A week ago, I was talking to President vanBruggen on the phone and he told me that the new missionaries were going to be delayed entering the country for two weeks. Excited, I expected to him to tell me that I could stay for those extra two weeks until Sister Esplin's new companion arrived. But alas, he did not grant such a thing, telling me that my mother and the missionary department would be strictly against such a state of affairs. So last night I sent my dear little Sister Esplin away with a temporary companion and I am now sitting in the mission home looking at the Dnepr River and thinking about how much I love my mission. As sad as I am to be leaving my mission, I am filled with intense gratitude as I think about all the blessings of this past year and a half. I would not trade this time of my life for anything in the world. I will be infinitely grateful to a loving God who allowed me to serve His children in this beautiful land of Ukraine.
We saw so many miracles this week! I wanted to touch on a few of them with you. Saturday night, we had a couple lessons fall through, and even our back-up plan fell through. So as we contacted down the street of our back-up, back-up plan, I had the feeling that we should go into the little park near Valery's house. I thought it was probably just me hoping against hope to see him one last time, since he'd been too busy to meet that week. But as we were in the middle of a conversation with a woman in that park, who should walk up with a child's bicycle but Valery! We talked with him for a few minutes and even invited him to baptism. He said that they are not ready yet for that, but that my companion can go back and teach them. We were also able to exchange email addresses in order to stay in touch. I was so moved by that little tender mercy that on my last night in Simferopol we were able to see the father of that family that I love so much.
On Friday, as we were waiting for Tanya at the branch to teach her a lesson with Tatiana, a woman named Luda showed up. She was early for English Book of Mormon group and we invited her onto our lesson. The elders had met her daughter on the street a week or two ago, and the daughter had come to English and then told her mom to go. Luda had even already read a bit of the Book of Mormon. That was one of the most incredible lessons of my entire mission! We'd planned to teach Tanya about prophets, and we felt like we should go through with that plan. The Spirit was so strong as we testified of modern revelation, prophets, and Thomas Monson. Tanya and Tatiana were amazing on the lesson, bearing powerful testimony of the reality of living prophets. We all felt the Spirit as Sister Esplin and I taught in complete unity, and we were able to identify the Spirit for Luda. She said that she wants to be baptized! I love her dearly, and I'm really excited that she has found the church. As sad as I am that I won't get to keep teaching her, I am grateful that I got to be there for part of the process.
Saturday, as Sister Esplin and I were about to get off the bus, a man from the back of the bus walked up to us. I was basically off the bus when he asked where we meet in this city. Rushed, we handed him a church invitation and the bus drove away with him on it. We thought perhaps he was a member from another city, and when he came to church the next day we were able to talk to him. Turns out he is from Kyiv and has met with missionaries there and when he saw us he remembered that and wanted to come to church. The elders were able to meet with him after church (he stayed for all three hours!). It is always neat to see how the Lord perfectly guides and directs us.
Yesterday I gave my farewell address in Sacrament meeting. It was hard to say goodbye to all the members - these past nine months have been incredible. These saints truly are like family to me, and I pray that someday (soon) I will be able to return and see them again. Maxim also spoke with me! I honestly am so proud of that man and his family. He did an excellent job and expounded doctrine so well. I can't express how grateful I am that I was able to play a role in the activation and conversion of that sweet family.
Leaving Simferopol was a little difficult. Some members and friends came to the train station to see us off, and I was especially grateful to Victor who navigated all my luggage through the station and onto the train. :) I so dearly love Simferopol and all my dear friends there! It doesn't seem real to me yet that I have left my proselyting area and that I am on my way home from my mission - my heart is still in Simferopol. It reminds me of something Elder Holland said to us in the MTC (I'm paraphrasing, probably - it was a long time ago) - "For the rest of your life, your mission will be your home." That about sums it up. No matter where else I go in life and what else I do, my mission will always be a sacred, spiritual home to me. My mission means the world to me - it is here that I have grown in faith, love, confidence, and service. I will always mentally return to this place as my home and the place that I "grew up," so to speak. To again quote Elder Holland, this has been Real Life, and I am so sad to leave it. But I also know that God perfectly calls His missionaries, including in the length of time we are to serve. The scripture Moroni 7:2 has a lot of meaning to me right now - truly my calling as a missionary has been a priceless gift from the God of heaven. I am so grateful that He has permitted me to speak His words for these past 18 months and serve Him in Ukraine. And even though the gift of this particular calling is now being taken away from me, I will always have the memories, growth, and relationships that I have gained here.
A few days ago on a marshrutka, the man I was talking to asked me if I was satisfied with the results of my mission. I reflected on that momentarily and then emphatically told him that yes, I am very satisfied with what I have done and experienced. I have met so many people here who have changed my life. I have forged relationships that will last into eternity. I have experienced priceless personal growth. I have become the missionary my God called me to be. And probably the greatest blessing I've been given as a missionary is the opportunity to bless the lives of others and see them change and grow "because of the word which God has imparted to me." I a profoundly grateful that I was able to serve my Lord and help bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children here in Ukraine. I have seen so many miracles, and I know I have been forever changed. Even though my time as a full-time missionary will shortly end and my beloved name tag will be retired, I know that I still have an important role to play in building up the kingdom of the Lord. While I am sad that I am no longer needed in Simferopol, I am grateful that God still has a work for me to do when I return home. I love the God of heaven and I love His Son Jesus Christ. I know that They live.
And now I have some more people to go find and teach before I have to leave this beautiful land tomorrow. See you all soon!
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