I have got some news to tell all of you. A couple weeks ago I got sick, and spent a little over a week in the hospital here. We found out I have a mosquito borne illness thats pretty rare, and mission headquarters has decided to send me home. I am being medically released from my mission, and I will get back in Utah on Wednesday.
I want you all to know that I am doing fine, and that I am getting better, so dont worry about me. I would like to share my testimony with you all.
I have learned and grown so much on my mission. These last 8 months have been some of the best and hardest of my life, but I wouldn't change a thing about the experiences I have had. I have seen may miracles, and many lives changed through the saviors atonement. My testimony has grown of the Atonement.
Elder Holland gave a talk once about missionary work, and the atonement, and I have tried to apply its principles in my mission.
"Missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?"
We need to look at our trials as a way to gain a testimony of the atonement. To maybe gain a tiny bit of understanding of what Christ went through for us. I know that the things that I went through on my mission made me a better person, and that throughout my life, the trials that I will have will continue to strengthen me and my testimony.
In all reality missionary work is easy. It is easy to spend every day focused on the Lord and on serving other people. I love Brazil, and the people of Brazil are some of the most selfless people that I know.I will always be grateful for the things that I have learned here, and Brazil will always have a special place in my heart.
Well thats all for now. I love you all, thank you for helping me through this journey, and I will see you all real soon.
Sister Ostler
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Sister Ostler
