Sister Osorio's email was so full of energy and the Spirit. She is so happy and so excited to be out and serving. I am so proud to call her my sister! You're in for a treat, enjoy her latest email!
I cannot express to you my incredible joy. HOLY SMOKES. its so crazy. Today has been the BEST PDAY EVER. You want to know how it started? It started with getting to sleep in because of the WONDERFUL WONDERFUL work of general conference. oh man, general conference was super uplifting. When the first day finished, all the sisters were walking home, exhausted... I was so thrilled that we had a wHOLE nother day to do it again. I got home, put my stuff down, and honestly said, "That was the best day of my life." Anyway, I'll tell you more about general conference soon, but first, i woke up today feeling well rested, got to study some wonderful Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 24 through 26, i think. And then, we rushed over to the teaching center because we had gotten a text from one of our investigators to give him a call last night after conference. He loves the gospel of Jesus Christ. He has changed and grown and loves to serve, he is getting baptized this Friday. SISTER PEN AND I LEAPT UP FROM OUR CHAIRS AND JUST AHHHHH! there were tears in our eyes. You know how I met him? WE met him on MY FIRST DAY AT TEMPLE SQUARE, through CHAT ON MORMON.org!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He started chatting with Sister Pen and I and asked, "how can I get closer to God?" He is our chat miracle and we have been teaching him and just loving him for these past 6 weeks, will be praying for him forever and ever. We are so thrilled. This is seriously the BEST pday. Really. And it keeps getting better, we JUST got back from a Spanish walking lesson with this family and their friend, the Spirit was so strong when talking about Joseph Smith and Prophets, and they felt the Spirit, and they will be meeting with local missionaries when they get back home, and we will be in touch.
NOW sorry, wooo, that all just happened to me and i wanted to share it.
Holy smokes, time to describe General Conference. It is the biggest honor for me to be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With 21,000 members at each session of conference, and there being 5 sessions, that is a lot of people. And we got to talk and uplift them all day. It was AMAZING. We took 20 minute lunches. In total, Sister Pen and I taught 59 lessons over the course of two days. And my dear cousin David was right, I was crying all morning. HAHAA, I do cry often because it is amazing to speak to all of these individuals, and as a representative of Jesus Christ, it is an honor and a privilege to listen to them as he would, love them as he would, and help them to DO things in their lives that would bring them closer to Him. My heart is a glow! And everyone comes here to Zion! I saw the Trejos outside of the conference center, I was announcing in Spanish, meaning I wear my Colombian name tag, hold a Spanish speaking sign among about 10 other sisters all holding up signs of their languages, and welcome them to conference center with our microphone and tell them if they would like to speak more about the restored gospel, come talk to us! We want to share it with you and your friends and family. Anyways, we saw them, the Trejos, the Proudfoots -- Michael has been called to wash DC North MANDARIN SPEAKING cacaho!!! And i walso saw DEAR SWEET DAVID, such an AWESOME power house cousin. What a leader. And i saw my friend Evan, and Tina who is NOW working on her mission papers... (i'll comment on that soon too) and I saw who else, oh yeah, MOM I saw Sister Jones, who used to be best friends with Gina in Austin! And i saw the Palmers! Back from being mission presidents, they were with Angela and a few of their kids. It was so happy.
Now, as for the Spirit of the conference! Wow. It was beautiful. Here is a good story, which you will like because of all the crying. We were outside of the North visitor center and a family from Guatemala was there. Big beautiful family. We spoke a lot! We shared our stories of how we or our parents found the gospel. (the reason why I cry so much is because i'm always talking about my pioneer dad, and the missionary work of mom and dad and how it brought em together). anywho, we were all uplifted and edified. As they were leaving, one of the fathers, maybe in his 50's, came to me and said, "Look, I was a missionary, too." And he opened his suit coat, and there, on the inside of his coat pocket was his old missionary tag, in Spanish, his name Hermano and La Iglesia de Jesus Cristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias, some of the whiteness of the name had faded with brown in time, but his tag was there, and it was amazing to see how this man had lived his life, daily, constant living and striving from a missionary and beyond and he still held this nametag close to his heart. I looked at his tag, then up at his face, which was beaming with a smile and tears filled his eyes, and of course, mine too, and he walked away and i just lost it. I was crying so hard to see such a beautiful example of faithful priesthood. Jonathan, I know you wear that tag on the inside of your suit coat, I remember catching glances of it. What an honor. What a privilege. And that is what conference is like. It is like that. All day. We also receive names of those who do not know how their families can be together forever, who do not know the blessings that come with living as the Savior would have us live, as living like him and with him. I cannot WAIT to call these individuals and help them come to know of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ay Papa, siempre estoy agradecida a ti y mama por este evangelio.
There was another girl, actually one of the church photographers! Jessie, she photographed me when I did that shoot for the church before i left, remember? Anyways, man, that was also special, we just said a few things to her and she was touched. I ended up giving her on of my favorite visuals... I think I will try and mail one to you all too :) So you can see, I LOVE using visuals. They can bring in the Spirit, and that's why a visitor center is so amazing.
So, I was on the Square when they announced the new mission age. I was shocked. The work is going to roll forward, wow. The youth of the church, prepare yourself for this marvelous work and wonder, it truly will be through our youth "babes" who will carry their fathers and mothers to the gospel, and nurse the world back to Christ.
I won't lie, I was shocked for a little while, and then my heart sank a little because i thought of Ganae and Jeshua going sooner than i was thinking. Much like you mom! AH! I don't mean to be selfish--please forgive me! mom and I just love you two!!! I just love Ganae and Jeshua SO MUCH. Please tell me what you think about this new age you can go serve. It truly is a marvelous work and a wonder, and it is an honor and blessing. I am so committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I support both of you no matter what you choose to do. As long as you PRAY PRAY PRAY about it first, discern the timing of the Lord in your life because His timing and plan are just so wonderful. Jonathan, you're right, a lot of us were like OOOOHHH! and we were like, "Hey now! I waited!" hahahahaha, OH man this is going to change everything! The dynamics of the church, the youth, IM SO EXCITED, it truly is time for EVERYONE to hear the message. lets get kicking. And thats why i love being here.
Transfers have happened. And I will be staying here with my companion, finishing up my training. First transfer is almost over.....wow. This is Sister Pen's last transfer, so we are going to make it her bestest ever :). We have a new assignment with this transfer too --- we will be doing hospitality bus tours... I will let you know more about what that means when i know more about it :) hehe. It was so sad to see the departing missionaries, they were SOOO SAD. I can't imagine. I guess i'll find out later... it will be weird without them though, they are such familiar faces that i can't imagine serving without them. And a lot of sisters are going outbound, to California, Texas, Arizona, Washington. Those are the hotspots to send the sisters right now.
I love being a missionary. I really just loved being committed to the Savior. My goal this week is to try and get to know Him more. Hah, my lifetime goal, i guess. Family, I want you to know that i will be faithful and committed to Him through those steadily and constantly. I want you all to know that from here on out for forever, you can count on me. You can count on me. And so can my Savior Jesus Christ, I will always volunteer myself for him. You can count on me ---any errand, any deed, any command, any need, I am His, I am yours, and I will give myself to my Savior completely. You can always count on me! FOREVER and don't forget it. You need it, I am there. I love following the example of my Savior and DOING His will. I am so proud of our heritage. I am proud of you! Of our family. I love you, and pray for you everyday. I testify of my rich heritage. Man, it feels like a month since I last emailed you!!! HA!
Ganae and Jeshua, and especially Jeshua since your service is certain, prepare yourselves to be the Lord's army in these latter-days. You MUST be as the army of Helaman, Mom and Nataly, guess who has to be as the mothers of the armies of Helaman, and Jonathan and Papa, guess who has to be the covenant making and keeping fathers no matter what sacrifice. You are these people, I see more than ever how noble and great you are, I am forever and EVER grateful to you all! You are a covenant making and keeping people, let us all press on in this glorious work of the Lord. ALLAY WONDERFUL LUYA! I miss you, I am devoted to you. Lets pray for those who have not received this gospel.
Love,
your dedicated sister and daughter :)
Sister Osorio
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