Only 18 Day’s & the Refiners Fire

July 31, 2014

Dear Family,

Only about 18 days until I am getting on a jet plane and flying over to Europe to be an actual missionary. Wow, I don't think that one has set in yet. I am pretty nervous. Actually the time is going really really slow right now and I am confident that we have been stuck here at the MTC for like half of the millennium. But the mission is great. I used to think that I chose the mission life, in reality the mission had me picked long before I knew, and God was good enough to decide to let me have this blessing.

 What is missionary work to me? Well all of these words just started coming to mind. Service,Love, Happiness, Growth, Discovering oneself, Discovering God, Developing and Evolving and Becoming more like Christ, Inviting others to do the same, and the refiners fire. I seriously am not sure how to put it into words. A mission though is a gift. I thought I chose the mission life, but in reality, God was good enough to allow me this blessing and choose me.

-What is my Def of mish work? Trying as hard as you can every single day to work hard hand in hand with God's will to bring others the same happiness that the gospel means to me. 

- How has my Definition of mish work changed from before my mission- I seriously was not sure what to think of mish work before. Missionary work was just that... work. But it means so much more to be out here actually serving God. I don’t think I have learned more about myself more in my entire life than I have in the past two months, and through that learning what it means to become more like Christ. I knew God before my mission, I knew the church, but now I ask myself... Did I truly know? Because through this I am starting to really see Christ and my imperfections and what I need to develop to become more like Him. It is so important and an essential time in my life.

Sister Kelsey Brown from my Home Ward

-What is the most important aspect of mish work? Definitely a combo of things, but love is the top notch thing. and not just half hearted human mediocre love. I am talking all consuming, pure, filling, Christlike love that allows you to see God's children in a new light the way that He does. And through that love learn how to see everyone's full potential, and to forgive wholeheartedly, and to serve whole heartedly, and to just live life the best we can because life is a gift and we just need to learn to love it the best we can. 
Love Siostra Benson