February 24, 2014

Hello everyone! I am sure I have said this before, but this week was literally the greatest week of my life. Joy is an incredible understatement of the feelings I have had this past weekend. My decision to serve a mission is the greatest decision I have made in my life up to this point. I am eternally grateful that the Lord has allowed me to see miracles these past few days, as well as the past year. But literally, this past weekend changed my life. I will do my best to adequately put into words the experiences we had, keeping to myself the sacred experiences between me and my Heavenly Father. How grateful I am to be a missionary!

I will start with Friday, and make my way to last night! Sister Ellgen served in Surrey 1st ward, where she taught somebody who was baptized about a year ago. She was preparing her to enter into the Temple and receive more saving ordinances. Well, this past Friday night that woman went through the Temple for the first time, and Sister Ellgen got permission from President to go. How grateful I am to be her companion for multiple reasons...because that means I got to go as well! Brothers and Sisters, I have not been through the Temple in over a year. I was becoming SO Temple sick that my homesickness has literally all disappeared. I wanted to be in the Temple. Well, Friday night my prayers were answered. We went through the Temple, to support this wonderful woman Sister Ellgen had taught previously. Brothers and Sisters, how can I adequately express the feelings I had while in the session? Only Heavenly Father, the Savior, and the Holy Ghost understand how I felt. Because they were the sources of the feelings. I have not much to say about the experience, except that I KNOW that God lives. He loves me. The Temple is the House of the Lord, and what a blessing it is to have been there. May each of you not take for granted the close proximity of a Temple.

That alone would have made this weekend the greatest of my life. But Heavenly Father had even more in store. Saturday afternoon, James and Jen were baptized!! They are the ones with little Bella who was in the hospital. After months of progression, the Lord has brought them so close to Him. Months ago, they did not even know the existence of a God. Now, they tell everybody they meet that there is a God. President Tilleman gave me permission to go. These computers don't have connections to send pictures. But if they did, I would send you the most wonderful picture right before their baptism :) James bore his testimony after the baptism. It was the most powerful testimony I have ever heard somebody bear. It was about 10 minutes long! And still not long enough! He gave experience after experience of how he knows that God is there. I wish that every single person who has slammed the door on my mission could have been there to hear his testimony. Gratefully, there were several non-members there to be touched by the Spirit. It was incredible. Then, on Sunday, President also gave me permission to go to their confirmation in Willoughby Ward. President Tilleman did both of their confirmations, and then blessed their baby Bella. She now has a name and a blessing under the church records!! In his blessing, he blessed her that she would one day find a worthy Priesthood holder to take her through the Temple and be married for time and all eternity. Tears filled my eyes as I thought of the many generations that will be effected by James and Jen's wonderful examples. Bella will now grow up in the church, and influence many. And this beautiful family will next year be able to be sealed for time and all eternity in the Holy Temple of the the Lord. Words cannot describe my feelings for this family. I am SO grateful I served a mission so I could meet them and have their testimonies strengthen mine. Heavenly father sent me to them to increase my faith, not the other way around. I will absolutely be there in a year when they go through the Temple for the first time!!

Finally, late last night we were getting ready to go home after spending time contacting at a bus stop. We got a call from Nick Massimiliano, from Surrey 3rd ward. He told me that he had gotten his Temple Recommend yesterday, and had finally taken the Sacrament for the first time. I could hear the emotion in his voice as he told me about the cleansing power of the Atonement through the Sacrament. Brothers and Sisters, THIS is why I served a mission. To witness changes and miracles in people like Nick. I will keep the details to myself of working with this special family. But just know that God lives. He loves each of you.

This week's challenge is to do something specific every single day to come closer to the Savior (Hint: one of the best ways to come closer to the Savior is by bringing somebody else to Him!).

I could go on and on about the miracles we witnessed this past week. This past year, for that matter. But I will instead just leave you with my testimony. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that He lives today and that He reveals things to Prophets and Apostles, one of which will be visiting our mission this weekend. I know that the Book of Mormon is exactly what it claims to be - the word of God. Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It has brought me only closer to Him. I know Heavenly Father is SO very aware of me. I have had many sacred experiences on my mission that will never allow me to turn from that knowledge. I love Him. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's Kingdom here in the earth. I didn't choose it to be that way, but I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed me to find that out. It is true. I love the Savior with all my heart. May each of you do everything in your power to come closer to Him, and to invite others to do the same.

I love you all and thank you so much for your wonderful support. Have a wonderful, Spirit-filled week!

Love,
Sister Biggs