August 19, 2013
Dear family.
Well, I can´t believe it, but
the end has finally come. I´m not sure exactly what to write you guys,
because I’ll be able to tell everything in a few days.
Yesterday, we picked up Elder
Funk from Portão. He´s going to be my replacement. We´re going to
be in a trio until I leave. Elder Funk is a great guy, super
excited. He´s going to do great in the area. This will make things
a bit easier for Elder Morales, They´re not going to have to close our area
because of me.
I actually ate lunch with
Amanda and family this last Tuesday, during exchanges in Bairro Novo, but
Juvencio invited me again. I´m going more to take pictures and say
good-bye. They´ve been so great to me. I think besides Amanda´s
family, and other missionaries, no one here knows that I’m going home this Friday.
It´s going to be a crazy week. I know that on Wednesday, I’m going to the
temple, so that´ll be good. I´m going with everyone from my group, so I’ll
see Elder Barkdull and Elder Reeves again.
I´m about to leave to go
visit Juvencio, so I’m already going to wrap things up. I just want to
say three things that I learned on my mission, of greatest importance to me.
1) I learned, without a
doubt, that the Book of Mormon is true. If anyone wants to get closer to
God, they should read this book. The Book of Mormon has given me the
answers to questions, time and time again on the mission, and has been a great
source of power in teaching others. I know that my investigators lives
have been touched, as they read the Book of Mormon.
2) I learned to
trust in the Spirit. I learned to invite, recognize, and follow the
Spirit. This was one of the hardest things to learn on the mission, but
when I learned to recognize the Spirit and follow it with consistency in my
mission, my mission transformed. It really is worthless to work without
the Spirit.
3) I learned to
love others, even those who treat me poorly. I think that before the
mission, I really didn´t have a capacity to love anyone besides myself.
But on the mission, the Lord has helped me developed a great love for others.
Well, I love you all
lots! I´ll see you in just a bit!
LOVE
Elder Twitchell