I LOVE MY MISSION!

August 28, 2017

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow so this week just flew by like crazy fast! I can't believe it’s almost September. I think when I was praying for time to slow down its doing the exact opposite... dang! Well, this week was amazing! So many miracles happened I'll do my best to tell you all about them. 

We had our mission conference on Saturday. The whole mission came to Wichita to the 29th Street Building to hear Elder Dallin H. Oaks speak to us. First, when we got there at 11am we had lunch with the whole mission, and got to mingle and chat beforehand. I was so excited specially to see Sister Grover (my Topeka, Ks companion). We pretty much spent the whole time during lunch together talking and catching up. I have missed her so much! It felt so good to see her again before I go home. Of course, she made a few dying jokes... who wouldn't though haha. (That is a missionary slang term for “going home.”)

We all gathered together and sang before we headed into the church (we were in the pavilion outside) and the Spirit was so strong. It was hard not to tear up. We then headed inside and took a mission picture with Elder Oaks and then headed into the chapel. Elder Oaks and two members of the Quorum of the Seventy spoke to us. Before that, they made sure to shake every missionary’s hand!  Elder Oaks talked to us about teaching repentance and baptizing converts. How important it is to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ which is, Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end and how important it is that when we teach the gospel we don't skip a step if someone doesn't understand it. He told us our purpose is to convert people to the gospel of Jesus Christ not the church because when times get tough and we go through trials only our testimony of the gospel will get us through it. We as missionaries need to teach simply and help our investigators and converts get into the routine of reading our scriptures and pray every single day because just doing the basics is what is going to build our testimony and keep us strong and firm in our faith.

It's so true because I have seen how just doing simple and basic things are the most important ways to build and maintain your testimony. There have been times where I have lacked in my prayer and scripture reading and I can remember feeling lost or more confused than if I were doing those things. I promise you that if you continue to do those basic routines and habits, your life will be enriched and blessed eternally. I absolutely loved everything that was said in that conference and the sprit was so powerful in that room. We ended with the hymn "I Know my Redeemer Lives"... never in my life have I ever felt the Spirit stronger than during that song. I couldn't finish the song because of how strongly I felt the Spirit. My favorite verse of that hymn is " He lives all glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives.!" He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, the joy this sentence gives, "I know my Redeemer lives!" What a beautiful song. It will forever be one of my favorites hymns. It ended our conference with such spiritual power that I will never forget. 

Sister Lomu and I are teaching so many wonderful people! We are teaching a guy named Joshua and he is just amazing. Sister Lomu found him on exchanges with sister Setoki. They stopped him to give him a picture of Jesus and he told them that he has met with missionaries before. As they continued to talk to them he told them that he has read the Book of Mormon three times already but when he moved he lost his copy. He was very happy to receive a new copy. We taught him the restoration last week and he just absorbed everything and he told us that he knows the Book of Mormon is true. He then told us all about what he read before we came which was Nephi and the Liahona and how amazing it was that the lord provided them away to get to the promised land. He told us he wanted to come to church really badly but doesn't have car to get there which was no problem because there was a member just around the corner who was super willing to give him a ride! On Sunday, we left early to go see if he was ready... well when we got there he had just woken up because his alarm never went off.... he then told us that he wasn’t going to be able to make it this week. That’s when sister Lomu said "is it because you don't think you can get dressed on time?" He was like "ya" she then said, " don't worry we can wait for ya so go get dressed." He went to get dressed and then came out with a white shirt and jeans and his Book of Mormon in his hands and excited that he could come.

He absolutely loved Sacrament and all the members swarmed him to greet him and he just beamed at them. He loved Sunday school and participated in the discussion. After priesthood, he came out and told us that he feels like he's at home here and can't wait to come back! We were talking to him when a sister from our ward came up to me and said "did you know Elder Oaks is in the chapel right now?" I immediately got excited and told Joshua to follow me and on the way to the chapel explained who Dallin H. Oaks was and how he's an apostle of the Lord. When we got to the chapel Elder Oaks was shaking everyone's hands and came up to Joshua and shook his hand and looked at him and said that he was very happy that he came to church. A lady from our ward told him that that was a once in a life time opportunity to be able to shake hands with an apostle, and Joshua smiles and said, " I'm going to go tell everyone!" Hahah it was so funny and awesome. Joshua was beaming from ear to ear the whole day. He has been such an amazing guy to teach. He has such a desire to change and build his faith in the Savior. He is currently preparing to be baptized on September 16th and I am so sad that I won’t be able to be there but that’s how it is. We are just instruments in the Lord’s hands to help him move his work forward and I am so grateful to have been a part of Joshua's journey. 

We are also teaching Tara and Tabitha who are sisters. They both just moved from Chicago to live with their other sister and start their lives over. Both sister have such a desire to learn more of the gospel of Jesus Christ and come to church. Tara has already asked for Sunday's off to go to church and is coming next week with her daughters and Tabitha. We are so excited to teach them more. 

This week has truly been such a spiritual and wonderful week. One of the best of my mission! I love my mission so much! I love that I get a front row seat to the miracles our father in heaven has for his children and getting to be an instrument in his hands to help my brothers and sisters feel the joy that comes from living the gospel. I do this only because I have seen it in my own life and want so desperately for everyone to have it in their lives because without it would be sad and so very difficult.   I am forever and eternally grateful that I have the fullness of the gospel and all the blessings, peace, joy, comfort, strength, and confidence that comes from the knowledge I have. 

I love you all so much and hope you have a fantastic week! Remember to read and pray every day so as to have the strength and powers of heaven with you every day! 

Love,

Sister Magda