A few days before we went to Cali Brother Gardner called and asked if I would give a little report on Aubrey. I thought it would be just a casual little talk before most of the meeting got started. I had seen other missionary moms give a little talk like that too. So I pulled together some thoughts, but I wasn't too worried or stressed about it. I was kind of scattered (imagine that) between traveling and such, plus a primary lesson to prepare for. I was so scattered I forgot some essential packing items--- lets just say I was rinsing out a few items every night, and sleeping in my husbands jammies--- silly connie. Anyway when I got to church yesterday, my name was between the youth speakers and the last speaker! They all thought I was a real speaker--- oy. oh well.... the last speaker is an awesome SS teacher so I knew he could clean up any mess or use any time I left for him.
Here's my talk
Some of you have never met my missionary daughter. When we moved into the ward about 2 years ago, she was going to the singles ward. She then moved to an apartment in Provo where she studied Theater at uvu. Aubrey is our third child, our third daughter and our first missionary. She was very much into musical theater in high school and she didn't know any foreign language. She didn't talk about a mission until 2009, about 1 1/2 years before she was eligible.
She has been serving in the Bahia Blanca Argentina mission. She went into the mtc may 25, 2011. That's 508 days. This is equal to exactly 1 year, 4 months, and 19 days.
Her official 18 months date is November 25, but we expect her back around December 12.
She has met and served with the Hendershotts granddaughter Hermana Baker
She is experiencing spring time there now and in December will be flying home from an Argentinian summer to a Utah winter.
Some of my favorite quotes from her letters home
"oh dear, if there's one thing I have a much bigger testimony of from the mission its going to church. We need to study the scriptures, pray always and go to church. That's part of the enduring to the end bit of the plan. Go to church! Like really!"
"The ward mission leader told us to prepare a musical number the day before. We ended up singing come thou fount in English and Spanish and I was elected to sing the first verse solo and the last line of the song too. Yeah, but it was good and I got a lot of members shocked faces telling me how good I sounded and they didn't know i could sing like that. It was a good feeling"
"After we got to the house that night, we got a text from her saying thank you for the peace we brought. We decided that in this work we don't do anything. Its all the Lord and we just open our mouths and walk and stuff like that"
"I keep working and praying and walking and talking and hope I can be a tool somehow in the hands of God. He really does guide this work and we are nothing without Him. Look to me in every thought, doubt not fear not. This is so great a work and if the gospel wasn't true the missionaries would have messed it up a long time ago. I love this so much."
"Yes, I am very happy right now, which is super weird because we didn't have a lot of exito this week. We were pretty much trying to find the ground beneath our feet, only to discover that we were waling on water out to Christ. Yea, that was a bit scary and I felt like I was sinking for about a day, then I realized that all I need to do is ask for help, c all out and ask for help, and straightway the Savior reached out and pulled me from the water. I am so thankful for that right now. I have a testimony of the power and reality of the Gospel. People may think that we're disillusioned, (Like this lady at the beginning of this week) but its so reassuring to have that testimony of Christ, to know that at the base of all our beliefs is Jesus Christ. Wow. Yah, I'm feeling good and I'm not dis animated. I've been feeling the forces of satan working on me this week, it was intense. Satan used all he can to cause us to fear or to lose faith. Be we know that God gives love and power and a sound mind. its when we adjust our focus that we, o por la menos mi see that if we give our burden to Christ, He will carry it for us, His yoke is light and His burden easy. He loves me and I know that my Father in Heaven is mindful of everything that happens on this planet If I share the Gospel with someone who maybe isnt ready for it right now, I know that God doesn't forget them This is a huge comfort to my heart."
I asked my family to tell me how Aubrey's mission has blessed their life. I wont identify the sources, but you can probably tell who said what.
"she has let me think from a different stand point. It really gives me a perspective on how i should live my life now so i can prepare that much more for my mission coming up in a few months. It really helps me live a preparatory life"
"Having Aubrey on her mission has given me the unlikely opportunity to have one of my siblings to look up to in regards to serving a mission. I did not expect anyone would be a missionary until me, and I know I am struggling to go on mine, but just the thought of her being the excellent missionary she is gives me hope. She has also expressed her pride and confidence in me."
"She always says things that help me feel like I can accomplish whatever I set out to do, especially when i'm discouraged. In vermont, she was a strength to me and helped reinforce that God uses each one of to make a difference in others lives even if it may seem insignificant to us"
"Aubrey being on a mission has blessed my and my families life. It strengthens my testimony to hear of the spiritual experiences she and those she serves receive. She also is a great example to my little boy who is just starting to understand what missionaries are and do."
"It's quite evident that she is much more spiritually mature and she freely speaks of her Heavenly Fathers goodness. And bears her testimony by speaking of her father in heaven in these ways. It builds faith within our family. Her serving has blessed my life by blessing my family's life's. she's steady she's positive."
"For me, her serving has blessed me personally in my faith. Sometimes my faith is really strong, and other times I wonder if I really was born for such a time as this, if I can truly endure. Unforeseen waves have hit our family this year. Aubrey's faith and service and happiness have often been a very gentle and a very soft comfort to my worried heart."
