Letter Home to Young Women at Girls Camp

(Since this girls camp has come and gone...I figured I could post this on the blog. It was so inspirational, I couldn't resist) 

Girl's Camp Letter: 

Dearest Young Women of the Orem 3rd Ward.

I just love you. I hope you know that.

I have learned many things since being on my mission but one of the greatest things that I have realized is just how important member missionary work is. Sharing the gospel with people you know is so much more natural and successful than just finding people to teach by tracting. Half of the baptisms we see here in Ohio are from member referrals. Our Heavenly Father intended for us to share the happy message of the gospel, whether we are serving a full time mission or not. 

So who are the perfect member missionaries? When I was your age I surely didn't think myself. I was young, inadequate, and lived in Orem Utah where everyone was already a member, right?

Wrong, so very wrong.

 It teaches in D&C 4 that if you have desires to serve God, you are called to the work. Period. Do you desire to serve our Father in Heaven? Well congrats. You are officially responsible for the call you've been given, to spread his gospel! You have all been told time after time by modern day prophets that you are a member of a chosen generation, that you are commissioned to build up the Kingdom before the Second Coming. 

You all have a unique situation where you are exposed to new people almost everyday. Your social pool is larger than your parents.The young people you meet are more ready to hear the Gospel, and change their lives so they can be closer to God. You are blessed with boldness. You are blessed with time. You are blessed with strength. You are blessed to be in this gospel, with firm testimonies of your Savior, at a young age. You are so blessed because God loves and trusts you. 

I was sitting where you are just a year ago. I know that it is easy to feel inadequate, scared, or hesitant in sharing the gospel. But if you remember nothing else from this letter, remember this:

God loves you.

He has prepared you to be here at this time, with these strengths, and with these weaknesses. We will never be dirty, broken, or weak enough to lose the love of our Father. He has the power to completely change us, the power to reveal who we really are: Divine Daughters of God with potential we cannot imagine. 

He does not need perfect, experienced, mature people to be his missionaries. He needs you. 

He needs young people who realize that they are blessed to know Him and His plan for them. Young people who are willing to put their faith in his love and transforming grace. Young people who are willing to serve with all their heart, might, mind, and strength. He needs you to come to him, and be made whole. 

I know that it is through the love of our Father in Heaven and the Sacrifice of His Son that we are able to find true happiness. As we strive to follow his will for us, we will find more joy than we could ever imagine. We have much in store for us, all we need to do is ask. I have never felt more love than when I became a missionary and felt God's love for the people I teach. It is breathtaking. We are all priceless in the sight of God. I want nothing more than for all of you to feel God's love for others by serving them, and in turn, come to know just how much he loves you personally. 

It is our responsibility to share this knowledge. God has trusted you to teach others by example, word, and deed. Thank you all for your service and for being true disciples of Christ. Never forget that we promise to take his name upon us. Everything we do should live worthy of his name. Do all you do in love, love for God and all his children, and everything will be just fine. 

I love you and can't wait to hear about your missionary experiences. 

Sister Mary Mitchell

It's that time again...

T-minus 10 days until Transfers.

Where does the time go?! I swear that some days drag on for years, while the weeks just melt away before my eyes. Mission time is a strange thing.

Tuesday we had exchanges with the STL's. I stayed in Gahanna with Sister Burningham. It was all around a pretty good day. I definitely know the area better than I did last time I was the one leading here on exchanges. The fact that I am nearly useless when it comes to directions is something I have discovered about myself here on the mish. I will most certainly have to end up buying a GPS soon.

Transfers... let the anxiety ensue. There is a 99.9% chance that Sis G will be transferred. It's more than likely I will not be. That means I will have to know the area well enough to keep the work moving along as I introduce my new companion to Gahanna. It's time for me to put on my "Big Sister Missionary Skirt" and get to work. Being out for only 3 months, there are a lot of things I fall short on. Many things that I should do better, understand more, and have greater confidence in. 

But that's all okay. I have sufficiently pondered and prayed about this stress, and I've come to the conclusion that I will be ready for whatever God asks me to do. He knows me perfectly. He knows whats I need and what I can handle. He will test me, stretch me, and challenge me, but he will also always be there to help me through. It sure is going to be a fun ride! 

This past week has been a great one, and I am just so grateful for the time I've had with Sister Garner in Gahanna. 

Have a wonderful week!

 Sister Mitchy

Week 12

 Dearest loved ones!

I only have a few minutes here but I just have to share the miracles that I witnessed happen this week.  

Kim is baptized. Kim had been taking lessons for a year know, and had been off and on date several times. She had major issues with Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon after being anti-ed. Her husband, Bro H has recently pushed Kim to take lessons again and said that he knew she would be baptized on July 18th because of a dream. We set a date for Kim to be baptized the day he told her that, but we weren't sure it would happen. 

True to the promise God gives us, with hard work and faith, the righteous things we strive for can be accomplished. In the space of two weeks Kim read the BOM, prayed about it, gave up coffee and tea, and took the ultimate leap of faith by being baptized. 

She is so incredible, and is already serving the ward with her rock solid testimony of the Savior. 

She has three daughters who we are beginning to teach, so that their family can be temple bound. God is good! Look to him. Love you all.

Sister M 

OHIO IS SO RAINY!

Week 9- Happy 4th of July

Happy belated Fourth my dear family and friends! 

This week was essentially a party for Sister Garner and I. Missionary work is often missionary fun, and I just love it. 

Monday we had a wonderful Zone funday at the bowling alley and I got to see Elder Seth Taylor! I can't believe that all three of us missionaries from the Orem Stake are in the same zone here in Ohio! #Werepresent #mitklinglor5evar. Later that night we had an FHE with the Crouse/Johnstons, the Whitehall Elders, and Kim's family. We taught an FHE on how to have FHE and then played pictionary. All around it was a successful night! 

On Wednesday we had a specialized training where we met the new President Daines and his family. They seem to be awesome people. Sister Daines has a very cool conversion story, and a strong passion for missionary work because of it. We sat in zones and waited while each new missionary took turns going up and shaking their hands. It took forever and a half, but it was nice because we got to spend time with our new zone. I really like everyone I've met. It's going to be a great transfer.  

Thursday we had a good day of finding and a spectacular lesson with Kim. We are working on concentrating our prayer and fasting efforts on Kim and John. John has been out of town all week, but we are already seeing miracles with Kim and her family. The Lord is so eager to bless and help us, he's just waiting for us to use our agency and ask. So ask! 

Friday was terrific! We got to spend the day celebrating America weekly planning and then at a Cookout at the Goudies. The Goudies are amazing people, and they just have the funnest backyard ever! They're the kind of couple who has always been missionaries, and always will be. We saw one firework set off and it was a beautiful thing! 

Saturday, all of the 7 missionaries in our ward spent some time doing a little yard work at our bishop's house, and then we all had breakfast together! Bishop does this thing he calls a Pancake Challenge. It's basically a fight to see if who can last longer: Bishop making batter, or people eating pancakes. Bishop is an old pro and had never been beaten before. But as he put it, "it took 7 missionaries and a backstabbing wife (she joined our team) to take him down." In reality he had enough supplies to keep going for hours, he just conceded because the Elders were making themselves sick. #blessalloftheirhearts. 

After that we went to.... THE ZOO!!!!! Columbus Zoo has been called the best in the country. We live about thirty minutes away from it, so I thought I'd never get clearance to go. To our surprise when Kim invited us to go with her and her family, President allowed it! Hooray. The tigers were AWESOME. The tiger is certainly my spirit animal. 

Sunday we experienced a tender mercy from our Father in Heaven. In the past year or so that Kim has been taking lessons from the missionaries, she's never really enjoyed church because it's so different from the Baptists. It's generally a little bit of a struggle to get her there, and enjoy it. This week we prayed, fasted, followed up, prayed, and prayed again to have Kim and her family to church on Sunday. We even offered breakfast Sunday morning. So we show up at their door at 8:00 am on Sunday with things to make French Toast. We knocked a few times and no one answered. Finally, Kim's 13 year old daughter came to the door and told us they were all asleep. We were worried that'd be the end. But with the help of Brother H we got not only Bro H and his son, but also Kim and two of her daughters to church. The best part?! They enjoyed it this time! Despite all the differences, they found truth in the things being taught. I am so grateful for the influence that God has over us, when we allow that influence to work on us. I am so grateful for the power that the gospel; has to change people. The power to soften Kim's hearts, and to make me strong in faith. 

I love you all. I know that the influence you have as Latter Day Saints is more than you know. You are disciples of Christ, I hope none of us forget that. 

Sister Mitchell

P.s. I'm still (mostly) the same old me, so here are some music suggestions:

Ye Elders of Israel by The Lower Lights - My current mission anthem

How Deep the Father's Love for Us by Mercy River - Potentially the most beautiful lyrics I've ever heard

Pics with Sister Garner at the Johnston wedding a few weeks ago: