Sister Savannah Slater: A Couple Three Times Six Months.

Well, it happened. I have now officially been a missionary for 18 months. To be honest, it really doesn't feel like it has actually been that long. Looking back, it is crazy to see how much has happened and to see how much I have learned over this past year and a half. I think that the biggest lesson that I have learned is that everyone is on the same journey. We all take different paths to get to our final destination, but really, we are all here for the same purpose and that is to return home to live with our Heavenly Father. I have come to realize that there are so many people who don't know that we don't have do this on our own. I have met so many people who struggle and suffer and wonder how God could let bad things happen, but the truth is that we would never know the good times without the bad. Our Heavenly Father knew that this life would not be easy, because it isn't supposed to be, but that is why we have our Savior so that we can have help along the way. How comforting is it to know that we don't have to do this by ourselves? It has been such a life changing experience to be able to share this plan with the people here in Nebraska and it has amazed me to see how much love I really do have for them.

I think what I am going to miss the most is all the miracles that we see as missionaries. One huge miracle that happened was on a tour that I took with a woman named Shannon. She came into the Trail Center and told me that she was on a trip around the country by herself and as I got to know her better, I found out that she has been struggling to know where she should be in life. She had a lot of questions about the church and I ended up giving her a Book of Mormon and testified to her of the it's truth and that she could find that out for herself. At the end of the tour, we ran into some members from another tour and we ended up having a member present lesson about gaining a person witness of the truth of the gospel. It was so cool! After they left we could both feel the Spirit so strong and she ended up committing to be baptized! Since she is traveling, she didn't have a place for missionaries to go to, but she said that she is planning on going to Temple Square and I got her contact information as well. It really is the most incredible thing to see people so prepared to hear about the gospel and accept it. That is why missionary work is the best.

I also got to go inside of the temple twice this week. I helped clean it on Monday and then I was able to go to a session with a member from the Ralston ward that I worked with. Her name is Lindsay and I love her to death. She was baptized about a year and half ago and has read through the temple pamphlet about 14 times because she has been so excited about going inside. It was so amazing to be able to see her experience receiving her endowment and it definitely helped strengthen my testimony and love for the temple as well. The church is so true.