Hi! Some of you might know me, others won't. I have heard so many good things about your class this school year based on the pictures that President Angoy sent to me. You are all wonderful, don't ever forget that. Your Father in Heaven is pleased for your decision to enroll in Institute and to attend class regularly despite of your busy schedules in life!
President Monson said, "You..are a glorious group, a chosen generation...I plead with you, my young brothers and sisters, to remember who you are. You are sons and daughters of Almighty God. You have a destiny to fulfill, a life to live, a contribution to make, a goal to achieve. The future of the kingdom of God upon the earth will, in part, be aided by your devotion."
This letter is not just for Insti students but also for seminary students. I am grateful for the Seminary and Institute Program of our Church. The knowledge I gained on attending classes helps me so much here in the mission field. Our living prophet said, "Seminary will help you to understand and rely on the teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ. You will feel the spirit of the Lord as you learn to love the scriptures. You will prepare yourselves for the temple and for missionary service. Young people, I ask you to participate in seminary. Study your scriptures daily. Listen to your teachers carefully. Apply what you learn prayerfully." Scripture mastery is helping me in a lot of ways such as talking to people (OYM), introducing the church, giving trainings to fellow missionaries and many other aspects of missionary work. And you are all blessed to be part of that class!
I am grateful for this opportunity I have to serve our Heavenly Father as a full-time missionary. Some of you might be on the process of preparing/submitting their mission papers, others might be deciding whether to serve or not, or some doesn't want to, whichever you are in the three, I testify that being on a mission is the best decision I have ever made in my whole life! I won't trade this for anything in the world. Preparations might be hard. Yes, it happened to me as well. But it will be worth it, I promise.
However, when you receive your mission call, don't be disappointed when you don't get called to the specific mission that you want to. Remember that missions are called of God. He wants you to be wherever He called you. Someone out there is waiting for you, waiting for your testimony and dedication to serve. It doesn't matter where it is, what matters most is how you serve Him and the people in that area.
I want to close this letter by sharing one of the miracles that I am privileged to experience here in the field. On my first week here in Kettering (the countryside of England) me and my first companion stopped this guy from the opposite side of the road. Long story short, he became our investigator. To be honest, he was one of the difficult and challenging investigators I have ever met. He's atheist, smart, clever and a scientist. I currently have my third companion now, we did everything to help him but it seems that he wasn't progressing. For two weeks, we stopped seeing and communicating with him, hoping that he'll recognise the difference in his life without hearing the gospel. Me and my companion were so shocked and so happy when he showed up in the chapel few Sundays ago to attend church services. He said, he read the Book of Mormon and The Pearl of Great Price. On his own words he said, "I felt something different when I haven't met the both of you. Something is missing. I read the books that you challenged and invited me to read, I prayed and I felt the spirit that you are trying to teach me about." He acted on the answers he received and is having a leap of faith when he said yes when we invited him to be baptise! On the 30th, he will be baptise and he is so excited about it.
Yes, miracles do happen! Elder Holland said, "Hope is never lost. Miracles happen."
I testify that there will be a miracle waiting for you in the mission field.
Be excited and discover that miracle!
Love,
Sister Ordanza
P.S
ELM is the first mission outside the United States that's allowed by the First Presidency to use Facebook as a proselyting tool. I saw few of you added me on my missionary FB account. As much as I would love to accept your friend requests, I am not permitted to. Sorry! :)
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