Sorry Guys, I almost completely forgot to write an email.
We've been here cooking and eating shrimp all day! It's been a pretty crazy week and pretty full on.
I'll keep this one short this week probably because we will be getting out of here pretty soon.
Ok, so yesterday at church Tyrell came with all his family. We had an awesome time, especially in Gospel Principles where he and his wife both asked many sweet questions. It was pretty cool!
On Friday was pretty awesome. We had ZTM and so I said goodbye to almost all my friends in the mission. It was a pretty good meeting and then I realized this was really my last time to give my testimony. They called up all the 'Go Homes' and we gave our testimonies. It was nuts! I got up there and looked around and saw all these smiling faces. At that moment I remembered all the ZTMs I had, had up to that point. It was pretty crazy! It was then I realized how grateful I was for all this.
I gave my testimony and there was a point I started tearing up a little. No tears, but REAL CLOSE. I talked about all the memories I had, and about all the great learning opportunities I underwent. It was awesome. I just wanna say thanks to you all for being with me throughout it all.
There’s a quote I love that talks about a ship out in the ocean.
It says "A Calm Ocean Never Made a Skillful Sailor" Something like that. I have seen just how much the mission has pushed me to grow. Whether companion, investigator, or mission president, there have always been people testing me in every single aspect.
One scripture I love is this one. D&C 122. Joseph Smith is praying he has gone through some hard stuff. Pretty much everything against him.
If thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb; And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
Pretty much this is something we can all live by. You know what they say. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Love you all so much!
Have the best week and I’ll see you all next Thursday!
Elder Whitmarsh