Sunday, April 19, 2015

Week Ending March 3rd, 2015



Dear Family and Friends,
I cannot believe that 18 months has come and gone... It feels like I left my home yesterday... and yet sometimes it feels like I left a millennia ago. So much happened in this last week, but as this in my last chance to email all of you as "Sister Franzen" I would like to take the chance to share my testimony with all of you.
I would like to steal some words from another dear Sister Missionary:
"I found a quote to perfectly explain my mission this week
"If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill. The Lord is anxious to lead us to higher grounds"

My mission has been the hardest thing in my entire life. But it has been such a special thing that I would never trade for the world."
I too feel the same way about my mission... 4 areas, 13 companions, having to wear a boot, kidney stones for over 10 months of my mission, having to go gluten free, horrible car crash, having 2 companions get sick and have to go home... Missions are tough... but I would not have it any other way. My mission has truly been the best preparation I could possibly have for my future.

I love my savior. I know that He was born to save me, He lived to save me, He died to save me, and He was resurrected to save me. He is and will always be my everything. I cannot go through life without my savior… it is too hard, too heavy. But that is the beautiful thing about this gospel… we don’t HAVE to do it on our own… ever. Christ is there for us every single step of the way…. He is standing at the door knocking… WAITING to rescue us. If we will but open the door to him, he can enter in.
I know with all my heart that God is STILL a God of miracles. I have 18 months worth of a daily journal full of them if you ever need proof that he lives and loves us. I saw him change lives every day… It was the most amazing and powerful feeling to be able to see him close the mouths of those that tried to tear down our faith and desecrate the name of the Savior… I saw this again last night. God is so loving and so amazing.

I have seen Satan and his minions try with all their might to tear others down. Whether my making them think that they are not good enough, or by making things around them fall apart… but I have seen what “Just one small seed” can do. Just ONE seed of faith changes people’s lives and gives them hope. I saw this in the lives of the families I was able to teach J Satan cannot have power over us as we turn to the savior and give him our life… we are protected, blessed, safe.

I know with all my heart that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and that it truly does carry us. I know that God is reaching out to us still as he has in times of old through a prophet on the earth once again. True, prophets are just men and they make mistakes too, but I know that God is still leading and guiding us just as he has in times past… with a foundation set upon apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God just as the Bible is. I love the feeling of peace and comfort I get as I read both books of Scripture. I love that I can turn to my Father in Heaven at any time and ask him with a sincere heart if what I am reading is true, and I KNOW he will answer me! I know He will answer anyone that goes and asks with a sincere heart because he is Truth and light and He cannot be deceived. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ once again on the earth. I know this because I have 1. Studied, 2. Fasted, 3. Prayed to get my answer directly from My Father in Heaven. I know that God hears and answers us. I know that He loves us.

I have loved my mission... I have not wanted to leave but I have been praying and thinking a lot about what my mission president told me in my last interview and I am now ending with the beginning in mind. I have created an action plan on how I will continue to be a missionary in my home ward. I still do not want my mission to end... but I know that it does not have too. I am simply receiving a permanent outside of mission boundaries transfer ;) I will forever and always be a missionary... I love the Lord and I know that I cannot deny it, he has changed me and made me whole and I have seen him do that for others over and over. I love this gospel.
I leave this testimony with all of you in the name of our Dear and sweet savior and redeemer, even Jesus Christ, Amen.
Love,
Sister Jenn Franzen

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