. When we had finished our studies I kneeled down and pleaded with my Heavenly Father that we would find someone who would be prepared to hear the gospel. It had been so long since we had anyone and I wanted it so bad!!
That day as we went to contact this potential investigator we saw Cynthia. The spirit had never spoken so clearly to me until that moment "Go talk to her" and we did!
She was so prepared! She had so many questions. She had the desire to learn. When we gave her the Book of Mormon She wouldn't put it down.
We had our struggles with her and Keith. But every struggle helped all of us grow closer to our Heavenly Father, Up until the day of their baptism it it was a constant battle with Satan.
July 28th 2016 was a crazy day for Sister Orr and I. We could hardly contain our excitement! Not only was it our first baptism together, it was the first that the Waverley Sister had in a long time! It was a beautiful day. Watching Cynthia and Keith dress in white and walk down the steps into the water, was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen on my mission. I was reminded of the reason why I chose to serve a mission. The reason why missions are so important. From that moment on, I saw my mission in a new light. I was there helping God’s Children return to live with Him again. I was there helping this family take steps to become an eternal family! I am so grateful that I was able to be apart of their wonderful life and story.
My Mission changed my life for the better. I know that I talk about it a lot but truly my life has been eternally changed. Was my mission hard? YES! Did I cry almost everyday? YES! Did I sometimes feel like I wasn’t doing anything productive? YES! Did I want to go home and some points? YES! But, was every tear, every heartbreak, every bad day, every hard companion, every moment of pain, every sick day, every crazy moment worth it? Well, I can honestly say with my entire heart and soul, YES! I LOVED my mission. I will never regret going. I made wonderful friends there, Some who ever my companions and have stayed in touch with.
I know that my mission was the best thing that ever happened to me. I know that the Canada Winnipeg Mission was where God wanted me to be. I needed that mission. I needed those people. My testimony of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, The Restoration, The Plan of Salvation, The Gospel, Is all true. I know with my whole heart that Heavenly Father Loves me. I know that He lives, He sent His Son to die and live for us. I am so very grateful for that. I know that without the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I would not have been able to go on a mission. I wouldn’t have been able to stay on a mission. Jesus Christ's’ power strengthened me everyday, and it continues to strengthen me everyday. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
(After)
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