Helloooo!!!
Well... Looks like I'm going to be a Utah Ute ha ha. We'll see what
happens with it all! Things are going super great over here! No
complaints... For my email today, I'm just going to copy and paste my
letter to President Scott for today because that's the
same thing that I want to be telling you anyways!
President Scott,
Well, President. I guess the time has finally come for me
to write you about what my mission truly means to me. Its one of the
most bitter sweet feelings that I've ever experienced in my life but all
I can say is
I'm very excited to begin the next portion of my life. Before I begin I
just want to express my gratitude for all that Sister Scott and yourself
have done for me. I really am in debt to you for the knowledge and
wisdom that you have shared with me and for the
wonderful friendship we've had. Thank you so much.
WHAT DOES MY MISSION MEAN TO ME?
To sum that question up into one word would be EVERYTHING.
I really don't know how to explain the 'what', but I can definitely
share the 'how' and the 'why'.
My plan in high school was never to serve a mission. I
remember many of my friends and peers begin to prepare but I never felt
like it was for me. I always thought that it was a long portion of time
that could be
better spent in university or other causes. But I will never forget the
time that I actually used my agency and desire to try and find out if
everything I had been taught, since youth, was true. I still remember
the feelings I felt as I read the Book of Mormon
and went to the Temple for the first couple of times. I will never
forget the first time being "embraced" by the Spirit as I read that I
would be serving in the Canada Toronto Mission. Ever since that day, I
have known that this is where I needed to be.
"Our most significant opportunities will be found in times
of greatest difficulty" President Thomas S. Monson. This quote sums up
what my mission was like. It was HARD. There were times where I felt
complete joy
rush from me after a contact screams at me, or after a door was slammed
on my face. There were times where my companion and I didn't get along
or where our investigators just wouldn't, for the life of them,
progress. I have come to know though, with everything,
that "if we want to know our Savior, then we have to walk the path He
walked". My mission means so much to me because I have literally felt
the Savior walk with me at times and pull me through. His Atonement has
redeemed and enabled me to become someone that
I NEVER could have become without His divine help. Through my trials, I
have seen many of my weaknesses formed into strengths (Ether 12:27), and
have felt the Hand of the Lord push me onward in those dark times. I
have come to know that "I can do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil 4:13) and that there is no
name, way nor means by which salvation can come but through Christ
(Mosiah 3:17). My mission means so much to me because its taught me to
rely on my Savior more than myself.
One of the coolest things to me is reflecting back on my
Patriarchal Blessing about my mission. The incredible thing is that the
biggest paragraph in the whole thing is when it speaks of my mission.
The whole Blessing
relies and relates back to my mission more than anything else. The
things that it says I will learn, have been learned. The things which
will carry me through the remainder of my days have come through this 2
year ministry. President, I wanted to thank you
and the Lord for the opportunities that I have had to serve in
leadership for the time that I have. The transfers that I have been
privileged enough to lead and serve others, have been the ones that I
have learned the most from. They have taught me how to really
care for others. To have genuine concern for them and for their well
being. As well, to acquire true Christ-like charity for them through
service. I've added up an estimation of how many companion exchanges
I've been fortunate enough to go on and it roughly
adds to about 60. Those were some incredible learning moments for me. I
remember my first one as a District Leader when a missionary told me to
“be Elder Beyer, not just another leader”. I've worked on that every
single day since then. I really do know that
true leadership comes when you and the Lord work together in love to
inspire the people you serve. There is nothing that I cherish more than
looking out into a crowd of missionaries and bearing my witness of
Christ and inviting them to help others gain the
same. I have loved being able to influence others and feel of their
love, and support, as I have been serving amongst them. Its been the
greatest honor for me.
I may not have baptized the most on my mission, but I have
definitely baptized the people who I was sent here for. Each of them
have impacted my life in such a way that I will never be able to explain
it to anyone
because each moment I spent with them was so sacred that I can't express
my feelings through words. Being able to do the baptismal interviews
for so many people has influenced me to know that this work is real.
Hearing people, who only have know the Restored
Gospel of Christ for such a short time, bear a strong witness of what
they know has made me really understand that this is true. There is no
way that it's not.
One of my favorite memories about my own testimony though
came at one point when I reflected one night in Toronto. I remember
looking across the city and seeing the beautiful lights and sight and
thinking to myself
“E. Beyer... Do you really believe in this?”.. I thought about it again
and again and I realized “You know what... Yes. I absolutely do!” There
have been times where I have felt my testimony wasn't as strong as it
should be and the remedy for it was bearing
my testimony to every person I came in contact with. My testimony has
grown so much, and my favorite thing about being a missionary has been
sharing mine and promising blessings to those who try and cultivate
their own.
Overall President, my concluding thoughts are simple. My
mission means so much to me because I have come to gain a stronger
testimony of the Truth. I know that God lives and that He is our Loving
Heavenly Father.
I know that He is perfect in every way. I know with all of my heart that
He wants us all to return to Him and its only through His Son, Jesus
Christ, that we can. I can't even fathom the love Jesus Christ has for
me and yet I long for it because I know that
He died to make me whole. His Atonement is real and its applicable to
anyone that wants to feel of it. I know that His Gospel is perfect and
that we, as imperfect beings, can one day become as He is through it. I
know that the Truth that He brought was lost
after His death and that there was indeed a great apostasy, but as
firmly as I believe that it was lost, I know without a shadow of doubt
that it has been restored onto the earth again. I know Joseph Smith is a
Prophet of God and that he truly “saw a pillar
of light” and that through him the Truth has been restored. I know this
because I have a unwavering faith in the Book of Mormon as the Word of
God. It has taught me more about the Atonement of Christ than any other
book I've ever read. I know families can be
forever, and that Gods work is hastening now. I love being a missionary
and know that His work brings eternal joy. My mission has been the most
fulfilling thing I've ever done and I thank God daily that I served.
Again President, I want to thank you and Sister Scott for
all you have done for me. I love you both immensely and consider you as
parents in my life. Thank you again.
Love,
Elder B. Beyer
I love this picture below because its of my first day in the field ha ha I look like a baby!!
Well everyone... With everything I just want you to know
this much... I LOVE my Savior Jesus Christ. Over the past couple weeks I
have just come to feel at complete ease and stress free as I have
served Him the
remainder of my days, because I know that I gave Him and God my all. I
tried my best. I wasn't perfect but through my imperfections I felt the
Lord "cover the rest" and make up for my mistakes. I truly have felt His
cleansing power as Ive gone out and served
others and have felt His love. I have felt my Heavenly Father say "well
done thou good and faithful servant" and I've never been happier or more
at peace.
I love you all so much. I'm STOKED to see you next week :) I
love you. Until then, BE HAPPY. GET STOKED ABOUT LIFE. STRENGTHEN YOUR
FAITH IN GOD, because He's real.
Forever and Always,
Elder Brock Stephen Beyer
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