Pages

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Babies, New Year goals and vision, turn lives over to God, promises fulfilled, rare blessing


White Christmas - baptism of Sister Li in the Nanzi Ward [see last 2 letters for details]
January 4, 2016

Hello!

Babies
Exciting week! We picked up the babies [brand new missionaries we are training] on Thursday and went right to work. I'm training Sister Beus and I can already tell she's a hard worker, she's focused on her purpose, and willing to jump right in. 
Sister Beus
We'll have a lot to learn from each other during these 2 transfers! 

Lunch together - trainers and trainees :)
New Year goals and vision
Happy New Year!

I enjoyed thinking about goals and accountability at the start of this new year. I also enjoyed readjusting my mission vision, goals, and plans for the remaining 3 months that I have. It was neat to see the vision, goals and plans I had made a few transfers ago. Surprisingly, things that I wanted to work on or become back then I have achieved or are part of me. So I was able to sort of "check those off" and move on to other things I want to work on. So it was comforting to me to see how much I have changed and improved even if I might not realize it at first. 

My vision for myself in about a sentence is: "To love God with all my heart, might, mind and strength." Or even more simply, the vision for my mission in a word is: consecration. 

I came across this quote before I started my mission and came across it yesterday again during personal study: 

Turn lives over to God
"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will:

-deepen their joys
-expand their vision
-quicken their minds
-strengthen their muscles
-lift their spirits
-multiply their blessings
-increase their opportunities
-comfort their souls
-raise up friends
-pour out peace."

by President Ezra Taft Benson, prophet and president of the church (December 1988)

Promises fulfilled
I've seen each one of these promises be fulfilled during my mission in very specific ways, which I don't have the time to expand on right now, but I know this concept is true. 

When we lose ourselves in service, or when we are willing to sacrifice and hand our lives over to God, as a result we are happiest and find a sense of satisfaction that I haven't been able to find any other way. 

Rare blessing
Being on a mission is such a rare blessing! 

It's the last time in my life I'll be able to focus on only one thing and really try to master it without the distractions of other things. It's the last time in my life I don't have to worry about money, paying taxes, finding work, what to major in, studying for tests, etc. Everything is given to us! We have an apartment arranged for us to live in, at the beginning of the month I go to an ATM and take out that month's cash, we are given a strict schedule to go to bed on time, you're even given a companion, someone who has to love you and be your friend! 

Even though I'm an "old" missionary now, I still don't take for granted what a special opportunity this is and it's fun to be able to experience it all as if it's new from my trainee's eyes. 

Last but not least, one of my favorite scriptures:

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God."  Romans 8:28

All my love!

Sister Sinclaire Hancock

Beautiful Taiwan
New missionaries and trainers - Taiwan Taichung Mission December 2015






No comments:

Post a Comment