The Hour of Your Mission has Come

Here's the scoop... We are back doing a service mission in Puerto Rico for six months!  We just got here on Monday and already, it feels like we never left. 

Before you think we were hasty in this decision (and sometimes we are), this has actually been in the works since about the beginning of the year. 

I had been serving as an ordinance worker in the Mt. Oquirrh Temple on Fridays. In January, I decided one day to go to the temple as a patron. I was by myself and I was waiting for the session to start. While pondering in my heart what the Lord would have me do next, I was directed by the spirit to open the Doctrines and Covenants to Section 31. This section was given to me through the Holy Ghost as a direct answer to my heart's pleadings. 

I started reading... "Blessed are you because of your faith in my work. vs 3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation." 

When I read this, my heart burned within me and it brought me a state knowing that the Lord was directly telling me it was time to serve another mission. There are more things to this experience I wish to keep sacred. I cried during the temple session and for most of the day. I hoped that Kyle would believe this personal revelation and be on board. 

Well, here we are ten months later, serving another full-time mission. The trial and tribulations getting here have been real. At times we thought it might not work out. The adversary was determined to stop us. And we can honestly say that often times we just had to "trust" that things would work out. There were miracles that occurred. Like being able to get not one, but two places in Puerto Rico. One to live in and one to rent for income. It was like they just fell into our lap. There have been countless blessings over the last ten months. We recognize the hand of the Lord in all of these things. We have been blessed and sent back to this island for a reason - a special work to do for the Lord. 

As you probably know, a large factor in the whole equation was: what to do with the furniture business? We were unsure ourselves, but gradually we came to know that it was time to close it. Although difficult to do after ten years of wonderful support from friends, neighbors, and family we decided to close the doors forever. Instead of a huge, drawn-out going out of business sale, we kept it short and sweet. We only sold what we already had in stock and the public responded quickly to the news. It was amazing to see the amount of people who came to help us. 

We couldn't have asked for a better response. We walked away after just three weeks - and we were able to keep our original commitment to the mission president to come on the 11th of November. It was a miracle.

I begin with this, knowing that there are many, many grand experiences to come while serving here for the next six months. The bishop already put us to work today. I played the piano/organ for sacrament meeting and Kyle blessed the sacrament. We took a sweet lady home today who needs our love and support. It is just beginning. Many heart-felt awakenings of the Spirit encompassed my body this week. I can't begin to explain it in words... but I will try.