Week 79: Its been 18 months and well its gone fast but you know what I have lived and loved every moment.

How is everyone today???

This past Wednesday I compete 18 months in my mission. It was sort of a special day my companion made me a cake and well it was special.  It was the night when we go to the church and well we had brought the cake to the church because it was institute and we wanted to share the cake with the young single adults. Then the teacher asked me to share my experiences in the mission and how I have felt on my mission. Well it was pretty good a neat experience to talk about how my 18 months has changed my life forever. One reason is I can’t relive them and they have changed my life forever. So I went in and taught them about how we are the hands of God here on the earth and  how we have a need to open our mouths so that the spirit can come in. it says in Doctrine and Covenants 68:4 that “And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." I was thinking the other day about an experience that changed my mission and my trust in the Lord. It was in December 2012 and well the thing is I only had a few weeks in the mission and I didn't understand nor speak the language but as I sat there with my companion Elder Picuasi (who is my zone leader now) and I payed attention then it got to the part I was supposed to "Know" I felt the over whelming impression to open my mouth and speak about the restoration of the Gospel and about the First Vision. As I opened my mouth I spoke with the voice of angles and to this day I have no idea what I said to a young 17 year old, Yesien.  All I know is that I explained exactly what young Joseph saw. I opened my mouth and it was filled and the young girl who was listening was overpowered by the spirit because, "for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." (2 nephi 33:1) that day I learned that when I feel the impressions of the spirit I should just go along with it and not resist it. I knew the love my Father in Heaven had and well I still know the love he has for me. In Romans 5:5 it says,  “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." I had the hope and the ability to speak. And well I spoke. 

(editors note: What a beautiful example of strength, hope and faith.  Makes a Mom weep!)

Its sort of funny because the members and the investigators tell us we are "ANGELS" or we are their angels that’s why we have so many people to take care of haha. But if we are the angels they say then,

 “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.

Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark”.

We are angles we speak the words people need to hear and it’s their decision to accept or not. We are sent from God to preach the gospel and to be Representatives of Jesus Christ. The thing is the Holy Ghost takes care of a lot of things we need.  “ The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever”. (Doc.& Cov. 121:46)

Its been 18 months and well its gone fast but you know what I have lived and loved every moment. And I would not change any part. The fun and the greatness of the members and their willingness to serve, the heat of the sun that makes you feel like someone is frying you in a frying pan! the happiness of being a Son of God, and the amazement the changes the Lord can do through his atonement, the feeling of peace and the legs that are absolutely ready to break in two as you sit in your hammock thinking of the day and how grateful you are to be able to recharge the batteries to wake up and do it again. The good feelings you get as you drink cold water when you are super hot and the willingness to fall asleep in 10 seconds, the feeling of the constant companion the spirit and the good feeling you feel when you and your companion leave a lesson smiling and just ready to keep going and the smile of a young kid a baby an adult to know the love the God is eternal. The eyes ready to cry when you know someone has done it and they are crying and your ready to. What a wonderful feeling to be a missionary. 6 months left and well who knows what else will go on.  I will remember my mission forever and ever and will talk about it forever as well. I love this work!!!

Elder Jaymes Monson

(editors note: As a mother, I feel so blessed to have a willing son to serve his Heavenly Father even when he is not sure how to do it or nervous about how it will all turn out.  I’m grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has taken this boy and changed him to a loving, compassionate, sensitive to the spirit Man!  What an amazing journey this is.  Words can not describe how this has changed me and solidified my testimony that God lives, that he know us, each one no matter where we are and that hastening the work of the Lord is to provide this foundation of faith in a loving Heavenly Father to EVERY person.  What an important work sharing the gospel is and how blessed I am to have two sons out willing to do what it takes to help all of God’s children and bring them to Him.)