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| Celebrate my return home with my Companion at Red Robin! |
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| I'm Coming Home! |
Dear family, friends, and dear team of angles that have bore me up-
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."
This is a bittersweet day for me today. As this is my last email home as a full time missionary and I prepare to depart from my service in Missouri as a servant of the Lord, I am humbled and grateful for this journey that I have experienced these last 18 months. It is nearly impossible to say all I have learned or capture all the sacred moments that I could include in a final email. So I just I want you to know I have loved my mission, I have worked hard, I have given the Lord my all, I have come to know Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father, I have changed, I have studied and I have come to know the scriptures. I have come to know the importance of daily prayer and scripture study. I have learned what it means to fulfill a calling, to share the gospel, and to be a member missionary. I have learned the sacredness of the sacrament, the family, of hard work, of diligence, and of perfecting ourselves to be like Christ. I have learned what it means to exercise faith, to repent, and give my will to the Lord. I have learned how to dream and set goals for myself and that with Christ's help I can accomplish. I learned how to embark in the service of the Lord. I have learned that I am not me and you are not you; we are infinitely more than we think we are. I have learned it's not just about making an offering to the Lord, it is about HOW we make the offering. I have learned how to be a creator of circumstances instead of a creature of circumstance. I have learned about and applied the atonement of Jesus Christ to change my very nature, I am not the same person I was 18 months ago, YET, I am still me. I am still Nikki, and you will all soon see that my personality is still alive and kickin!
Alma 29:10, "And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly
penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled
with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even
that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm
which he extended towards me."
That scripture would be one of the best to describe my mission, in the Land of Zion. The Lord has prospered me. He has blessed me and everyday waking up and putting on my name tag I was able to forget myself and remember whose name was most important on my name tag. Not only did I represent the Saviors name, I represented my families name. I bore witness each day with everyone I came in contact with that the Savior Jesus Christ lives, that he loves them, and that his church has been restored to the earth today. As I did that, as I bore witness, the Holy Ghost touched hearts of the people here just as he promises he will, and I am reminded what the Lord has done for me, of the many tender mercies which he has given me, "You should always have at least one convert on your mission, that convert should be you." I have a list of those I have worked those, those I have seen baptized, those who are flourishing in the gospel, and at the end of that convert list, I have written, "Me."
On May 15th, 2015 this was a journal entry of mine, it reads,
"today, I met someone who made an impact on me, he is an inactive returned missionary who is not only going to another church, but is the preacher of that church, it broke my heart. Knowing he spent two years proclaiming this message to go inactive, knowing of the covenants he made to the Lord, My heart just hurt! and as we talked with him he said, "yeah sisters, I am one of those RM less actives statistics."
Tonight I got on my knees and I made a personal covenant and promise to my Heavenly Father that no matter what happens, that will never be me. No matter what troubles may arise in my further, I will stay faithful. I will fulfill my callings, I will be determined to read and pray everyday, I will honor my covenants, I will live the Doctrine of Christ. If for some reason the light of my testimony grows dim, I promised him I will not give up on the things I know to be true. I will never be an "inactive statistic", I will be strong and true no matter the circumstances. I will work everyday to a continued conversion and I will do my best. I promised him, and I will stand accountable to that promise someday." A testimony can come and go, conversion is a change of heart and an everyday effort. As I have served, It has been easier to find myself because there has been so much more of me to find.
How vast is our purpose, how broad is our mission,
If we but fulfill it in spirit and deed
Oh, naught but the Spirit’s divinest tuition
Can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.
President Monson said, "I hold sacred the time of my personal ministry." I echo his words, this time that I have served has been sacred to me. And there are memories etched deep within my heart to which I owe the savior my fullest devotion for the rest of my life. I am coming home with no regrets, I have been reassured the Savior is proud of me and has accepted my offering. I know the Church of Jesus Christ is the Lords kingdom on the earth today, I know Joseph Smith is truly a prophet of God and an instrument in the Lords hands to restore his true and living church. I bear my witness of the divinity and truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, it is another witness of the Son of God and his saving, cleansing, and enabling power. Lastly, I testify that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, he is the Christ. He is the Savior, he saves us. He is the Light of the world, he illuminates us. He is the bread of life, he sustains us.
John 14:5-6, "Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." He is the WAY, brothers and Sisters. He is the way out of trial, he is the way out of pain, he is the way to eternal life, he is the way to handle sorrow, he is the way to deal with grief, he is the way to have a sure foundation, he is the way to do what is right.
The work of souls is real, if you want to be happy, share your testimony and find someone to serve. Last night as I received a blessing, the Lord said to me, "It was the Lords will that you came on your mission, and it is his will that you return home and carry forth this work." If you knew how hard this departure has been for me, you would know the impact of those words to my heart, it is amazing to know we never stop serving, we never stop bringing souls unto Christ, I may just not have a tag, yet we all do.
Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that
bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good
tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy
God reigneth!
I love you, I will see you soon.
Xoxo, Sister Flink,
MIM, March 2014- September 2015
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| Meet Sister Krause - Companion #10 for 10 days |
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| The Prayer circle in Independence that prays for the second coming every morning. |
MAMMA!
This day is really here.. ahhhhhhh so many mixed emotions if you were here you would probably like I was going insane. Its been a roller coaster of a week, there have been times where I have been fine and happy and others where somebody will say one word or show a picture or sing a song and I lose it for about 10 min and then get myself back together.
I am excited to see my family, I miss you guys so much and I love you. You keep my hope alive that I will be glad to be home, thank you for everything.
Glad you talked to Marni! Finding a hotel in Cameron should not be a problem.. haha! Sister Vest and President are planning on us!
I have loved all the remodeling pictures, don't worry about getting it all done for me! I can sleep on the couch for awhile, I have learned patience and long suffering don't ya know ;)
So happy about the airport, going to be so special. Thank you for all you've done to make sure I have a warm welcome.
Well Mom- I don't really know what to say because... I don't even know if I understand what is happening yet. I will have so much to tell you about my companion and everything when I see you! The visitors center is great.. kind of... I hate sitting there but it forces me to think and make going home plans, that's why president thought it was a bright idea...
I love you my dear Mamma! I will see you on Friday at 10:30. (If you get here on Thursday night, or whenever you're coming I don't even know, you should go shop on the Plaza in Kansas City, you'd love it!)
Also, I think we are going to drop off some sisters at Pday and then Sister Krause and I are gonna go get some cute wedges to greet you in! Hahahaha Love you Mommy!
Love you so much! See you... soon!
Sister Flink
Missouri Independence Mission
