Thursday, April 07, 2011
Sunday, April 03, 2011
My goodbye note that I wrote. hah. rhymes.
I have never been stellar at goodbyes :)
I have felt overwhelmed lately by the thoughts and feelings I have wanted to express to those in my life who have loved and supported me. I wish I had the adequate vocabulary, emotional capacity, and time to take each person and tell them individually the immense privilege it has been to have them in my life. Unfortunately I can't even wrap my mind around tomorrow morning, let alone bearing my soul to those who truly deserve it. So I give this public message of love and gratitude to the many who have been selfless supporters. You have changed me; you motivate me in progression.
For those that don't understand exactly what it is I will be doing I give a brief explanation:
I have been called as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been assigned to labor in the Santa Rosa California mission for the next 18 months (April 2011- October 2012). While I am there I will be finding those who are searching for the peace and happiness that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will be teaching, serving, and loving the Spanish speaking people with other missionaries in that area. This full-time service requires me to leave the things of the world behind (entertainment, media, etc) and also take some time away from my education, friends, boys, my stinky old dog, and the most difficult thing - my family. I do all of these things willingly, even happily, as I understand that for this period of time I will truly be representing my Savior, Jesus Christ and His church. When I feel the immense reality of all the blessings that I have received from the Lord it is almost laughable that I would ever make any complaint about giving my normal life up for a year and a half.
(This link give more information: http://mormon.org/missionary-work/)
The other question that I have heard a lot is why I want to go. 19 year old boys that are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) are expected to serve a full-time mission for 2 years. Girls do not have the same obligation but are still given the opportunity to serve at the age of 21. I feel as if I have been waiting for my 21st birthday forever. The desire to serve a mission fills my entire being - it feels as if it reaches through every vein even to the tip of each toe. I can not look at all the blessings of my life, the overwhelming truth of the atonement, the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father, and the blessings that come through my Savior Jesus Christ and sit still knowing that there is work to be done. After everything the Lord has done for me, how can I not give 18months of my life completely to Him?
When I know that there are people in the world that do not understand that they are children of God, that Jesus Christ suffered and died that they might be redeemed, that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored once again to this earth, that they can kneel down and pray to their Heavenly Father knowing that He loves and understands them - or in other words that there are people that do not understand who they truly are, why they are here, and where they are going - or in other words that there are people that do not feel truly happy and truly peaceful - I must get up and help them find the peace and happiness that they seek. I must help Heavenly Father's children return to Him. I must help in the cause of Christ. So I guess my one sentence answer to this loaded question would be - I am serving a mission because of the deep love and gratitude I have for my Savior, and the love and concern that I feel for Heavenly Father's children. I recognize that the Lord has a need for service in His work. I prepare myself, pack my suitcase, and stand before Him; Here am I, send me.
I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer - that the atonement is real and makes it possible for us to continue in our quest to be more like Him. I know that I am a daughter of God. That my Heavenly Father knows and loves me - that He hears and answers prayers. I know that true and lasting happiness comes from living in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ - the message of Christ, the message I bring is a message of happiness and a message of family. I am so grateful for the truths that I know through the assurance and peace of the Holy Ghost - that Heavenly Father provided a plan for us to be happy and to be with our families for eternity. He provided a Savior for us as a way to return to Him. I wish I had the words to express my love and gratitude for all of these truths. I believe in a God that loves - and therefore a God that continues to speak. He has not left us to wander on our own - He continues to speak to us this day through latter-day prophets. I know with my whole heart and soul that Christ has restored His gospel yet again on the earth through His prophet Joseph Smith and blessed us with another testament of Him through The Book of Mormon. Studying The Book of Mormon alongside The Bible, and striving to live a Christ-like life has helped me come to know Him in a way that is so personal and sacred to me. I challenge you all to assess the role of Christ in your life and work to strengthen your discipleship. I challenge you to get down on your knees and talk with your Heavenly Father and feel of His concern and love for you. I challenge you to work harder to be the person the Lord needs you to be. I, too, take this challenge.
I know all of these things to be true and that is why I go. I work to bring the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who seek joy and peace. I strive to aid Christ in His mission to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I stand as a witness of the healing powers of the atonement. I know that He lives.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:
but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15)
I will miss you dearly but will rejoice exceedingly to see you all again and hope that I will find that we are still brethren and sisters in the Lord (Alma 17:2)
I send my prayers and love to you all.
Love, Sister Anderson
I have felt overwhelmed lately by the thoughts and feelings I have wanted to express to those in my life who have loved and supported me. I wish I had the adequate vocabulary, emotional capacity, and time to take each person and tell them individually the immense privilege it has been to have them in my life. Unfortunately I can't even wrap my mind around tomorrow morning, let alone bearing my soul to those who truly deserve it. So I give this public message of love and gratitude to the many who have been selfless supporters. You have changed me; you motivate me in progression.
For those that don't understand exactly what it is I will be doing I give a brief explanation:
I have been called as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have been assigned to labor in the Santa Rosa California mission for the next 18 months (April 2011- October 2012). While I am there I will be finding those who are searching for the peace and happiness that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will be teaching, serving, and loving the Spanish speaking people with other missionaries in that area. This full-time service requires me to leave the things of the world behind (entertainment, media, etc) and also take some time away from my education, friends, boys, my stinky old dog, and the most difficult thing - my family. I do all of these things willingly, even happily, as I understand that for this period of time I will truly be representing my Savior, Jesus Christ and His church. When I feel the immense reality of all the blessings that I have received from the Lord it is almost laughable that I would ever make any complaint about giving my normal life up for a year and a half.
(This link give more information: http://mormon.org/missionary-work/)
The other question that I have heard a lot is why I want to go. 19 year old boys that are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormons) are expected to serve a full-time mission for 2 years. Girls do not have the same obligation but are still given the opportunity to serve at the age of 21. I feel as if I have been waiting for my 21st birthday forever. The desire to serve a mission fills my entire being - it feels as if it reaches through every vein even to the tip of each toe. I can not look at all the blessings of my life, the overwhelming truth of the atonement, the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father, and the blessings that come through my Savior Jesus Christ and sit still knowing that there is work to be done. After everything the Lord has done for me, how can I not give 18months of my life completely to Him?
When I know that there are people in the world that do not understand that they are children of God, that Jesus Christ suffered and died that they might be redeemed, that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored once again to this earth, that they can kneel down and pray to their Heavenly Father knowing that He loves and understands them - or in other words that there are people that do not understand who they truly are, why they are here, and where they are going - or in other words that there are people that do not feel truly happy and truly peaceful - I must get up and help them find the peace and happiness that they seek. I must help Heavenly Father's children return to Him. I must help in the cause of Christ. So I guess my one sentence answer to this loaded question would be - I am serving a mission because of the deep love and gratitude I have for my Savior, and the love and concern that I feel for Heavenly Father's children. I recognize that the Lord has a need for service in His work. I prepare myself, pack my suitcase, and stand before Him; Here am I, send me.
I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer - that the atonement is real and makes it possible for us to continue in our quest to be more like Him. I know that I am a daughter of God. That my Heavenly Father knows and loves me - that He hears and answers prayers. I know that true and lasting happiness comes from living in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ - the message of Christ, the message I bring is a message of happiness and a message of family. I am so grateful for the truths that I know through the assurance and peace of the Holy Ghost - that Heavenly Father provided a plan for us to be happy and to be with our families for eternity. He provided a Savior for us as a way to return to Him. I wish I had the words to express my love and gratitude for all of these truths. I believe in a God that loves - and therefore a God that continues to speak. He has not left us to wander on our own - He continues to speak to us this day through latter-day prophets. I know with my whole heart and soul that Christ has restored His gospel yet again on the earth through His prophet Joseph Smith and blessed us with another testament of Him through The Book of Mormon. Studying The Book of Mormon alongside The Bible, and striving to live a Christ-like life has helped me come to know Him in a way that is so personal and sacred to me. I challenge you all to assess the role of Christ in your life and work to strengthen your discipleship. I challenge you to get down on your knees and talk with your Heavenly Father and feel of His concern and love for you. I challenge you to work harder to be the person the Lord needs you to be. I, too, take this challenge.
I know all of these things to be true and that is why I go. I work to bring the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who seek joy and peace. I strive to aid Christ in His mission to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I stand as a witness of the healing powers of the atonement. I know that He lives.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:
but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15)
I will miss you dearly but will rejoice exceedingly to see you all again and hope that I will find that we are still brethren and sisters in the Lord (Alma 17:2)
I send my prayers and love to you all.
Love, Sister Anderson
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