Welllll here we are! Last day at the CCM!! The subject of this email is pretty self-explanatory...I´m off to Kansas tomorrow!!! Holy cow that´s weird. I am so stoked to actually start the real missionary work. I mean...the MTC IS real missionary work..but I´m excited to do it with real people :) haha it´s going to be very humbling, but I am pretty darn excited to be in Kansas! I am nervous about where I´m going to be and who my trainer is going to be and all that, but I know the Lord will take care of me!
Thank you Courtney and Sister Jones for your letters! You are so sweet!
In this email today, I wanted to share just 7 Things (that´s a Miley Cyrus song - kickin it back to when that was my favorite song in like 8th grade....) that I learned in the CCM. I learned WAY more than only 7 things, but these are what stuck out to me when I thought about writing this email.
Here we go!
#1 Missionary works is INSPIRED
I cannot tell you how true that is. Well, I´ll try. haha while being in the CCM, I have felt how much the Lord´s hand is TRULY in missionary work. It amazes me how this Gospel of Jesus Christ that missionaries teach every day can be applied to everyone, anytime, no matter what is happening in their lives. Missionary work is the work of the Lord. To bring others unto Him. The Lord definitely loves His missionaries :)
#2 Missionaries should never have a "bad day"
Let's be real. I have had my bad days at the CCM. There are days where I am just down and I don´t really have a reason. But let me tell you what. One of my teachers said to me the other day: "Hermana Shumway, never stop smiling. Your smile is contagious." and ya know. That really hit me. I get to teach the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ every single day of my life as a missionary. I get to see the greatest miracle - people changing their hearts. This gospel brings me so much joy. I know that there will be tough days. I know that there will be days I will be discouraged that I can´t adequately say what I want to say because I have to say it in Spanish. The days may be tough, but I am making the decision know to smile anyway :) I am so blessed. I always need to show that :)
#3 Repentance and the Atonement are SO REAL.
Okay, I know in the CCM we only have fake investigators, but one of our investigators was really struggling with repentance and feeling like the Lord had forgiven him so we taught him how to repent a couple different times. Then, in our next lesson, he was SO happy and I just got this feeling telling me that I need to ask him why he is so happy. And he said that it was because he didn´t have his bad feelings anymore and he was just so so joyful. That was probably one of the happiest moments ever. I am not perfect, no one is. We need the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is such a blessing that we can feel such deep sorrow, but it can be transformed into JOY through the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I can´t wait to help others let the Atonement work in their lives :)
#4 Spanish is hard but I LOVE it.
Yup, I love this language. I feel so blessed to be called to teach in it :) Life is good. Spanish is beautiful. The end!
#5 Missionary work should NOT be taken lightly.
Missionary work is tough stuff. This calling, this assignment (I guess) is not for the faint hearted. It really is WORK. BUT it is the most rewarding work anyone could every do. As Jeffrey R. Holland has said (paraphrased) "All too often we are just too casual about all of this. This is ETERNAL LIFE. Eternity hangs in the balance." I know that to be true. I am trying my hardest to be a missionary that fits this perfect message. That´s what this work deserves. That´s what the Gospel of Jesus Christ deserves. That´s what the Lord deserves.
#6 The Lord LOVES and takes care of His missionaries
I saw a quote the other day that says "Do you not know that you are in the hands of God?" Coolest quote ever. The Lord is mindful of all of us. He knows what we need. A counselor in our branch presidency said "besides the prophet of the Lord, missionaries are the CLOSEST to our Father in Heaven."
#7 I am so blessed to be a missionary.
I am so grateful for my call to serve in Wichita Kansas. I know that this is where I need to be and I know that the Lord is preparing people for me to teach. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to learn more about the teachings of the Savior and learn how to share that with others.
I really really really do love being a missionary.
I know this church is true.
I can´t wait to get to Wichita and share it with God´s children.
I love you all - thank you for your love and prayers :)
Con todo mi corazon y mi amor,
Hermana Shumway
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| "I love Kansas!" |
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| Her district with their branch president and counselor. |
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