March 9, 2015

This is it! HOLY MOLY! Ah! This is my last email home.  The next time you will hear from me it will be in the real life and I will be crying and hugging all of you. OH! It will be wonderful.  

This week could not have been any better.  It was incredible.  Wednesday for the first time in the history of this mission, we had an ALL MISSION MEETING.  So for the whole day of Wednesday there were no missionaries in Montana.  NONE! That is weird to think about.  We all gathered in Bozeman, my old stomping grounds, and heard from Elder Zwick of the first quorum of the seventy and Brother Hemmingway who is in charge of all proselyting efforts for the world. Kind of a big title there. Haha, they came to introduce some more advances with the IPads. We got booklets talking about doing missionary work in the digital age and the safeguards of using technology.  I thought the meeting would be focused on those booklets and the logistics.  But it was mainly Elder Zwick speaking to our mission and following the spirit.  Through the meeting I was able to receive many answers to my prayers and concerns I was having. I love it when a total stranger speaks and answers my soul searching questions through the Spirit. 

 
I was asked to play the piano at the meeting.  I got there about a half hour early and began playing prelude when everything got really quiet and President, Sister Mecham, Elder Zwick and Brother Hemmingway walked in the room.  And then the next thing I knew Elder Zwick was behind me with his hands on my shoulders.  He thanked me for the music and said that I played beautifully.  Shout out to Mom! All those years of piano lessons and tears and tantrums were worth it! Then he went over to the microphone and said that he wanted to meet each of the missionaries and that his favorite Sister Moline was going to continue to play prelude as he met each of the missionaries.  He may or may not have said I was his favorite, but when he said my name everyone knew I was his favorite. So I literally played the entire hymn book for an hour and a half. My butt was completely numb by the end.  It was kinda embarrassing, but the line was ending and an Elder sitting on the stand asked if I wanted to go shake his hand. So we quickly switched spots, the Elder played a song and I had to run off the stage and basically tackle Elder Zwick before he walked away.  It was super embarrassing because literally the ENTIRE mission watched me and him talk for a little and they could hear what we were talking about NBD. Me and Elder Z.  Besties for life. 

I love being able to go into meetings like this and feel like I can take on the world when I leave.  After listening to him for close to 4 hours I felt and knew the things I needed to do. I had answers to my prayers in that meeting and got a sense of what the Lord expects of me.  Elder Zwick is an inspired man.  You cannot help but feel an intensified Spirit about him. You knew that he was speaking and following the direction of the Lord.  The underlying message I received from Elder Zwick was the question he asked us to ask ourselves.  "Am I willing to change?" He spoke a lot about how we cannot, we will not lower our standards.  He spoke specifically about the law of chastity. How we cannot lower our standards with the law of chastity because it is not our doctrine or law to change.  He spoke about how the work is changing but the white handbook is the same.  It is the same work. And I thought a lot about how the world is changing.  But the Book of Mormon is the same.  The doctrine of the gospel is the same.  And although world, it's views and morals are fluctuating the doctrine is the same and it is not our doctrine to change.    

He spoke in regards to the IPads and using technology that if we don't know or learn how to protect ourselves right now, Satan will have the upper hand on us when we go home and use our IPad or IPhones.  Just as the Lord knows each of us and our power and potential, so does Satan. We have the power to make right decisions. And it doesn't matter how many filters we have on our phones, computers, tablets, whatever, the first and best and most effective filter is our personal testimony and righteousness.  Sister Mecham gave this awesome analogy of how we walk into the grocery store and pass by the alcohol isle and the cigarettes and tobacco without a seconds thought and just walk right past it.  And that is how it should be with the cyber filth we are presented with.  Elder Zwick said that we must learn self mastery and we must learn it now.  There is going to come a time where we will not be able to avoid the internet. And we have to learn now how to avoid, protect and become immune.  And what better way to become immune than by living the gospel right now.  He talked about purifying our hearts and engraving our testimony upon our hearts.  What an incredible meeting. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to be in that meeting right before I go home.   

My heart melted this week.  Larry Albert called us one night after we had come home. And he said, " Sister Moline, I know that your time here is coming to a close. But I want you to understand that I am not going to give up.  I am going to make it."  He talked with me for a while and said, "You know Moline, I have met with many missionaries throughout my life...but you are the best missionary.  I appreciate your time, and your persistence with me. I will never forget you and what you have helped me accomplish." OH! My heart! MY HEART! Literally Larry is my one true love.  Sister Ruys asked me yesterday who I was sent here for.  Without a moment’s hesitation I said, " Larry Albert"  I know I was sent here for him.  He was with one of our ward members and he told her that he has made more progression from October to now than he has in years.  And it was because of the Lord directing my companion and I to his son.  If there is one thing I have learned.  It is that God knows and loves his children.  Some random native man in Montana matters to God.  And he sent his missionaries to find him. I am so thankful I got to be that missionary.  

GUESS WHAT! Oh my gosh! Guess what! Kirby! The Kirbster! We met with him last week and asked him to meet us this week at the church to do a church tour. First off, that was super gutsy, second there was like no way we thought he would agree because Brother Bailey wasn't going to be there.  I totally thought there was no way.  Kirby refuses to step foot in any church and he hates people, there is no way he would come and come without Brother Bailey.  But get this.  He calls us Friday night and says, I am running late, but I will be there. SHUT UP! He came and we gave him a church tour with Brother Gillett. Oh it was wonderful.  We ended in the chapel, and immidiatley he took of his hat and walked inside.  He stood there for a few moments just smiling.  I was watching him and he continued to smile as Sister Storrs explained the chapel and the sacrament.  Oh it was just wonderful.

On Saturday a family of 5 was baptized. The Elders were teaching them and Sister Storrs and I did the musical number. And guess who showed up? Only my main man Keern! AND! He brought his two kids with him.  HOLLA! Oh Keern is doing wonderful.  We went over the interview questions and let’s just say we should have been on the District it went so well. The man is wonderful.  He said he had been praying about who he should have baptize him and wants Elder Holland to baptize him....could that be any more random.  But it is going to happen.  But then Satan attacks again.  Keern called us and said he has scheduling conflicts with Thursday and needs to figure out another day.  Sadly it might end up being the Saturday I fly home. :(  But as long as the man is baptized I don't even care! Maybe I can skype in....

Yesterday was a pretty difficult day for me.  Sister Storrs and I sang in sacrament and I saw so many faces of people that I absolutely love and adore. And people that I have grown so close to.  People were crying and it made me cry and it was just a mess.  Penny Burkstrand came to church and I was sitting next to her and I just laid my head on her shoulder and started to cry knowing that I was never going to be able to sit with Penny in church ever again.  I would never be apart of this ward ever again. These people had become my family and this literally was the last time I would see most of them.  Emotions of never being a missionary again, never getting to invite someone to be baptized, or sit next to someone in church that I had invested so much emotion time and energy into was really hard.  Coupled with the thought that I am not ready, that I am not strong enough to take on the world and deal with all the crap of life.  But I had my Departing interview with President last night.  It was literally the best 45 minutes of my entire life.  He just sat me down and we talked.  We talked like father and daughter.  And he told me some incredible things regarding my mission and my life. It was wonderful the council and guidance he gave me. At the end of my interview he looked me in the eye and said, "I want you to know, I love Sister Moline.  I know you, and I love you."  Then he gave me a big hug and I just cried.  My mission means the entire world to me. I love that man.  I felt a lot better leaving his interview knowing who I am leaving my mission and who I want to continue to become.  And that my mission really never ends.  My mission will continue to go forward until I see the face of God. This was just preparing me for the remainder of my life. The changes I have made, the relationship I have developed with my Savior and the person I have become is who God wants me to be and continue to become. Elder Zwick talked a lot about asking ourselves, "Am I willing to change?"  and I am.  I am willing to change for the Lord and continue to become all he wants of me. 

I came to Montana in hopes to change people's lives, but I look at my mission and who I am now and I have come to realize that I am leaving changed because of the people I came here to serve. I love my mission. I love this gospel. I have such a strong and ever deepening love for the Book of Mormon. It. Is. True.  Within it's pages I have felt God's arms encircle me.  I have found answers to my prayers and above all I have found happiness. A happiness that I have found nowhere else. A happiness that cannot be duplicated. I love the Book of Mormon. I love it's truth. I love reading God's words and knowing through my studies I am one step closer to becoming all he wants of me.  I love my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ and I love the Book of Mormon.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is my life. It is everything that I am and everything that I hope to become. I love my Savior. I knew Him before my mission but I don't think I ever understood how much deeper that understanding and love could get.  I look back on times that were difficult for me and I can see where my Savior lifted me and gave me strength endure and overcome. Through him I know that I am capable and able to do things I alone could not do. I am thankful to know that we have a prophet on the earth.  That although the world is changing and shifting we have a mouthpiece of the Lord on the earth.  I trust in him because I trust in the Book of Mormon because I trust in God.  I may not know all things. But I know that the Lord loves his children. And that is enough for me to press forward with faith.  

I will forever cherish my experiences here.  I know that the Lord has a plan for each of us. That this experience here was just the spring board of what is to come in my life.  He has a plan for us to succeed and become great and the pathway to that is the gospel. To answer Elder Zwick. I am ready. I am willing. I will change and do what the Lord asks of me. "For I know in whom I have trusted." This Gospel has changed me.  I will never forsake the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is embedded in my heart.

I love you so much! I am excited to see you! If I forgot anything I will just tell you.....SATURDAY! 

LOVE YOU ALL! 

SURE LOVE YA! MOLINE'S ROCK! MISSIONARIES RULE! 

LOVE, 

Sister Big Sky Moline, Mo Mo, Holy Moly, Molinskly, Molinator, Montana Moline, Freezing Moline

SISTER MOLINE