What An Honor It Has Been To Wear His Holy Name On My Shirt Every Day!

February 16, 2016

Feliz Cumpleaños a mí! Jajajaja! Feliz cumpleaños, Madison!!

AHHHHH MI QUERIDA FAMILIA!! How I love you all so dearly. I am SO excited for my last week here in Chile. I LOVE my mission. Being a missionary is the BEST thing ever! I feel so grateful to have spent eighteen months here in this country. Heavenly Father has protected me. He has watched over me. I have felt the presence of my deceased family members, including mi abuelita Anna and my Aunt Bonnie. They have helped me press forward. Words cannot express how happy I am! 

Marianela got baptized on Saturday!! It was crazy! We got to the church suuuper early to start filling the baptismal font. We started with the hot water because we did not want the water to be cold. But the warm water was soooo little and it took forever. Finally, about ten minutes before the service started our ward mission leader started to put cold water in....and we FORGOT to stop the water. So when we went to the room so Marianela could get baptized the water was flooding over!! Can you believe it? Jajaja, it was a little crazy. Some hermanas from the ward got some mops and brooms and we were shuffling like crazy to clean up the water jaja. But it turned out well! A few of us sister missionaries sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives". It went well. The spirit was so strong when Marianela got baptized! and her husband, Jose Eduardo, came! So great! Her confirmation on Sunday was awesome. We felt the Spirit so strong! She is amazing! We ate lunch with her yesterday and it was hard saying goodbye. She left today early to go on vacations with her husband and one of their kids. So I will not be able to see her before I leave next week. The Lord has worked miracles in her life. She was ready to be baptized. I know she will be able to be sealed to her husband in the temple someday. So excited to see what will happen in her future!

Our last district class was yesterday...so sad! Our district leader, Elder Mathewson, gave a powerful class. I think it was one of the best district classes of my mission. He talked about how we need to have a good attitude, be obediente and diligent, and work in unity. He had a bunch of awesome scriptures. It was a really honest class and I felt the Spirit so strong!!! 

Well, this is my last week as a missionary in Chile. Cannot believe it. So surreal. My mission is so special. I have felt Christ´s grace working within me. He has made me strong. I would not change this experience for anything!! 

I testify that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Savior of the world. Only through His grace and His mercy can we become the people we are meant to be. I love my Savior, and I know He knows me. I know He loves me. He takes me as I am and helps me. He lifts me and succors me. In Chile I have faced rejection, humiliation and opposition. However, I will not let anything nor anyone impede me from lifting my voice in testifying of the divinity of our Savior. I am His representative. I am His disciple. I will follow Him because I KNOW He helps me achieve great happiness. His way is not easy, but it is possible. What an honor it has been to wear His holy name on my shirt every day! I have truly come to know my Savior here in Chile. He is my Salvador. 

I am so happy. So pumped! Ready to finish strong. Jesus will help me finish strong. I love all of you, and I am so excited to see you soon!!! May Heavenly Father bless you all this week with strength, peace, and love.

Con mi amor, Hermana Mittleman