Mission: Washington Spokane (Spanish Speaking)
Dates served: May 2006 - November 2007
Home city: Provo, Utah
Relation to Uncle Bud: Great-niece from the Henry D. Taylor branch
I am grateful for the opportunity I had to serve. My mission taught me several things about the gospel, church organization, doctrine, service, but the most important thing I learned was Christlike love. I was surprised when I was called to serve state side and to speak Spanish. I had taken eight years of French during Middle School, High School, and College. I fully expected that I would serve in Europe speaking French, and consequently, I didn't think I would be able to learn Spanish or be able to love the people of Washington as much as I could have loved native French speakers. Fortunately I was wrong. I served in small towns, the largest population being 7,000 people. They were mostly farmers and very humble down-to- earth migrant workers. It was through serving that I came to love them in a way I had never loved others before. I saw them as my true brothers and sisters and wanted them to be happy. Through that love I had for the people I served and the missionaries I served with, I came to know our Heavenly Father's love for all of his children. It is a perfect and eternal love. My greatest desire and joy was for them to feel of the love our Heavenly Father and Savior had for them. Because of my mission, my testimony is this: God loves his children perfectly. He is aware of our needs, our desires, our struggles, our joys, and our sorrows. He provided us with a Savior, Jesus Christ, to perform the ultimate act of Love, the Atonement. It is because of the Atonement that we are able to live with our families, and our Heavenly Father again. I know this to be true, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
