Letter - 1/30/14

Family and Friends,

Well this is it; I will be leaving for South Korea in exactly 3 days! WHAT?! Is this real life?! Sometimes I feel like I am in a dream and just have not woken up yet. I remember my first day at the MTC. It was full of excitement, nerves, a few tears, and shock. I remember all I heard in my classes was Korean, not a word of English was spoken. I remember thinking "Whoa, how am I going to do this?" and here I am 9 weeks later in a stronger relationship with my Heavenly Father, strengthened faith, hope, determination and excitement but yet will be entering South Korea full of excitement, nerves, maybe some tears, and shock. My experience at the MTC has been one to remember. I have learned so much about the gospel, others, Korean and myself. I have grown so much. I have begun to learn a new language, how to teach the basic doctrine in Korean, I have made new friends, listened to wonderful church leaders, prayed harder and studied harder than I ever thought I could, and I have felt the spirit more on a daily basis then ever before. But most importantly I have learned to rely on the Lord, recognize His hand in my life, and know that He will never forget His missionaries. The MTC experience has set a great foundation for me so that I am prepared for the real work in South Korea.

This week in Relief Society Janice Kapp Perry came and spoke to the sisters. She shared a song that she wrote before she left on her mission. She sang, "I want to be like Jesus. I wast to see as He sees. I want to look into the hearts of others and see the best they can be. I want to feel what He feels. I want to say the words He would say. I want to be a person filled with compassion and love as He loves. I want to care as He cares. I want to give as He gives. I want to live my life for others. I'll try in every situation to let His love come shining though me. He is Divine. He is my Savior, my Redeemer. Now I can live so all the world will notice a little bit of Jesus in me." I attempted to write all the lyrics exactly but they may be a little off. When I teach the people of Korea I want them to see Jesus in me. I want them to see His light and desire to have it. The love I have for the Korean people already is so strong. My desire to serve them has grown so much this last week. I know I am just a tool in the Lord's work so that others can feel of His love but God is going to strengthen me and teach the people of Korea through me. It is not going to be easy and trials will occur but God is crafting me everyday from a rusty piece of metal into a shiny silver piece of metal. We can't be our own Saviors and cant carry our own cross. The Savior already did that for us so we much turn to Him for help. We need His help. He will carry our burdens so that we can't feel them upon our shoulders (Mosiah 24:12-15, I think). This missionary experience is completely for me to learn to rely on the Savior with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. At the end of my mission I will not wonder if I could have worked harder or if I gave it my all. I will come home and know that I did my best and the only way I was able to do that was through the Lord's help. "Christ loves us and we love Him. There is no better team than that" (Momma Driscoll). 

Tuesday night Elder and Sister Martino spoke (Quorum of the Seventy). Sister Martino gave us missionaries 3 challenges. 1. obey with exactness and through that will blessings and miracles take place. 2. work harder than you have ever in your life. Learn how to serve with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. 3. teach with the Spirit. She then went on to talk about attitude. Attitude is everything. Before I entered the MTC I decided I was going to be the happiest missionary because through happiness Christ's light can shine through us. Everyday is a good day! One of the Counselors in the Korean Branch Presidency, Brother Perriton said "Negativity does not exist in my vocabulary. Negativity is a tool from Lucifer. Never allow any day to be bad. Believe everyday will be a good day and it will become a good day." I intend to live by that counsel my entire mission as well as my life because life is amazing and full of happiness. Everyone is searching for happiness, sometimes they just do not know where to look. We must open our mouths, smile, show them where to look, and tell them what the gospel means to us.  Everyone has 24 hours in a day and during each day I much determine what it means to serve with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. The Lord trusts who I am and knows that I can do this. But I know I can only to this with His help and me trusting in Him. I know that as long as we line up our will with God's will our happiness will increase more than ever before. Think about the things that make you truly happy. Is it your cool iPhone? The Friday night Football game? Shopping? Or is it your family? Service? Friends? Knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father? I know on my mission I will experience indescribable happiness because I will be bringing others to Christ and to our Loving Heavenly Father. I will experience happiness because I am strictly seeking to do the will of the Lord, to serve Him and His children.

I am so grateful I am involved in God's marvelous work. He truly is gathering His children and bringing them to Him. He is preparing the hearts of His children to hear the Gospel. There is no greater time to be sharing the gospel than right now. I am so grateful to be a missionary. I am so grateful God guided me to this decision. I love this gospel. I love sharing it because I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They love us and I want all of you to know that you are loved unconditionally by them. Thank you all for your love, support and prayers. I truly receive strength each day knowing that I have so many loved ones back home praying for me.  I love each of you and miss each of you dearly! Have a fabulous week and remember to always smile!

Love,
Sister Ciarra Jean Driscoll