5 May 2020: You Can't Make Up a Mission

Hello everyone!

Because I may not be able to send a mass email next week, I decided that this will be my last weekly email of my mission. We have had a lot of great experiences this week, including inviting another person to be baptized on Sunday, and seeing her progression since we started talking to her. We also had two devotionals with general authorities over Zoom! One was this morning with President Paul Pieper of the Presidency of the 70. He spoke about how it is by the grace of God that we are here still serving. After seeing many of my fellow missionaries and friends go home early because of COVID-19, I couldn't help but feel grateful that my mission has been able to be the way it is.

Elder Kikuchi, an emeritus 70 who actually knew our mission president when he was a young missionary in Japan. He spoke about how critical our personal preparation at the beginning of our day. Later that day I had my final interview with President Youngblood over Zoom. It was a very spiritual experience for me, and I couldn't help but get a little choked up from it at the end. He gave me few words of counsel: "Follow the Prophets. His will" If I follow the counsel of both modern day and ancient prophets, and submit myself to the Lord's will, then my life will explode with joy and happiness, because I will be doing what God wants me to do, and becoming who He wants me to become. It was a wonderful experience.

I made a small, watered down list of reasons why I am grateful to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for my mission, today:

1. The people
2. Coming to know my Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ
3. The food
4. Acquired Gospel Knowledge
5. Understand my life's purpose
6. Life skills
7. Increased capacity to love others
8. My companions
9. Spanish
10. Testimony growth
11. Alta Vista Branch
12. Members I got to know
13. New eternal perspective
14. Learned how to lead like Christ
15. I understand myself more

I have said it before, and I say it again now - - > You can't make up a mission. You can't make up the experiences you have on your mission, good, bad, funny, scary, and joyful. You also get one mission at this age, so it is critical that you use this time to serve the Lord to the fullest, because there is only one mortal life that we get. We need to live life to its fullest, through Obedience to God's commandments and following the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that these past 22 months have been the hardest, most joyful months of my life. It has changed me and I now have come to know that it is only a small part of my life's mission. It is not the end all be all, but it has been the most integral part of my conversion to the Savior in my life thus far. If any of you reading this letter is questioning serving a mission, pray for strength to go. You won't be able to do it on your own, and you aren't expected to. But there are people waiting for you to share what you have. Heavenly Father wants His children to come home. You can help Him do that.

I am excited for the next chapter of my life! Thank you all for your continued support these past two years. It has helped me get through the hard times and enjoy the great times even more!

Have a great week!
Elder Lovell 

Pics:

- Elder Magalei, an elder in my district made this Nevada Las Vegas Sign

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