Ive been impressed with about a million
different thoughts and feelings as my time has winded down. its pretty much
impossible and also completely illogical to try to explain what ive felt, seen,
experienced, and become in two years as a servant of the Lord so i wont attempt
it. but ill try to throw out as many thoughts as i can in these 15-20 min that
i have to write what will be my last letter to home as a missionary of the
Lord`s church...
yesterday they gave me ten minutes in sacrament
meeting to bear my testimony for my last sunday in teh ward. a quote came to my
mind that i know came from the spirit. considering the fact that i read it on
the wall of my sixth grade classroom in Mr. Hodson`s class years ago, im almost
positive i couldnt have just randomly thought of it in that moment. "if
you want something that you`ve never had, you`ve got to do something that
you`ve never done." a basketball player cannot become his very best unless
he changes habitual training, an experienced chef will never learn new recipes
unless he tests them and tries himself, we cannot become heirs of our fathers`
kingdom without having passed throught the trial. these have been the two
hardest, most difficult years of my life... they`ve also been the most
rewarding, joy filled years ive ever had. and i no i never could have become
what i am today without these experiences that ive passed through.
its kind of interesting how sometimes when you
put your hands on the plow and start moving forward you look back after a while
and realize how far youve come. if you check your progress every 30 seconds
you`ll probably get a little desperate and feel like the work just isnt coming
along how you hoped. for 24 months ive tried my very very hardest to keep
moving forward with the plow and NEVER look back. at certain moments ive been
blessed to realized how much progress ive made but i never wanted to stop and
admire anything until the work was finished. well the work is not finished but
my time here in Chile is and i couldnt be happier with how blessed ive been. i think
the big question every missionary has by the end of his time is - did i do
everything i could have? its a question ive been asking for a few days and the
Lord has blessed me with the assurance that he is pleased with me. theres no
greater feeling. the same words have been ringing in my head for the last few
days:
His lord said unto him, Well done, good
and faithfulservant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will
make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
today, tuesday, wednesday, adn thursday will be
my last days here in Serena. On friday elder frampton is taking a bus to come
here and we`ll be spending the day together in coquimbo visiting our homies. in
the morning we have breakfast with my old bishop, lunch is in a peruvian
restaurant of a member from e framptons old ward, and at night were having an
asado with my boy Alexis and then at midnight hes taking us to the bus station
to head to viña. i arrive saturday morning and at about 12 in the afternoon
will head to santiago to witness two sealings of waht has been the greatest
blessing of my mission. see a family convert themselves to the gospel and
change absolutely EVERYTHING they had ever known or had before. theres no words
to describe how i will feel to participate in those two sealings. i love them
so much. i love everyone here so much. this country is my second home and ill
miss it a whole lot.
Sunday will be my last interview with
President. Monday i head out to visit everyone in viña, quilpue, and valparaiso
with elder mcelhaney, and tuesday morning we head to the temple and then to the
airport in the afternoon.
i cant believe its coming to an end. haha i
seriously cant it doesnt really fit in my brain. the one thing i do know is
that i will cherish these last few days. all i want is to finish strong...!
like i said the mission has changed me forever.
ill never be the same. im still Wyatt. but i understand so much more now and
thats made all of the difference. i know where my life needs to go. all of the
other things are simply tangents on the way, but i know whats most important.
ill finish with my testimony that i know
without a sliver of doubt in my mind that this church is true. it really is
something way more divine and beautiful than we realize. if we could comprehend
the magnitude of the decisions we make it wouldnt be so hard. but thats not the
point. im grateful the Lord lets us make mistakes and lets us see our own
weaknesses. his plan is perfect. get to know it better. try to understand why
he allows things to happen. ask him. i know he answers, i know he lives. his
Son died for us, and theres nothing more important in the world than this
knowledge! not even Pokemon Go.
my mission has been the greatest thing that has
ever happened to me. i love this work.
see you guys next wednesday in SLC. somebody
bring me panda express cause ya boi`s got some mad cravings.
Chow mein with orange chicken and sweetfire
chicken breast.
-Elder Allred - chilean street raptor signing
off...
photos- the last soccer game with the young
mens.
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