Missing My Missionary

My missionary has been home for almost 3 years now, and I never thought I'd say it, but I really miss having a missionary daughter and the letters they write home. It's hard for me to believe now, but at the time I really did not want her to go on a mission. She had already spent a summer in Peru and I just didn't want her to be gone again, let alone gone for 18 months! She felt like her life was incomplete though, and with encouragement from some very good friends, she headed out to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with whoever would listen. Little did we know how much that mission would enrich and permanently change her life for the better, and mine too! Her letters and insights are treasures to me now, many of them posted on her blog, "A Sorella On a Mission" -> http://katherinebeus.blogspot.com 

Missionaries see many miracles and receive many blessings from dedicating their lives to building God's kingdom on earth. Lucky for me, my niece is serving as a missionary for another few months so I have her letters to lift and inspire me.  She writes of miracles and testifies of truths learned. You will see what I mean about missions making marvelous women when you realize how wise she is for one so young. The Lord surely knows what he's doing. 

I asked her if she would be willing to let me share a story about a miracle she witnessed last month and she agreed. 

Soeur Lonas writes:

     Miracle number one from this week: We found this woman named M___ who was dumpster diving because she just moved from Columbia and she was only able to bring 50 pounds of stuff with her. We helped her bring her treasures back to her apartment and talked to her about our calling and she hugged us a lot and she said we could come back and share a message. But we weren't able to set a specific appointment because she wasn't sure of her son's schedule ... so we went by once later and she wasn't home. 
     Then on Saturday an appointment fell through so we decided to go to M___'s and she was just on her way out of the apartment to go for a walk. We walked with her and she told us that she told her son when she was leaving that she was just going for a walk, but really she was going to talk with God and when she saw us, she knew He had answered her prayer.  
     We made a return appointment for the following day and brought her a Book of Mormon. When we pulled it out she started crying and said that her birthday had just passed and she had prayed and asked God for a book of scripture to help her strengthen her relationship with Christ. She had only been able to bring a section of the New Testament with her from Columbia and she felt like she needed more.  

Another story with a shining jewel of truth in it: 

  C____________ is amazing, she has gone through so much in the last year and it is amazing to see how perfectly it has prepared her to accept the gospel. We weren't worried when she said that she didn't feel prepared to accept a baptismal date yet because she is praying and reading the Book of Mormon every day. And people who sincerely do those things have the desire to make covenants with Heavenly Father. Which is a desire she now recognizes :) We're really excited for her.

Wisdom worth sharing!: 

Pride is choosing not to have all the blessings of the Atonement -- an Atonement which has already been accomplished, and which is infinite. The power and influence of the Atonement in our lives individually is limited only by our own pride.

The power and influence of the Atonement in our lives individually is limited only by our own pride.

Testimony of True Doctrine:

I am so grateful to know that families can be together forever. I KNOW that is true doctrine. I know that as we share true doctrine, the Spirit testifies to the hearts of others' of its truth.