Holy Moly, what has happened to my mission? I feel like I really just left, but at the same time it has been forever....weirdest feeling. I am doing really, really good. I am EXCITED!!! I am sad at the same time. I will really miss this place and the memories that I have made here....one minute I am excited and the next I am really sad and crying. I have been kind of an emotional mess. My poor companion..haha. I am excited to be able to see Megan, Eric, Kaylee and Colton today! I have been given permission to have dinner with them tonight. I am sure they are so big since I saw them last. I can't believe they can talk now! It will be really fun!
I am glad mom and dad that you had fun with Ryan in California for Thanksgiving! I am super excited to see him and all of you at Christmas! Christmas will be sooo much fun!!! Our Thanksgiving was...so much food. We had 4 Thanksgiving dinners. I wanted to die by the end of the day and actually the next day I was pretty sick. It was rough! It was a really great day though. We had dinner with 2 less active families, and investigator and a member. So we got to see so many people that day! I am just warning you I have put on a few pounds here. I can't wait to work on that when I get home. It is really hard to be skinny and be a missionary! People feed you and feed you and feed you until you want to die! Haha!
So Sister Bennet is transfering out of this area too. Yeah, how crazy it that? So the other sister are taking on our area and theirs too! So we have been introducing them to our investigators and less actives and such these last few days. It has been insane these last few days! I am exhausted..haha, but at first I was a little nervous to have them take over, but I am excited and think it will be good for the people we work with to have a fresh start and fresh eyes on them. Sister Bennet and I are pretty sad though, but excited at the same time. This ward is sooo sad to be losing a set of sisters. They announced it yesterday over the pulpit and there was a gasp...haha, but it will be good for the ward and the other sisters will be very, very busy!!!!!:)
So weird that my MTC companions get home earlier than me. I think the other sister and I here in Virginia that were supposed to go to Brazil will be the last sisters to come home.
The Temple was sooo good! I loved going to the DC Temple. We met up with the Mission President at 8:45am and all the sisters drove up in a 15 passenger van with the President, which was sooo fun! I didn't realize how close I am to the temple...but that was fun! These last 7 1/2 months I have been so close but so far since it is outside my mission boundries. We went up and had a special meeting with the Temple President. That was really special. It was so cool to see all of the missionaries going home in the temple dressed in white. When they prayed they said a special prayer for the missionaries in the room that were going home. Also when we walked into the Celestial room President and Sister Wilson were standing there and gave us big hugs. It was soooo coool!:) I just cried and cried. Then we went and ate lunch in the visitor center and walked around the visitor center. It was really fun! Then we had our adventure in D.C. That was really fun.! President just drove and told us what everything was. It was really fun! Then of course we got to run and take a picture. It was just an all around good day! :) I loved it!!!
The Missionaries that are heading home in front of the DC Temple with President and Sister Wilson. There are a lot of missionaries heading home this transfer!
Another picture of the departing Missionaries with President and Sister Wilson in the Visitor Center.
Sister Romney and me. She was one of my first companions here in Virginia!
Sightseeing in DC
President Wilson had to park kind of crazy and told us to run up to the Lincoln Memorial to take a picture. People were like what is happening when a van full of missionaries ran up the steps:) So funny!
This week has been a week of hard work and having so much fun! I am really going to miss this place and miss being a missionary. It has been so good. I have changed and grown so much. I have finally become that person I think I have always wanted to be all along. My testimony started as a little seed of just Jesus Christ and now has grown into this huge testimony of all the important things in the gospel. I know that this Church is true and that the true gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and it is right here in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are the words of God and will bring us so much closer to him if we take the time to really read and pray. I know that the simple things: praying, reading the scriptures and going to church really brings pure peace. I know that the Plan of Salvation is given to us so that we can have peace. I love teaching that to people and I am excited to continue sharing it when I get home. I am forever a missionary and so excited to be! I am so grateful that the Lord prompted me to come on a mission because it has been the best 18 months of my life and the best 18 months FOR my life. I will be forever changed because of the changes that I have seen Christ make in the people I love and have worked with here. I love this gospel and I love Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.
Thanks for letting me come. I know it is a had thing to let your daughter go for 18 months and you don't even really get to talk to her, but I am so grateful that you had the faith to do it. I love you both so much and can't wait to see you and give you big hugs! I can't wait also to tell you all about my adventures and funny stories!
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! SEE YOU ALL SOOO SOOOON!!!!
Sister Siepert :)
