The Rock Of Our Redeemer, Who Is Christ

    We are going to Hannibal for P-day with the Henricksons (sp?), which leaves pretty much no time for letters. I cannot grantee that anyone will get a letter this week, so forgive me in advance for your empty mail boxes. :(
       A weird thing happened to me this week. Sometimes, when I study, I read over my ministerial certificate to remind me what I'm doing and who my call to Nauvoo has actually come from. This time, as I read, I took more notice of my tentative release date..... "August 31, 2010". The most evasive thought pushed itself into my head, "If the date on that card holds water, this time next year I will be home". And today, if that's true, this time next year I will have been home for a week. I love all of you and miss you a lot, but I don't like to think about it. Part of me wants to be a missionary forever.
       This past week was the first week of "Angels in the outfield". This is when we get to teach the Seniors. It has been so fun. I have to admit, about an hour before my first lesson, I was scared out of my mind. I couldn't think straight. I had no idea where it was coming from, which only made it worse. I only remember thinking, "I have to write this down. I never want to forget how hard this was". From Tuesday on everything was coming up roses. I had no idea how creative the Seniors are here. We have been having so much fun. I have now taught the first lesson roughly 19 times (not counting the MTC or the visitor's center, this is just for angels) with 5 different companions. It has been so amazing to learn from one another and teach together. I have taught with Sister Alexander, Sister Lukens, Sister Westwood, Sister Reece, Sister Thomas. It was SO good.
       To make it even better, yesterday was fast Sunday. We broke our fast at President Ludwig's house and then all sat down in the living room and talked about Angels in the outfield and then our outbounds. President doesn't know where we're going. ( I think I told you otherwise last week. Please forgive me, this is the Navuoo mission... rumors spread like fire on prairie grass). Transfers have been pushed back a week because next week we're going to be hosting a "Mission President's seminar" here in Nauvoo. Some of us will be meeting our future mission president. We  wont know it when it happens. Many of the mission presidents coming next week are presidents of missions who often times shelter Nauvoo Sisters for the winter. Many sisters are really nervous about the field. When I really think about it, my excitement drowns out any nerves I have. As the upcoming months unfold I hope to keep two things in mind. One "I am a Nauvoo Sister, who is now going out to proselyte" (Sister Lukens, dispelling the thought of "Ok I'm no longer a Nauvoo Sister I am a proselyting sister"). And two, I have been called by the Lord, and the Lord has not called me to failure.
"And now my sons remember remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer who is Christ that ye must build your foundations, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless woe, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation upon which if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12)
       The same can be said for each one of us here on earth. We are God's children, He loves us and He sent us here to learn the things we need to learn and do the things we need to do in order to become like Him. The whole purpose of this life is to one day return to Him. That is how we are happy, that is how we are successful. We have not been sent here to fail, just as every missionary has not been called to fail. And just as every missionary must turn to and depend on his arm for strength, we must "remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer who is Christ, that we must build our foundation.
       A lot of times in the mission we talk about our "mission life" and our "real life". In some ways it's true, there is a bit of a difference, but in a lot of ways the line between the mission and "real life" is much finer, much blurrier than we give it credit for. The principles for success are the same. "Remember, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen."

Sister Bailey.

D&C 4