I cannot believe how fast this time has gone!
I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me through my mission! Yall will never know how much you mean to me!
I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve the Lord here in South Carolina. Oh how I love this place and the people here so much!
My testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been strengthened so much and I have learned so many things! I don't have time to tell you everything right now, but here are just a few...
18 things I learned in the 18 months I have served:
1) Gotta thank the Lord every morning for waking you up for another day!
2) BBQ is what you eat, not an event, that is a COOK OUT
3) Y'all is so much easier to say than "you guys"
4) Heavenly Father is so aware of ALL of His children!
5) We are here in this life to be agents, not objects!
6) You learn to love by serving those around you.
7) Never suppress a generous thought!
8) If a hurricane(or snow) is comin' you need bread, milk, and eggs...and fast or else the stores will be out!
9) Mac and Cheese is a vegetable!
10) Biking with a skirt is NOT easy
11) Having faith in the Lord, also means having the faith not to be healed
12) Prayers are answered! Wait patiently and answers will come. Specific prayers bring specific answers.
13) DO NOT GO TO GASTON!
14) We are just ordinary people shooting for an extraordinary eternity.
15) Southern hospitality!
16) The people here believe in and love Jesus Christ
17) "Autumn leaves, Jesus doesn't"
18) You are placed in people's lives for a reason, and they are placed in yours for specific reasons!
I have loved getting to be here and meet so many amazing people and hear so many crazy stories. People are truly amazing! The people I have met have taught me so much and have become some of my favorite people. My companions have become some of my best friends. And most importantly my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ has grown immensely!
Missions are not easy....nothing about a mission is easy. You are away from your family and friends, you are constantly rejected and criticized, you feel lonely at times, stressed, sick, disappointed. You give your heart to those you meet just to be told they don't want to meet with you anymore. You have to learn how to get along with companions, help to strengthen a ward, help strengthen other missionaries, and always be an example. You have to keep the daily schedule, spend countless times on your knees praying for those you are working with, and losing sleep over people, it seems like you never get enough sleep. You are pushed to the max physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But with all of that being said, I find myself in the last few days as a missionary not wanting to leave. Completely exhausted from the work, but losing sleep over the idea that I will no longer be here at the end of the week. A mission is hard, but leaving is a thousand times harder. Getting on that plane on Friday is going to be the hardest thing I have been asked to do so far as a missionary. I would so much rather take another 547 days of foot pain, rejection, and sleep deprivation than stepping foot on that plane. But I trust the Lord and know that He will lead me to the next thing He has in store for me. I know that with faith in Jesus Christ I can do anything and that is what will get me on that plane back home in a few days. I love being a missionary and in no way is my missionary service going to be over just because I have to take that name tag off. I will serve the Lord until I can return to Him and He can be able to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant". I love this mission and I love the people of South Carolina and above all, I love the Lord and that He has allowed me to be apart of this great work!
Remember: No matter what, the Lord loves you!!!
Love,
Sister Micaela Ann Rice
