18 Life Lessons of My Mission

1. You dont really need that much to get along in life. In the words of Jethro, when all you've got is nothing, there's a lot to go around. The people of El Salvador live this princple. Although they have very little, they are so willing to give. It has greatly impacted me to see such selflessness.

2. We must respect our leaders. They are called of God and have the authority and revelation to guide us. We should never complain about a leader or second guess their decisions. When we raise our hand to sustain them, we are promising to follow them. Especially the prophet. I know that God calls prophets today, what a demonstration of His love! Contrary to popular belief, He has not ceased to speak to His children.

3. Reading the scriptures is fun! I have learned to feast upon the words of Christ. ("Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." -Nephi 32:3) No one is saved in ignorance. We must continually search the scriptures to find the path to eternal life. Studying the scriptures is a sign of humility. Not studying the scriptures is a sign of pride. I now know that I know nothing. We NEED to study daily! And we can enjoy it once we realize the benefits of it.

4. If you don't have a vision, goals, or plans you won't get very far. This has been a big lesson for me. I never realized how much I could push myself to work. There's a difference between working hard and working smart. When we have a goal set in mind and we strive to achieve it, we can accomplish much more than we ever thought! That is working smart.

5. Patience is a virtue. It's a constant struggle for us to accept God's will and be patient. I have been given many opportunities to develop the attribute of patience and I'm grateful for it. 

6. The spirit speaks in every language. What a blessing it has been to learn Spanish! At first, it was hard. But I felt the Spirit working through me although I couldn't quite form a sentence haha. Now I understand that the language doesn't matter, we can share the gospel with anyone.

7. The sacrament should be the most important part of our week. I wait for this moment like it's Christmas! Let the Sacrament change you. It's a wonderful and sacred experience. Think of the Savior and His life, His words, His sacrifice. Promise to do better than the week before. 

8. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass (Alma 37:6) Pray, read, go to church. Simple as that.

9. Talents are given to share. I'm glad I have been able to bless the lives of the people here through music. It's a gift God has given me to help others feel His spirit and I love it. We need to develop our talents or theyll be taken away.

10. El que sirve, sirve. El que no sirve, no sirve. We must fill our life with service. I have NEVER felt happier in my life than while serving! It's like magic! It takes away stress, sickness, depression, anger. Just serve and you will be happy. That's what I'm going to continue to do for the rest of my life.

11. No one's perfect, but we can all strive for perfection. We should see people in their potential, not their current state.

12. Gratitude must be practiced at all times. It doesnt matter where or when. We should always thank God because there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. It makes life easier, too. It's tiring being negative, just be thankful instead!

13. Repentence is a good thing. I used to cringe at the word. It meant you were a vile sinner. But really, who of us are not sinners? We all mess up ALL THE TIME. Why would we not want to repent?! Christ died for us for THIS VERY REASON. The atonement is real, don't let His sacrifice be in vain.

14. The family is the most important priority in our lives. They CAN be eternal. We must love and spend time with our families. God has given us the family to be happy! 

15. Charity is the most important attribute of all. Every other trait revolves around it. It's the only way to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

16. It's our duty as children of the covenant to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God is preparing His children. We wont make it to heaven if we don't. President George Albert Smith said "That is your mission, my brethren and sisters of the Church, that is your responsibility. Freely you have received and our Heavenly Father will expect you freely to share with His other sons and daughters these glorious truths...We will attain our exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom only on the condition that we share with our Father`s other children the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and observe the commandments that will enrich our lives here and hereafter" (Preach My Gospel pg. 12) Is this not charity?

17. Prayer can be a sacred experience if we use it as it should be. It's the window to heaven. It's how we get to know our Heavenly Father in a very real and personal way. If you want to feel closer to God, talk to Him.

18. The mission is a refiner's fire. I have learned things that take people almost their whole life to learn. My faith has grown immensely. There is no way on earth I will ever regret the decision I made to serve a mission! It has made me a better daughter, future mother, future wife. If you are considering go on a mission, then do it! Its the greatest job in the world! We are helping people return to Heaven. Is there anything more important than that?

Love you all, see you on Thursday!

Hermana Infanzon