Sunday, November 11, 2018

KOSRAE

Kosrae is one of my favorite places in the entire mission! It is really like a mini, cleaner pohnpei but with the addition of beautiful beaches! So far we have eaten dog, shark, and yummy fish/rice/coconut soup called soup kosrae. We had a great time watching general conference in Kosraean with the members yesterday. I love the jungle and the ocean and the beautiful people and I'm so grateful that I get to kinda end my mission like I started. 

Last night as I was falling asleep, I had this weird thing happen where I kinda saw my whole mission replay in my head like a movie. It was really like I was watching it all unfold and it was so interesting to see myself progress and become who I am today. I think if my mission were a movie then:
1) it would be full of adventures
2) there would be so many hilarious fails
3) it would for sure be a tear-jerker
4) the theme would be about personal self-discovery through losing oneself in the service of others.  

But of course my mission has been even better than a movie because it's reality. And now at the close I am full of so many emotions, but the number one thing I feel is GRATITUDE. 

I think my feelings can best be described by Ammon in the 26th chapter of Alma: 

My brothers and my brethren, behold say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla(AMERICA) that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?
And now, ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?
11 But Ammon said unto him: do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joyand I will rejoice in my God.
12 Yea, know that am nothingas to my strength am weak; therefore will not boast of myself, but will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all thingsyea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
One last story:
 Last night as we were going to bed I felt impressed to check the doors again to make sure they were locked. I was relieved that the spirit had prompted me to do that because we had accidentally left the backdoor wide open. After locking the front and back doors, I felt impressed to then move my bag into the bedroom. Then as I was falling asleep, I had the strange thought "Heavenly Father, I'm a pretty light sleeper, if anyone breaks in will you wake me up?" Well at 4 am I suddenly was awake and staring at a person peering in through the bedroom door way. I thought it was one of the sisters so I just watched as they stared in. I thought something was wrong so I made a move to get up and the person darted towards the front door and I heard the screen shut softly. I sat up confused as I came to realize that all the sisters were still in their beds. I said a prayer and got the courage to get up and check. I hit the door to make a noise and saw a figure dart past the window outside. The front door was left open as they didn't have enough time to shut it. I woke sister Laulusa and she found out she was missing $30 from her wallet in her bag which was out in the living room. Turns out the sisters have been noticing money missing on several occasions within the past month and there is also a spare key to their house missing. It was honestly so exciting. The sisters are getting their locks changed and their house rededicated tonight. I'm so grateful for the guidance of the spirit, because I had a lot more than $30 in my bag!  
One last testimony (over email):
I KNOW that this is Christ's church. I don't just believe or think that there is a God and a Savior, I have had too many times where I felt the presence of angels, I felt the comfort of my Savior through His spirit, and where I felt and know that I was speaking right to my Heavenly Father. He listens and He answers. I cannot deny these beautiful truths. The Gospel is like a big piece of hot chocolate lava cake. I have tasted it and I know that it is THE BEST in the whole world and that nothing else is even comparable and nothing else could make me nearly as happy. I want everyone to have a bite of this big gooey chocolate cake. But I can't force anyone to eat it, I will just invite and I will not stop inviting everyone to come and try it. I know that you will all love it. I love hot chocolate lava cake and I love this gospel even more. There is only ONE church that bears the name of Jesus Christ, there is only ONE church that has His priesthood power and authority, there is ONE church through which we can use the atonement of Jesus Christ to become cleansed from sin, there is only ONE church that has the ability to take us home to our Heavenly Father, there is only ONE church through which we can be sealed with our families for eternity. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the ONE true way. I know Christ is our savior, I have come to know Him and Love him because I have come to understand how much He and Our Father in Heaven loves each one of us. In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN. 
Sipwe pwan chu! Tail nehk tuhpene! 
Sister Kamry Milne