Seven ways to say goodbye ✌️🥹

 Where to even begin. I never thought this time would come but here I am writing my final email of the mission. I'm going to skip the weekly recap and just talk about 7 things I've learned on my mission that have changed my life. 

 I am a child of God 

this is something that I've always said but never truly felt until I came on my mission. I know that God has created me, I am His daughter, and He is doing everything He can to guide me back home. This is true for each and every person who has ever lived on the earth! 

 The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real!

I can never truly express how deeply I feel about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His atonement was the single most important thank to ever happen on the earth and we would all be lost if not for Him. He is the creator, the messiah, our advocate, our brother, and our friend. I will never forget the experiences I've been privileged to be a part of when I've had to sit in my personal Gethsemane with the savior or to be the one watching others have their moment in the garden. I am so thankful He has opened my eyes.

 

 Meaning of humility

I've learned that humility is not to tear oneself down but to truly give all glory to God as He lifts us up. Recognizing gifts and using them to serve shows willingness and that is humility. 

 The key to happiness is keeping the commandments of God

Mosiah 2:41 is alive. If you're looking for happiness, keep the commandments and keep your covenants. This is eternal joy. 

 Communication and honesty is essential to any good relationship

I've had many companions over the course of my mission and I have learned a lot about what effective and loving communication is. I have learned how to council and how to lift. How to edify and comfort. I'm still not perfect, but I'm grateful for what I have learned and for my companions' patience with me.

 You don't have to know everything, you first just need to believe.

On my mission, wanting to turn my "believes" into “knows”. I very quickly realized at the beginning of my mission that that would not happen. I can now say at the end of my mission that I truly do believe! There are things that I know, there are things that I hope, there are things that I have faith in, and every part of that is beautiful. I will never again take faith for granted because I know it's foundational, and I know my foundation is built on Jesus Christ.

 Growing pains are real

If the growth doesn't hurt, it's not lasting. I know that pain comes when growth is happening. I'm so grateful for the pains I've experienced on my mission, because that burden has been shared by Jesus Christ and I have come out so much stronger than before.

I will miss my mission every day for the rest of my life. But the things I have learned will stay with me forever. I am grateful for my mission, my companions, my ward families, my mission president, and most of all my Savior Jesus Christ who saw the person He needed me to be. 

Thank y'all for sticking with these emails the past 19 months and I hope you've learned with me! Don't ever forget that God loves you! 

See you soon! 

   Sister Russell