Last Letter 7.4.2016 Put Your Trust in that Spirit which Leadeth to do Good!
Hello everyone,
Well, this is the last email I will be writing from Ecuador. *Tear tear* Just wanted to tell you HOW grateful I am for each of you. Thank you for your love and support through my mission. I honestly feel so lucky to have each of you in my lives. I am so excited to see you all! I hope all of you had an amazing 4th of July!
"For behold again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do" -
2 Nephi 32:5
Almost 2 years ago, I sat in the Cardiac ICU putting my patient's blood pressure, pulse, respirations, etc. in the computer when I suddenly had a clear impression that I needed to serve a mission. I laughed to myself and thought well THAT'S REAL FUNNY. I have my dream job that I worked hard to have, I'm studying for my masters degree, I have student debt to pay off....it's impossible to just leave everything behind. Plus, I'm happy. Why would I want to change anything? I put the thought aside and went back to work. However, that wasn't the last time that I had the impression. Little did I know in the next few days and weeks the confirmations would be more obvious and more frequent.
After having a persistent feeling that I needed to serve a mission. I still felt unsure. BUT WHY? WHY NOW? I would ask. It didn't make any sense to me. I had a clear impression that I needed to talk to Whitney in my ward. She had recently returned home from her mission and after I told her everything she told me she had the same doubts as me when she was deciding to go on a mission. I was taken back..."Wait, are you serious?" What she told me was exactly what I needed to hear. It was an anwser to many many prayers. I talked to my bishop. Put in my papers. I still had no idea what I was doing, but I knew what I had felt.
"And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good---yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit" (D&C 11:12)
As I made preparations to serve, things started to fall into place. I sold my car to pay of the student loans that I had. I finished my Master’s degree even though my teachers told me that it was impossible to finish it by the time I was supposed to leave. My boss in the ICU said that she would love to have me back when I finished my mission. When I read ECUADOR QUITO NORTH MISSION when I opened my mission call I knew this is where the Lord needed me. I have had confirmation after confirmation that I was supposed to serve a mission ever since I decided to ACT in FAITH according to what the Spirit told me.
As I'm finishing my mission this week, I can tell you that I KNOW as we TRUST in the Lord's plans for us and follow that still small voice that He will lead us to exactly what will bring more happiness in our lives than we can imagine. Decisions determine destiny. I know that when we heed those promptings of the Spirit and act on them without hesitation, our Heavenly Father will guide our footsteps and bless our lives and the lives of others.
"The Spirit of God speaking to the Spirit of man has power to impart truth with greater effect and understanding than the truth can be imparted by personal contact even with heavenly beings". President Joseph Fielding Smith
"Tell the people to be humble and faithful and be sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice, it will teach you what to do and where to go, it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to the conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other Spirits. It will whisper peace and joy in their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the people if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right." Joseph Smith
I know that as the Lord prepared a way for Joseph Smith to restore the Church of Jesus Christ again on Earth, the Lord will prepare a way in our personal lives to accomplish what He has planned and prepared for us. I know that revelation that comes to an individual as a result of the Holy Ghost doesn't come suddenly or without seeking. I know that the Holy Ghost is our comforter, our direction finder, our communicator, our interpreter, our witness, and our infallible guide for our mortal journey to eternal life. As President Wilford Woodriff said: " The Holy Ghost is the GREATEST Gift that can be bestowed upon man." I hope and pray that each of us will recognize that in our lives and live in such a way to have the influence of the Spirit in our lives.
"It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people's lives. We are constantly making small decisions. The outcome determines the success or failure of our lives. That is why it is worthwhile to look ahead, to set a course, and at least be partly ready when the moment of decision comes." President Thomas S. Monson
I love being a missionary with all of my heart! I know this is the most important work that we can do. I never knew how much I needed to serve a mission until now. I will forever be in debt to my Heavenly Father to have been able to serve Him and to be a representative of His son Jesus Christ for 18 months. Ecuador will always have a place in my heart. I love this place and I love the people!! I know that this church is true with all of my heart. That Jesus Christ lives and knows each of us individually! I hope you all know it and know that He sacrificed His life so that we can have more happiness than we can imagine for eternity. He didn't gain anything from it for himself. It was a pure sacrfice because of his love for us.
"Divine love is infinite and univeral. The Savior loves both saints and sinners. The Apostle John affirmed, "We love Him because He loved us." (1 John 4:19)
And Nephi, upon seeing in vision the Lord's mortal ministry, declared: "The World, because of their iniquity shall judge Him to be a thing of naught, wherefore they scourge Him and He suffereth it, and they smite Him and He suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon Him and He suffereth it, because of His loving kindness and His long-suffering towards the children of men. (1 Nephi 19:9).
We know the Expansiveness of the Redeemer's love because He died that all who die might live again. The full flower of divine love and our greatest blessings from that love are conditional--predicated upon our obedience to eternal law." Elder Russel M Nelson Love you all! Have a great week!!! See you soon!!! Sister Pemberton
Yep, I ate Cui! (guinea pig)









