The Final Testimony

I remember when Elder Hill the elder that taught me was going home. We drove to a church to hear him give his final testimony. I was so sad. Since that day I dreaded ever having to bare my final testimony at the end of my mission. I knew somehow that day would one day come and that day was yesterday.

I don't think I've ever cried as much as I have this week. I have been spoiled by members and people I have taught. Saturday night I went to what I thought was a ward game night and it ended up being a farewell party filled with members, recent converts and people I have taught. Some even came from my past wards. We had food, played games, some gave speeches, and they had me give my final testimony. I don't think I've ever cried that much in a short period of time.

I'm gonna explain how I feel through a funny song. It's called "You Can't Take Her With You". The songs starts off with a young boy who has his dream car. The chorus says "But you can't take her with you when you go." Meaning when he leaves on his mission the car will have to stay behind. Then he has a crush on this girl and once again the chorus says, "But you can't take her with you, you know, can't take her with you when you go." Hahaha! Basically this boy is sad to leave behind his car and girlfriend to serve a mission. Then, IT HITS HOME. The boy has completed his two year mission and he's getting read to leave. The chorus now says, 

"Two years up, you're heading home. Your eyes tear up, you don't wanna go. There's only one thing on your mind the many hearts you're leaving behind. But you can't take them with, you know, can't take them with you when you go."

I think that before my mission I was sad to leave selfish things. But my desires have changed, I felt felt the pure love if Christ for every person I have met on my mission and it is the hardest thing in the world to say bye to them. I feel like I am leaving my home again except this time is 10 times worse!

I'm sad it's ending but I am so grateful for this amazing experience I've had. There is nothing that can substitute serving a full-time mission for God. You just learn things that are only taught through personal experience. I understand better who the Savior is. I feel like I personally know Christ and Heavenly Father. I've always loved Them and occasionally felt Their presence but now I know Them and I know They know me and that They love me. I didn't fully understand that before. I also know that the true church has been brought back to the earth after years of confusion and darkness after the death of Christ. I know the Book of Mormon is evidence of that. God did not limit revelation to biblical times. He still has prophets, he still reveals scripture and doctrine. He is an unchanging God. Science to me is evidence that there is a God, a God of order that has a plan for us and has given everything a function. I have had miraculous experiences on my mission I will treasure forever. I have learned, cried, grown and changed alongside the beautiful souls I have taught. My life will forever be changed because of my decision to serve. I thought I would be able to confidently say at the end of my mission that I have sacrificed 18 months of hard work to the Savior to pay Him back for all He has done for me. But I can't say that. Because I haven't sacrificed anything, He has given ME these 18 months. They have been a blessing in my life and I will forever be indebted to Him. I know this message is true, even if I stopped believe in it, it would still be true. I could never deny the feelings the Holy Ghost has brought over me. These have been the best 18 months for my life. And I'm ready to endure to the end; go back home and continue to learn, grow and love. My mission is not the end. It is only the beginning.

Love you all, see you soon.

Signing off one last time as a representative of the Lord...

Hermana Tapia

Visit to the ER: The Sequel

Hola!

An emotional hermana here. Sorry I've been terrible at writing these blog posts this transfer. I have a story to start this off...

It all starts back to my interview with President two transfers ago. He asks me to extend. I'm super nervous and not really sure what to say. A million plans and people come to mind. Can it really work out? I tell my President I need to pray about it and get back to him. My companion and I get in the car and I'm just looking out the window thinking about what I'd have to do in order to extend a whole transfer more. I stop and decide to check our phone to see the messages we missed during our interviews. We receive a referral from California; the Jaldin family. I read the description from the elders that sent this family. They're moving to our area that weekend. They seem really interested. Immediately it distracts me from my big decision to extend and we get excited. We call the number and talk to the mother. They are open and excited to continue taking the lessons in Virginia.

That night as I prayed about my extension. The Jaldin family comes to my mind and I feel peace. I feel a confirmation that everything will work out and that I need to stay. I accept the extension.

Throughout the last 2 transfers we have taught this family. They're amazing and so desirous to learn and live the gospel. The dad is a little more skeptical and that slowed down their progress a little. BUT I knew even if they weren't baptized before I left that I needed to learn from them and teach them. They're such an amazing family. They have taught me so much and I adore them. They're so special.

Now fast forward to yesterday after sacrament. The wife comes up to me after church with tears in her eyes. She says she received her answer and she wants to be baptized this Sunday before I leave. I couldn't believe it! We hugged and cried. We are now preparing her for this Sunday! They were prepared all this time, we were just trying to help them realize it. So this was a miracle.

My decision to extend was the best decision I could have made. I have been blessed beyond measure and I treasure this time I got to continue serving. I had this misconception that in serving a mission I would be repaying Christ for all he has done for me. BUT if anything I am even more in debt with him. My mission has been a revelatory experience. I know for sure I had to meet the people I met here and I love them with all my heart.

Other events this last transfer:

• I had my last charla fogonera. (pictures of me in the purple dress) Members and recent converts from all over Virginia came to say bye to me. Some drove nearly two hours. I love these people so much!

• The baptisms of two people I have been teaching since July! It took 8 months but they have entered the waters of baptism and are preparing to return home to Heavenly Father. The older man I met my first week in Spring Lake when I was recovering from my appendectomy. I was so tired and felt so sick that day cause I was still recovering and made it a goal to talk to one more person. It was HIM! Hard work pays off.

• We had a Sister's Conference for Valentines Day and this is a picture of the hermanas in the mission. Then it's me and my 3 beautiful hijas (companions I have trained).

• It's been snowing like crazy here. Don't ask me how many times we have been snowed in.

It has been an amazing last transfer and I'm sad to announce this week will be my last week as a full-time missionary. I'm so excited to go back home and see you all but a bigger part of me has come to love missionary work and the people of Virginia so much. It's like leaving home all over again. It might even be harder to leave here than it was to leave Utah! Hahaha! I know it's because I have felt the pure love of Christ for these people and have learned and grown so much here. Virginia will always be a sacred place to me.

BUT I'm so ready to keep working hard this last transfer! We had 2 baptisms this week for some amazing people I have taught since I first got to this area last July. And we have more this week for some people I have met more recently. Everyone is trying to get baptized before I leave. I don't think they ever thought I'd actually leave. It's been 8 months in Spring Lake. I love this place! I love missionary work. This is the only work that can bring people salvation and that can create eternal families. I have felt the Savior help me as I do this work. This is only possible because of Him.

Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself. Next week I'll write my last email and send off my testimony but for now I'm getting back to work and having the best last week ever!

Oh yeah, my subject line! It wasn't me that was admitted to the ER, it was another hermana in our ward we just had to take them. Just a little subject line to draw you all in... I'm okay!  hahaha!

Love you all! I'll see you soon!

Hermana Tapia

China + México = Italy ??

Que tal mi pueblito?!

It's been a while but I'm back with the 411 on my last transfer! We are 2 weeks into my last transfer and I can't believe my mission is coming to an end. Every week I realize how short my time is here and it motivates me to really give the Lord everything I have. You might be wondering where I am for my last area and who my companion(s) is/are....

Well, my prayers were answered and I get to stay in Spring Lake (my home) for one more transfer. That makes 6 transfers in Spring Lake! I bore my testimony in sacrament yesterday and said, "For those who don't know me... my name is Hermana Tapia." And literally everyone busted out laughing cause I've been here since July.

My companions are Hermana Young and Hermana Feser! I am trio training! Hermana Young is a younger missionary learning Spanish and Hermana Feser is brand new to the field and we were actually friends and hung out before the mission so it was crazy to find out I would be her trainer! I did this thing before my mission where I'd go out teaching with friends that were thinking of serving missions and Hermana Feser came with me to teach my cousins Grecia and Lily!!! Small world! Hermana Young's family is from China and Hermana Feser's family is from Italy... hence the title. I've learned a lot from them and have a lot of anxiety about leaving my area to other missionaries but they're awesome so it makes me feel better. Sterling will forever have a place in my heart. 

There is one family I have taught my whole time here in Spring Lake. The daughter was baptized in August, the son in December and their mother had a hard time coming to the decision. She knew the church was true, she didn't have any doubts she would just always tell us she couldn't be baptized right now. She later shared she was doing something that was against a commandment of God and made it so she could not be baptized. We worked so hard with her to overcome this obstacle, help her understand the atonement and continue pressing forward. I have grown to truly see her the way God sees her, I love her so much. Last Sunday we were playing Jenga with her family after FHE and she announced out of nowhere that she finally is ready to be baptized and I was like UHHH WHAT?! And guess who entered the waters of baptism yesterday... that sweet sister. I don't think I've ever cried so hard at a baptism Hahahaha! Her testimony is so powerful and she is so prepared. Her two children gave the prayers and sung "Families Can Be Together Forever" for the musical number with us. It was perfect. After she got out of the water and we hugged her we all just cried tears of joy. She said, "Hermana Tapia, I made you suffer so much!" Hahaha! I hugged her and assured her that it was all worth it. She bore her testimony to us of missionary work and the blessings of following the commandments she said that keeping the commandments made her feel free and happy. We all sobbed. This is the difference between keeping the commandments of God and not keeping them. 

Mosiah 2:41 "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

There is this misconception that the commandments restrain us. I disagree, they are what make us free. Free of guilt, shame, sorrow, pain and misery. We should all strive to receive the blessings of obedience.

This last transfer I have felt more than ever the love I have come to develop for missionary work. There is nothing else like this in the world. I have never felt so much joy, I have never felt stronger the love of Christ, I feel I have changed so much. I sincerely get out of bed excited to teach and testify. I love this work. I love you all too but to be honest it's hard to think I have to leave soon. Here's to my last month as a full-time missionary.

Consider Me A "Slacker"

Hola! Happy 2019 to everyone! News of the week:

♡ In case you haven't heard yet sister missionaries all over the world are now allowed to wear dress pants A.K.A. slacks. My instant reaction was, "Cool but no thanks." THEN the mission told us we all got a budget to go and buy slacks. And if someone is going to give me money and tell me to go shopping, even if it's for slacks you BETTER believe I will take that offer. (I love clothes and I'm SO SICK of my missionary clothes.) So I got the slacks.

♡ Went to my happy place (Banana Republic) and realized cute clothes still exist. Got some slacks there and here is evidence that slacks can be cute. (Hermana Takahashi was supposed to take a picture of me and this was the best one she got. Haha!) 

♡ Found out I still have legs.

♡ The slacks were originally $80 but were on sale so I got them for $25. (It was a tender mercy (': )

♡ Okay, I'm done talking about slacks.

♡ Hermano Juan de Dios who we have been teaching for SEVEN MONTHS finally set a baptismal date and we are so pumped!!!

♡ This Saturday we are getting the transfer board and it's the last time my face will be on a transfer board and I've cried about that 3 times this week. WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN MY LAST TRANSFER??? Ok, I already know cause President told me at interviews but I can't tell you guys till it's on the transfer board so stay tuned to next week. :p

♡ Went on exchanges with the cutie Hermana Young. I love exchanges and getting to meet such unique and special sisters. They all do missionary work in a different way with their different gifts and strengths. I'm so grateful to know them all and get to serve with them. I learn so much as an S.T.L.

♡ TODAY IS TAGGART STEPHEN INOUYE'S BIRTHDAY AND HE'S MY FAVORITE HUMAN IN THE WORLD (Sorry David Archuleta) AND WE ARE SO BLESSED TO BE ON THE SAME EARTH AS HIM. 

♡ We were snowed in all day yesterday. It started Saturday around 2PM and didn't stop until sometime last night around midnight. Church was cancelled so it was a sad day. We tried to be as productive as possible having to stay in all day by texting, calling and sending videos. We saw blessings from it! Now today we are stuck in our apartment again cause of the ice out on the roads. Sad day. 

♡ In a lesson this week a person asked what we think of the Pope (btw we think he's a GREAT guy).  Hermana Takahashi meant to say "Papa Francisco es un buen hombre." [Pope Francis is a good man] but instead she accidentally said "Papa Frita es un buen hombre." [French Fry is a good man]  The person we were teaching got a good kick out of that. 

We studied the new "Come Follow Me" manual with a family we are teaching.  Pause, I hope you are ALL reading that with your families and personally cause if not you're all missing out on HUGE blessings and a ton of knowledge. Back to the story...  After everyone in the family spoke the mom got emotional. She talked about how she had gone to so many churches throughout her life and still she felt like she knew nothing about the Bible or God. She shared that having come to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she has learned so much and feels like she personally does know God and has a relationship with Him. She feels like now she knows the Bible and the Book of Mormon. She shared how she also couldn't find a place her children could enjoy and now 2 of them are baptized and love the gospel!

This is exactly what our purpose is, we help others become spiritually independent. So they have life the gospel, have a relationship with God and continue to learn and grow after we teach. Like her I also have gone to many churches but have learned sacred truths and come closer to God in the restored gospel. I know this is His church, I see it change lives every day as it changes mine. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Hermana Tapia

Three Quick Stories

Hola queridos!

Hope you has a wonderful Christmas and have a Happy New Year! I want to share three quick stories to summarize some experiences I had and lessons I learned this week. It all comes together at the end, just bare with me. Hahaha!

Story 1: On Christmas Eve I was able to talk to very special people that I love. I was nervous though cause I really wanted to help one particular family member feel the spirit during our call, I wanted that person to really see how much my mission has meant to me. Like a good missionary I organized what I thought was "the perfect lesson". It involved bullet points with key points I wanted to make, scriptures, conference quotes, etc. I was sure I'd get all emotional and the spirit would be felt. I was set - I thought. Well, the lesson was nothing like I thought it would be. The Skype call was on and my mind went blank. I couldn't remember anything and something stopped me from popping out my perfectly organized outline. Instead I felt the spirit prompt me to just say what I truly felt in that moment. The words that proceeded from my mouth were nothing like what I had written down. They were not scripted, rehearsed or cookie cut out phrases. It was my pure testimony. It was filled with love, sincerity, passion and the spirit. The spirit was guiding my every word. And for the first time, this person I so badly wanted to help feel the spirit got emotional. They finally felt and understood what the gospel and my missionary service meant to me.

Story 2: As a Sister Training Leader I go on one day exchanges with sisters in the mission to minister to them, help them build their teaching abilities, uplift and comfort them. I got to go on an exchange with an incredible sister this week. She shared that prior to coming to the mission she had doubts about the gospel. She sincerely has a hard time believing in certain parts of the gospel but is here because she wants to believe. She shared how her short time on the mission has drastically impacted her testimony and how she still has doubts but is patiently working through them. She shared that entering the temple was something that was hard for her to understand and shook her testimony. As she said that I reflected on my personal testimony of the temple... what had helped me gain a personal witness that it is the house of the Lord? I realized there was a lot I didn't know and a lot of questions that have gone unanswered. But I didn't need to know everything in order to know it was true. It was the silent, personal experiences I had inside the temple that confirmed to me that these things were true not a perfect knowledge of all that was done inside. As I had faith and was patient with my doubts answers slowly came little by little.

Story 3: My last Sunday in the MTC 16 months ago I found myself in the Provo Temple nervous to leave to my mission. I worried about not knowing enough to be able to teach. As I was on my way out with my companion (and best friend) Hermana Rocio Vasquez, a Sister pulled us aside and randomly decided to share her conversion story with us. She was the only member of her family. She often worried that she did not know enough to teach them. One day the spirit brought her comfort as she heard the spirit say, "They won't always remember what you say but they'll never forget how it made them feel."

Okay, why would I share these stories with you? Because, this is it! This is the key to conversion! So often we stress about knowing everything and having a perfect knowledge of all things. But that is not the result of a testimony. It's in the still and quiet moments. It's when we can just move out of the way and let the Holy Ghost take the lead. This definitely doesn't mean we shouldn't try to obtain knowledge, we just need to look for it with patience, faith and be lead by the Holy Ghost. I definitely do teach people the doctrine of the gospel. That is important but if the spirit isn't involved it won't be understood or felt. It all comes a little at a time.

"Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step-by-step, line upon line. ... We then remain steady and patient as we progress through mortality. At times, the Lord’s answer will be, “You don’t know everything, but you know enough”—enough to keep the commandments and to do what is right.  ...

Remember Nephi’s words: 'I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.'" 

(You Know Enough, Elder Neil L. Andersen)

Like Nephi I don't know everything about the gospel, I don't have the Bible or Book of Mormon memorized from cover to cover. But I've learned that I don't need to. The spirit has borne witness to me that this is the church of Jesus Christ, that God is real and He loves me, He knows I am trying my best. Have faith he will reveal more and more truth to me. For this I am thankful.

Okay, rant over. Here are some fun pictures/events from the week. Love you people! Talk to you next year. (Bet ya haven't heard that one yet.  Bu dum tissss 🥁)

Christmas Skyping some of my people who I love so much.

We had a young woman in our ward do a "mini mission" with us this weekend in preparation for her own mission. For a mini mission she spends a couple days with us and lives the life of a full time missionary. It was so fun!


Exchanges 

Christmas p-day spent at the Reston outdoor mall with the Reston sisters.

My adopted little brother Patrick was baptized this weekend and it was amazing! He is the brother of our recent convert who was baptized in August. After his baptism their mother decided she is now ready to be baptized as well!  As I have taught Patrick I have better understood how to teach my brothers. It's been a sacred experience for me. Every time I saw him I saw my 15 year old brother back home and it just made me love him more.

Hermana Tapia