Life is Good

Ni hau and aloha everbody!

This week was packed full of great, wonderful things. The goodness in my life really just never ends and it's a day in day out kind of a thing. Whether I deserve it or not, I have a testimony that "men are, that they might have joy".

I had my exit interview with President Warner on Saturday. It was so great and so needed! We talked and talked about my mission, and lessons I have learned, and experiences I have had, and my goals for the future. He gave me the most wonderful advice for my life ahead and he helped me to be just excited for life. He helped me to see that rather than being sad about leaving my mission, how happy I can be to live what I have learned these past 18 months. We finished at 3:40 pm, just in time to race to our dear Brian's baptism at 4:00!

Yes, Brian was baptized last Saturday! It was such a wonderful day. His uncle Travis just received his priesthood after years of inactivity and so he was able to baptize Brian. It was such a special day for the both of them. It was so wonderful and I felt so blessed from Heavenly Father to have this experience at the end of my mission. I was also able to go to TWO call openings from two amazing girls whom I taught a year ago! It was such a special day to see them bear testimony and to be called to serve Heavenly Father. Bri is going to Washington Everett, and Pare is going to Baltimore Maryland! Both leaving April 23. I've been just overwhelmed at the blessings I have seen, especially as I have looked back on my mission hoping I did everything I could.

On Sunday, the Visitors' Center had a fireside with Brother Quinn who is a professor at the University of Michigan and was the MIssion President in Australia. It was fabulous! Wow I learned so much. Even with the huge amounts of people there, he told us that he would be specifically talking to the full-time missionaries. In the end, I felt like he really should have said, "I will be specifically talking to Sister Annen." because it was hand written for me! I needed to hear every word of it. As I talked with the other missionaries afterwards, they told me they felt he was speaking directly to them, and I thought, "but wait, he was speaking to ME!" Hey, that's what happens when the speaker is inspired of Heavenly Father. How grateful we all were to him. There are so many things I want to improve on as a missionary and listening to his talk helped me to know what I can do better. I wish I had more than one week to work on it that's all! But it's all good because I'm going to make this last week, the best week of my mission. 

After Brother Quinn spoke, they had me sing for the last time. I have never sung a solo before, and I was planning on singing with another sister. But it was unanimous (except for me, which isn't unanimous, but what can you do 100 to 1? :D) that I sing "Where Can I Turn for Peace" on my own. I was terrified! But as I sang, I just pretended I was teaching a lesson about the Atonement which I get to do everyday. And I survived! :) I was really glad I did it, even though I'm not sure I want to do it again :) haha we'll see. It was a great experience though.

You see what I mean by my life being packed full of wonderful things? Goodness, I feel like I'm dreaming everyday! Life is good.

I love you all so very much and don't you ever forget it!

xoxoxoxo

Sister Annen