General Conference Miracles/Even in Albert, KS/El Fin

What a glorious week! This week we were blessed with so many miracles and wonderful things continued to happen!

There are so many good things that I will just have to pick out some of my favorites. We went to Larned this week and were able to have a very nice discussion with Pete. It turns out since last time, when we taught him the restoration, afterwards he taught somebody else later that week about the restoration (and very accurately too :))! As we left from the discussion in saying goodbye to us he told us to go save some souls, to which my companion, Elder Gwilliam, replied, "We're working on yours!" Pete grinned and said, "Well, you've got it in your grasp." That was truly wonderful. That same day we were able to start teaching Maddie her new member lessons. Afterwards I was able to have a nice farewell with her and the whole Phillips family. It was a bit emotional.

We saw so many miracles of General Conference this year!

Hannah and Adrianna came to the Sunday afternoon session and I was just overjoyed.

The most amazing thing that happened this week was that our Ward mission leader received a referral for us. It was of a woman who has friends that are members. This lady, Lonnie, was recently diagnosed with cancer, and her member friends requested that we go and give her a priesthood blessing. After the Sunday morning session, Bro. Voss (our ward mission leader) took us out to Albert, KS to give this woman a blessing. Albert, KS is a town about 12 miles out of Great Bend with a population of, maybe, 120-160. Lonnie turned out to be one of the sweetest and most prepared people I have met. She was so grateful for us coming to see her and one of the most miraculous things of all was that she had watched all sessions of general conference so far, the church world report was on when we went inside her house :). Lonnie has filled her life with service, helping those with disabilities through therapy with horses. Now she is a retired widow and facing challenges herself. She grew up Jewish. I was privileged to give her a Book of Mormon and testify to her that she would love this book, that the Book of Mormon was written for Jew and Gentile to convince them that Jesus is the Christ*, and that she would find many Jewish beliefs within our faith as well as more glorious things built upon them. She has a great desire to attend church with us and be baptized when her health permits. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to be a part of that.

Now for the final part of my letter, I will address the thing that has been weighing most heavily on my mind: the end of my mission. Yes, this is my last missionary letter. This past week has been filled with much quiet, reverent contemplation and many sentimental thoughts and feelings have presented themselves. I want to share the quote that is used for the month of October on my calendar. It states,

"We are made of the stuff of eternity. Endings are not our destiny."

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I love that so much.

I have to share something with you quite personal. I know now, more than ever, that God has a perfect plan for each one of us. The plan is personalized for us and is not built off of some standard blueprint. I was simply amazed, blown away, when my prayer (or better said: hope of my heart) to return to Great Bend was answered just like that. When I returned to Great Bend, I learned that Adrianna and Hannah hadn't been to church for a little bit and I prayed fervently that I would be able to help them come to church before I left. Now look at this they attend church my last Sunday here...my last Sunday as a set apart missionary. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about it.

I've thought before, "was it really worth it serving a mission, was it? To leave all my dreams, everything I had worked for, and my family behind for 2 years..." Of course that is a terribly selfish question so I didn't ask it seriously and I always knew the answer was yes regardless. However, today... As I sat on the back row, by Hannah and Adrianna, watching conference, a sweet spirit filled me and I knew yes, yes it is worth it... It will always will be. Many of you who know me know that I'm not one to showing emotion, but now just thinking about this experience and typing it, is making me emotional and tears come to my eyes.

Another cool experience related to this happened recently. Many of you have somewhat followed me on my mission might remember me talking about Dulce in Junction City. Dulce was an investigator that was supposed to be baptized while I was serving there, but days before her baptism her parents told her she had to cancel it. I left shortly thereafter and was saddened to hear that Dulce stopped talking to missionaries and stopped attending church regularly. It had quite an effect on my mission. When I was serving in Topeka, one of the Spanish sisters (Sister Goulding) in my district was transferred to Junction City and I told her where Dulce lived and to look her up. When I talked to Sister Goulding recently at a joint zone specialized training, she told me not only had they found and talked to Dulce but that she expressed positive feelings towards the church. And now that she is over the age of 18, she told the sisters that she wanted to be baptized regardless of what her parents may say because she knows it's the right thing to do. I was so happy when I heard that, it was almost like a happy ending to a long story.

I'd like to share with you a small excerpt from the letter I wrote to the mission president this week:

"...I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart I sincerely feel that you are somebody who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. I could have quit, but somebody believed in me, and I didn't have the heart to let them down. Who believed in me? Well you, and my family, and the Savior, and Heavenly Father. At the end of these two years I think I'm finally beginning to start believing in myself. I can do hard things and see miracles come to pass, through the Savior!"

I struggled to win the race... I learned how to get back up

I dreamed of fame and success... I had to work my way up

I wanted the easiest answer... I was given problems to solve

I craved to perform at the top... I learned to practice from the bottom

I wanted the joys of freedom... but found the joys of service

I didn't get everything I wanted

But God gave me all I needed

My prayer has been answered

I want to end this letter now with some of the words that I shared with Maddie this week. I want to share with you my testimony. It isn't anything fancy, but it means something to me. I know the Savior lives, and I love him, and he loves me... and you... all of us

Love,

Élder Connor Waldrón

Kansas Wichita Mission

"The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it."