This is going to be a shorter e-mail than usual because we have to travel down to Burkburnett, Texas for a specialized training meeting today. Time continues to fly by, but I am grateful for every moment I have to be in the Lord''s service full-time. This last week, I had a couple of wonderful experiences allowing me to reflect upon this journey that commenced almost two years ago. I was reminded of something my sister said about her mission when we were driving her home from the airport. She said, "It passed in the blink of an eye. It seems like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to all of you." My thoughts are very similar. As the sun sets on my mission experience, it has been interesting the lessons that I have been taught about “time.” I have never considered eternity before, but the past couple of weeks, I have found myself contemplating the "solemnities of eternity" (D&C 43:34). Just like my mission will not end when I am released, neither will our lives end when we are released from our mortal assignment. There is so much hope in that, and it is all because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

I mentioned above that I have had a couple of wonderful experiences as I have reflected back on my mission. One of those experiences happened a couple days ago as I was getting ready in the morning. I was looking in the mirror, tying my tie, when I took the opportunity to ponder on the missionary name tag I was wearing. I looked at my name tag, and felt time almost stand still as I took a mental photograph of myself as a full-time missionary. I am going to miss my black name tag that I have worn everyday for the past two years, but more than feeling sad that it will soon come off for good, I feel a sense of gratitude. How grateful I am for the time I have had here in Oklahoma.These past two years have almost been a “time-out,” when God has taken the opportunity to refocus me on what is really important in this life and what is not. I have a very strong testimony of these two scriptures found in the Book of Mormon and the Bible: 

Mosiah 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God. 

Matthew 16:24-26 24: Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25: For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26: For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

I have had 2 opportunities this past week to bear my testimony formally. Each has been a great moment of reflection. The first was in our Zone Conference on Wednesday. Almost 2 weeks ago, I knew I would be giving my departing testimony soon, so I sat down and did a study that I entitled the "Remember" study. I wanted to make sure I had some thoughts that I could draw from. For 45 minutes, I made a list of everything I had learned during my full-time missionary service. I was blown away by all the thoughts that seemed to flood into my mind. What a privilege it has been to be tutored and taught from on high, for 2 years. Wednesday, as I was waiting for my turn to share my testimony, I looked down at my pants and realized that the pants I was wearing did not match my suit coat. My mind suddenly went back to the night, almost two years ago, when my stake president set me apart as a missionary. I made the exact same mistake that night:) It was an opportunity to look back and smile, as I remembered, with gratitude, the course of my mission.  

The second opportunity came in our Fast and Testimony Meeting on Sunday, in the Altus Ward. I stood and bore my testimony, and again, was taken back in time to when I bore my testimony in my home ward right before I left for the MTC. At that meeting I said, "This will be the last time for two years that I will bear my testimony as a member, because soon I will be bearing it as a full-time missionary." In Sunday’s testimony meeting I said, “This will be the last time I will bear my testimony, in a Fast and Testimony Meeting, as a full-time missionary.” Throughout these experiences, I have not felt sadness, but excitement and peace, as this transition is coming closer. My dear family and friends, I am feeling the weight of becoming a “member missionary” in the same way that I’ve felt the weight of my calling as a full-time missionary. This is His work, and like Him, it never ends! I hope and pray that when I return home, I can become the kind of “member-missionary” that I’ve expected others to be, and be as dedicated as some of the members I’ve worked with here in the mission field. I know that one of the most important ways God hastens His work is through the members. I will close with a quick update from our proselyting. A couple weeks ago, Elder Allman and I were working so hard and seeing very little success from our efforts. Most of the people we were teaching weren’t following through and many of our appointments canceled. It was a rough time. As the days turned into weeks, I turned more and more to Heavenly Father, in prayer, to know the course that we needed to take. Then, one Thursday, we were meeting with a member of the bishopric and the impression came to me, “You are not going to find people to teach until you strengthen what you do have - the members of this ward.” So we have a plan to strengthen the ward members with a “Flood the Earth with the Book of Mormon” initiative. We started with the Ward Council members this past week and have had incredible success. They are underlining their favorite 5 scriptures in copies of the Book of Mormon and writing their testimonies in the front. Then we, as missionaries, are giving out those personalized copies when we share the Book of Mormon with people we meet. Our ward mission leader is getting involved as well as the other auxiliary leaders. It is really cool to be a part of what’s happening. 

The drought we have been experiencing has lifted a bit with an incredible week of finding. We found a ton of new people to teach and have had more lessons this week than the past three weeks put together. I know that the work is hastening because we are focusing on what God wants us to do. As we build our own testimonies and the testimonies of the members of the wards, we will see that we are more able to do the work of harvesting souls. The Altus Ward is well on its way to becoming a “phase three” ward, where the missionaries help the members with the work. As we all strive to be phase three members, the work will hasten. It will be glorious! 

I know that God lives and loves each of us. I am so grateful for the experiences of a lifetime that I have had on my mission. I appreciate your prayers for me and my companion. I have felt them helping me finish the course. I love Heavenly Father and His wonderful plan of happiness, in which we are all involved. Have a great week and don''t forget to share the gospel!!