Perfect for me, enduring, enjoyed every day, loved serving in Taiwan and representing Christ, huge blessing, finish line

[Note from Marguerite Hancock: Next Tuesday, April 5, 2016, marks the last day of full-time service as a missionary for Sister Sinclaire Hancock.  Our family will be meeting her at the headquarters of the Taiwan Taichung Mission then traveling to meet some of the people and places in Taiwan she has grown to love.  Hope you have enjoyed this blog of her reflections and photos, spanning  from her first day in the Missionary Training Center to this most recent letter--her 82nd!  She will be speaking as part of our church services on Sunday, April 24 at 1 pm in the Palo Alto Second Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3865 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Family and friends are warmly invited to hear her reflections as a missionary and to come help welcome her home!]

An amazing year and a half

28 March 2016
Tainan

Perfect for me
It's been an amazing year and a half. I'm sure the time has gone by quickly for you, but for me, a lot has happened since I've left home. My mission was nothing like I expected. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. 
My mission was fun! Everyone's mission is different and mine has been perfect for me. 

Sister Beus and me

Enduring

My mission has taught me a ton, but it's taught me the importance of enduring. I believe there are many Christ-like attributes or many lessons that we cannot learn without an extended period of time. Certain characteristics such as patience cannot be developed in such a short period of time as a couple weeks or a month. 

beautiful Taiwan

Having this consecrated time of 18 months has really helped me to incorporate Christlike attributes into my very being. And of course 18 months isn't enough either. So fortunately we have our entire lives to keep working on changing. 

I've found that enduring can ingrain permanent change. Maybe we can try to change our actions, but to have a change become permanent, we need keep doing it for an extended period of time. Even then, that does not guarantee that our very hearts or minds are changed too.

 Tainan District missionaries

Enjoyed every day
I've learned that enduring is much more than putting up with a circumstance. How could there be refining fires without some enduring heat? When teaching enduring to the end to my investigators in the 5th lesson, I often like to tell them we are not just to endure, but to enjoy to the end!

I am glad that I can honestly say I enjoyed every day of my mission. I did not view it as a chore or passively wait for the time to pass by. I truly loved it. 

made our own rope swing?!

Elder Maxwell said "personal, spiritual symmetry emerges only from the shaping of prolonged obedience" and that enduring is "not merely the passage of time, but the passage of the soul." We are not just asked to endure to the end, but to endure gracefully and well.

Companions :)

Loved serving in Taiwan; loved representing Christ

I've loved serving in Taiwan. I've loved representing Christ and sharing my simple testimony with these people. 

buying fruit from vendors on the street

My time is come now

Too many anxious openings of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising, but I know my time is come now and I'm ready to go home. 

Tainan district sister missionaries

Calling waiting for me

I feel that I can end my mission at a spiritual plateau and keep progressing when I go home. I know there is a wonderful calling waiting for me back in America too. 

Went to see some beautiful flowers with Bishop this morning!

Huge blessing

It's been an incredibly fulfilling and meaningful year and a half for me--a huge blessing from the Lord. I'm so grateful I've had this experience and I can't wait to see you all! 

Finish line

Thanks for your many prayers and for cheering me on all the way to the finish line :) 

Hebrews 12:1 

all the way to the finish line

All my love,

Sister Hancock

Incredibly meaningful and fulfilling year and a half--huge blessing from the Lord