Holy Ground

So... This week has been AWESOME!

Starting with transfers.
Got myself a new companion.... and she's THE BEST.
The Lord has truly blessed me with so many amazing people as my companions, districts, zones... you name it! So many amazing missionaries that I work with!
Sister Kelsey Lewis is my Companion. We were actually in the MTC together. We weren't in the same district or even the same zone, but we entered on the same day and chatted in the cafeteria on occasion. She's a GORGEOUS girl from Mapleton UT ... yep, that's right. Our parents houses are about 5 minutes away from each other. ANOTHER reminder that the Mormon world is so small. We have a lot of mutual friends thanks to our hometowns and Maple Mountain High School... (Shout out to BRYN GOMEZ!)

Anyway, Sister Lewis rocks. I love her. We've got a lot of great plans that have already been put into play with our ward and I've never had more to do in Midwood. She sure came with ideas and a great attitude. What a blessing she will be to this area. :)

Sister Jorgensen headed out to Brooklyn YSA! So she's not that far away. Our areas overlap a bit, so I'll see her all the time. The Lord is so good to me. :)

So today, I wanted to share a little something I learned this week.

And that is... that I am LIVING THE DREAM. As Thomas S. Monson said... "This is the opportunity of a lifetime."

Before I left people used to say, "Remember, missions are unlike any other time in your life so enjoy every minute of it!"  And I thought I understood why they said that.

But I definitely didn't. It really hit me this week that it is truly an extremely unique, special, and absolutely sacred time of my life. Truly, what other opportunity is there where you can devote all of your time, energy, strength, thoughts and desires to the Lord? Missions are difficult and they require sacrifices. They require us to give up a lot of things that we've come to love and live. We make social, financial, and educational sacrifices... the list could go on. But the Lord gives us so much more in return. I was promised in my patriarchal blessing that if I would enter into the service of the Lord with the proper attitude, then I would receive far more than I gave. And well, that promise definitely rings true.

Elder W. Christopher Waddell said it perfectly when he said, "As a result of sacrifice, we return from our missions with our own gifts: The gift of faith. The gift of testimony. The gift of understanding the role of the Spirit. The gift of daily gospel study. The gift of having served our Savior. Gifts carefully packaged in worn scriptures, tattered copies of Preach My Gospel, missionary journals, and grateful hearts."

What a blessing it has been to realize that I always dreamed of this. I thought about serving a mission as a kid. I imagined as a young woman, and as a college student. And now, I'M HERE. I don't know why it took nearly 9 months for me to look at myself in the mirror wearing my tag and say, "Wow, that's me. I'm that missionary in mirror! This is IT."

It's also recently hit me that my mission was truly designed for me. Again to quote Elder Waddell, "...The Lord knows you and has a mission experience prepared for you. He knows your mission president and his wonderful wife, who will love you as their own children and who will seek inspiration and direction on your behalf. He knows each of your companions and what you will learn from them. He knows each area in which you will labor, the members you will meet, the people you will teach, and the lives you will impact for eternity. Through your devoted service and willing sacrifice, your mission will become holy ground to you. You will witness the miracle of conversion as the Spirit works through you to touch the hearts of those you teach."

He was right. This place, crazy at it may be sometimes, has become a holy place to me. I will remember it forever and I've committed that I will never forget the times when I struggled here, the times where I cried tears of joy and the times that I felt heaven so near. I will always remember the lifelong friends I have made here and the relationships that have changed me.

In short. I feel grateful. I feel a new sense of determination to treat this opportunity I've been given with more respect and reverence.

Thanks for your love and support!

Love Always,

Hermana Tara Franklin