Hello! It’s crazy to think that this is the last letter I will be writing about my missionary work.
Well, my last couple days as a missionary were fantastic! My companion and I got to talk to a lot of people, see a lot of members and potential investigators, and have a blast as we did all this. I love serving with her so much. I learned that I should have started packing early because the time from 9:30-10:30 at night is not quite enough to stuff everything I’ve obtained in these 19 months in a suitcase (let’s just say the night before transfers was a very long night).
Wednesday (transfer day) was emotional and extremely hot (which is not the best combination because you end up wet from both sweat and tears). It was hard for me to wrap my head around being transferred back to America–with no companion assigned to me! It was a sweet and spiritual day though. It was so hard looking out my apartment window for the last time and saying goodbye to my area and the people that I have come to love like crazy these last 8 months of my mission.
It was strange. The hardest part about leaving my beautiful mission area came because I had invested everything there, I knew I had served there with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. It was hard, but it was also for that same reason that I was able to find the comfort and courage to leave it.
The last days in the mission were spent at the mission home trying to get our suitcases to the correct weight. That wasn’t very fun, but it taught me the importance of provident preparation. We had a big fireside/testimony meeting where all the missionaries returning home bore their testimonies and we talked about how we can still keep Christ close in our lives.
One of my favorite parts was going into the stairwell of the mission home after that meeting (though it was extremely hot and humid and everyone was sweating), and singing hymns in Korean as loud as we could. I think the spirit enveloped everyone as we sang and we knew, that even with our mixed emotions on returning home- things were going to be okay.
In one of the songs it said:
Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
As we sang that song I felt the spirit gently reminding me of how much God has guided me these past 19 months. I have truly witnessed miracles because of His grace and endless kindness. If God helped me that much through my mission, I know he could continue to guide me after it.
This gave me hope…
Though my mission has ended, my life as a missionary has not.
I’m so thankful for all that I learned on my mission, and to my God, Heavenly Father, for helping me through all of it.
I know this church is the true church of Jesus Christ restored to the Earth. The Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. And Heavenly Father does hear and answer our prayers.
I’m so thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I love you all!
Sister Stastny
Seoul Sister 