This
week I was reminded that it's moments like this that make all the tough times
of missionary work worth it. I'm going
to try to recap some of these amazing moments from this week:
Moment
#1- There's a little saying, I'm sure you've probably heard it, it goes
something like: "A missionary is someone that leaves their family for a
short time so that others can be with their families for eternity".
This week as I watched Rebecca and then Jim Chabalie be baptized and confirmed
members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, my eyes filled with
tears as this saying hit home. There
have been hard days over the past months when I wanted to jump on a plane and
go see my family. But this week I was
reminded that the tiny sacrifice to step away from the ones I love to be able
to be a part of setting another one of my brothers' and sisters' families on
the path back home is SO worth it. This
isn't about me! It is moments like: watching the smiles on Brother and Sister
Chabalie as they came up out of the water, seeing them look at their kids with
the excitement that they can be raised with the truth, and hearing them tell
their little girl, Maddie, that in just 3 years she can be baptized by daddy-
moments like this that make me turn in gratitude to the Lord. The Spirit was so strong during the meeting
and everyone in the room was clearly touched by it. Rebecca and Jim told us how touched they were
that so many people would come to support them. There was a ton of ward support
and our whole district came #ThanksElders and President and Sister Johnson came
too. We reminded them that they are now
part of this ward family and are so loved. Ahh I love the Chabalies and I am excited to
see how much they grow in the gospel in the months and years. Thank you all for
your prayers for this family! Keep it up
J
Moment
#2- My last Zone Conference! One of my
favorite things is being able to get together and see friends and learn from
President and Sister Johnson and the Zone Leaders. The Spirit is always so strong at these things
and I feel like my spiritual "tank", so to say, is always refilled to
the brim! Ahh I just love Zone
Conferences. I also never thought this
day would come. 😭😱 Right before
missionaries go home they normally give their departing testimony and I had the
opportunity to give mine this last time. It was so bitter sweet. Being able to give my departing testimony in
the same chapel I gave my very first testimony as a missionary was special. I reflected on how much I've grown and changed
over the last almost year and a half and I realized just how grateful I am that
I was called to the PPM and that I chose to serve. This mission has changed my life!
Some
other gem moments from zone conference were:
- The other departing testimonies~ These
sisters and elders I am going home with have inspired me my whole mission and
have become great friends. Hearing their
testimonies strengthened mine!
- The music choices were so inspired!
Songs that aren't normally sung/played were, and they are songs I've come to
love: Rock of Ages & Brightly Beams our Father’s Mercy, were fo’ sho’
tender mercies!
- I love being trained by PJ and SJ too.
They are always inspired!!!
Moment
#3- Exchanges with my girl Sister Simpson! She goes home with me so it was super fun to
catch up and see a good friend again. I
got to be back in good ol’ P3 for the day and see so many people that I've
missed. It was the BEST!! Let me give you some updates on the good old
Pitt 3rd fam:
- The Eichenmillers: we got to go see
Grant and Mary Lou and their daughter in law, Angela, came with her boys
Spencer and Nathan. Oh man I just love
this family. They have grown so much
since their baptisms and to see them working to get to the temple to get sealed
is the best. It was so good to see them again.
- Sister Snodgrass: she's a less active I
worked with while I was there who is active now! It was also really awesome to teach her and
see how far she's come just in the last many months!
- The RITZES!!! Oh man they are still the
best. They fed us dinner and Chris had all my requests- garlic bread, her salad
and croutons and she even made her delicious homemade cheesecakes!!!! I WAS IN HEAVEN. It helped so much to see them one last time
before I leave. They truly have helped me so much though-out my mission and I
am forever grateful to be part of the ritz fam J
Moment
#4- My last fast Sunday on the mission. Wow I keep finding myself thinking 'I
never thought this day would come!' I
felt really strongly like I needed to bear my testimony so I did and I love
that every time I share my testimony I am reminded of all that I have come to
know. I am especially grateful for the
amazing wards I have served in and to be in the Monongahela ward now. Our investigator Janice, even got up and bore
her testimony and shared how excited she is to be baptized on the 18th! Ha, ha, ha, it made for a great end to the
testimonies. Amen to that!!!
It
honestly is the little things that make all the hard times worth it. I love being a missionary and seeing lives
change around me every day including my own! I have a firm testimony that our attitude
makes all the difference when we look for the good even when it's not easy and
finding the little moments daily that make it worth it.
My
dad sent me this awesome quote from President Hinckley that I wanna end with
today:
"I come with a plea that we stop
seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that
we accentuate the positive. I am asking
that we search a little deeper for the good....Cultivate an attitude of
happiness....a spirit of optimism. Walk
with faith rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you
love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning the divine. The Lord's plan is a plan of happiness. The way will be lighter. The worries will be
fewer....if we cultivate a spirit of happiness!"
So be happy and enjoy this next week :)
LOVE YINZ!
Love always,
💕Sister
McDonald
Ponderize- "Be still and know that I
am God" ~D&C 101:16
Commitment- "focus on Christ and
feel joy amidst trial" ~ Elder Yamashita
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