On September 15th, Grace hit her one year mark of being a missionary.
ONE WHOLE YEAR!!
In fact, almost 13 months now! (But who’s counting?…ha!)
In some ways it feels like she’s been gone forever and ever, and in some ways (thanks to FaceTime each week) it feels like we’ve been on this journey right along with her.
But oh! How I wish I could give her a huge hug!
She is still in Texas, and still so grateful for this mission experience each week when we talk.
Oh sure, there are tricky things.
Hard things.
Lonely things.
But mostly she is just so happy.
She went from Round Rock to a little town called Gonzales (putting her Spanish to work), to the campus of University of Texas where she still is now and loves it so much.
She has been converted to be a “Long Horn” (whatever that means when you’re a missionary) and she is learning and growing every single day.
It’s weird that because we talk so much we don’t get a whole lot of email news from this girl, so I don’t have a whole lot of her quotes to put in here like I did with Max, but here are a few snippets, along with pictures:
“The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you don’t have it you will not stand; therefore seek for the testimony of Jesus and cleave to it, that when the trying time comes you may not stumble and fall.”
My companion and I were studying about enduring a little bit and found this quote by Heber C. Kimball. We can’t “endure on borrowed light”.
I “borrowed” my parents “light” for my whole life until I was able to gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for myself. I’m so grateful for the testimony that God has given me and for the opportunity I have to keep strengthening it. :))
So I invite all of you to seek for your own testimony and if you have a testimony, seek to build it stronger. <3
I know that your relationship with God will strengthen as you do so which will lead you to have more joy 🙂
(My brother wrote me right after he read that letter and mentioned it’s a perfect example of the shift of the “Locus of Control,” and he’s right! Wrote all about that back HERE.)
We always get all kinds of sky pics (which I love):
These kids get involved in so many different service projects:
And this last week it was transfers:
We got transfer news last night and my companion is leaving Capital :(( but she’s going to be so awesome in Round Rock. I’m so excited for her!!! I’m staying in Capital which I’m so happy about and I’m going to be companions with a new missionary!
Honestly don’t have much else to report on besides the fact that were teaching this AWESOME guy named Ben {name changed} and he came to church yesterday and it was fast and testimony meeting.
We had a lesson after and he said, “next time, can I testify?”
I have come to love Alma 36:3 so much recently. And I have found just how true it really is throughout my mission. It says
“Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and be lifted up at the last day.”
It’s just SO true and happy.
LOVE Y’ALL
She went to the meeting of new trainers and got assigned to her new companion who seems so sweet.
And she’s off onto a new adventure.
And the letter I just got this morning:
Such a good couple weeks
Highlights:
- I got a new companion and she’s SO awesome.
- watched General Conference!! It was seriously SO good oh my goodness
- had an incredible lesson with our friend, Ben and he’s getting baptized on November 20th! So pumped!! He is the most amazing person EVER. Keep him in your prayers!!
- did service at the aquarium and it was SO fun.
- played volleyball bright and early with the elders in our ward
- helped a girl fish her airpod out of the sewer
My Mission President pulled me aside after a meeting last week and told me I won’t be going to Uruguay 🙁 So sad but I’m so grateful to have been called here to Austin and for all the people that I’ve met. So many unanswered questions, but God has a plan!! I’m so grateful for that knowledge. 6 more months in Austin!!
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Love you all!! Know that God loves you even more!
Sweetest ever right?
Oh we were all hoping for her to get to Uruguay some day, but since she has so little time left (usually when missionaries have less than six months they generally aren’t sent to their original mission these days), we figured this was coming. Lots more to feel about that that can’t really be written, but so much to learn along with all those feelings!
So grateful for that beautiful missionary of mine who teaches me so much!
I know y’all make the best of it, but I feel for Grace that she won’t make it to Uruguay. Maybe there will be an opportunity to study abroad when she returns to university. I wonder what it’s like to be ‘on the other side’ as a missionary on a college campus, especially one as diverse as UT Austin. There are so many other religious groups on campus; very different from BYU.
She is still glowing! And her roots are deep now❤️
We have a sister in our ward who was supposed to go to Toronto, Canada, Spanish speaking. originally. She has six months left too and just got word that she’s staying in Phoenix. She’s a bright light and is doing so much good!! My heart got sad for her but she was so reassuring that she’s happy to stay and knows the Lord has a plan for her too… so excited for Ben!! I’m sure there are others for her to find and meet who are seeking the light and truth of the restored gospel in Austin!! Excited for her!!
“Make the best of it???” I thought she was on a mission to
Serve not for her own international travel fun.
That girl is a treasure! She is so happy to be wherever she is sent and will be so blessed for it! The last six months is the best! She’s going to love it!
Love that she is grounded in her own beliefs and no longer living on borrowed light! She is glowing from within!