Elder Ivie Chillin' On the Mission: America....America....Uruguay te extrañaré (102nd email)

Dear Fam and Amigos,

I felt like it would be cliché but very quaint to leave you guys with my testimony my very last week here in Uruguay, home of the mate!

In the misión they have this tradition where all the people that are leaving (called valientes) give their testimony in the last Zone Meeting of the change. It was a neat experience for me because the whole week prior I was just trying to think of something super mind’blowing for everyone but I quickly found out a testimony is more simple and more powerful than that.

I would like to bear my testimony that anybody can have a personal relationship with the Savior. One of the most precious principles that I have been able to learn and apply is the principle of faith in Jesus Christ. I can proudly say that I know that my Redeemer lives! The way that He redeemed me through his Crucifixion and Atonement is what motivated me all throughout my misión to keep trying. To walk in those streets, talk to people in a language that was quite difficult for me, and to testify about His redeeming love, and a better way to live life so we can have eternal happiness made it all worth it for me!

I will never forget the phrase that my Dad wrote me every email he sent over the past 2 years, it said ¨Just do your best thats all the Lord wants from you, and thats all WE want for you…¨Those words echoed through my head many many times throughout the misión. I know that if we exercise ëven just a little faith¨it will grow into testimony and conversión. I would also like to bear testimony that the attitude we have in life and especially in the misión reflects a lot of the faith we have in our Savior. I have a testimony of a positive attitude, and leaving with and having a prayer in your heart every day. I would like to bear testimony that faith is power that makes us want to change, which leads us to humble repentance and then keeping His commandments.

I know that this is the only true church of Jesus Christ, that we have His holy priesthood which means we are able to receive the saving ordinances for our salvation. I can honestly bear witness of this, I have felt the power and the reality of the gift of the Holy Ghost in my life. I´ve seen how the Gospel and the influence of the Holy Ghost can change people. I've seen it in their eyes and actions and I am eternally grateful to my Father in Heaven for letting me have these experiences that have changed me.

I know the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and yes Joseph Smith did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, that they called him to be the prophet of the Restoration and he translated the book by the power of God. Thanks to him and his example of faithful service to the Lord, I have the blessing of being on a misión and knowing that this is what I need to be doing right now. The Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus Christ and it has been the greatest tool for me to learn of my Savior and apply his teachings.

I love the misión, and Uruguay. I love being a missionary for my Savior Jesus Christ. I know he loves me and I love him and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.