The Washington Post: Week # 79: The Final Countdown

This week is kind of bittersweet, as I am headed home tomorrow! So I
am both excited and sad- I will miss being a missionary, and it
definitely went by way too fast, but I am excited to go home and see
everyone!

It was also an eventful week! We had zone conference on Wednesday, and
it was awesome to see everyone and to feel the Spirit. I learned a lot
too. There was a lot about change and being okay with it, and about
trusting God, which, given what's happening this week, was a good
message to hear. I got to bear my "departing testimony" which was sad.

Sister Egger (88) We read the Book of Mormon with her every day!

We also had interviews this week so we got to see President McAteer
and Sister McAteer again! My interview was really short since normal
interviews were Thursday and my departing interview was Saturday so it
was more like "see you in two days." It was fun to talk with them
though- they are amazing people!

Julie is doing amazing- she even came to church! And stayed all three
hours! It was so good too. The Spirit was strong. She is really coming
along, and I think she does have a desire to be baptized. The real
question is which is stronger, her desire for coffee or the
gospel...we're still working on it, but she's so much closer than she
was. She is pretty incredible and the gospel can bring her so much joy
and peace.

With Julie!

And we got to see Angie! She is really showing a lot more real intent
and she had read from the Book of Mormon and so we read a little more
and said goodbye and all that.

Sister Knopp

Yesterday it poured rain, and both of us got soaked (but I was the
drier of the two of us) and we were out walking around during the
Super Bowl talking to people- it was pretty fun. Good times on the
mission. It felt just like Washington (none of that ice and snow
stuff).

Something that stuck out to me this week during zone conference was
the first phrase of Ether 12:27. Backstory- Satan has been trying hard
this week to discourage me, to tell me my mission was useless and I
made no difference, and reminding me of all these weaknesses. Then
this scripture was quoted four or five times during zone conference,
and I noticed something new. The verse starts with "And if men come
unto me, I will show unto them their weakness." On my mission I felt
like my weaknesses have been shown more than ever before and this was
the first time I recognized that seeing these weaknesses means I am
coming closer to my Father in heaven and to my Savior- He shows them
to us, and if we are humble and turn to Him, this same scripture
promises "I will make weak things become strong." So if you see your
weaknesses, don't ever get discouraged because it just means that our
Savior is trying to help you improve and to grow to be more like Him,
to be who He sees you can be. If there was one thing I could
communicate to each of you, it would be His infinite love. Even when
we mess up, when we are weak, even when we don't believe in His love,
it is still there. It is always there, waiting to lift us from our
sins and sorrows, to leave weaknesses behind, if we let Him.