Today is the day

Today, dear Sister Whitney comes home to me.
If you don't know about Sister Whitney, please click here.
She's been serving a mission for our church. If you would like to know more about what we believe, please click here. She has been gone for a year and a half and today she comes home. For the last year and a half, I have missed her so much however, I have loved to read about her adventures in England. The people she has met, the sights she has seen, and the gospel she has shared. Yesterday, her dad forwarded me her last e-mail to her family as a missionary. Here are some pieces of that e-mail:

My mission means everything to me. I know that this is where I've belonged personally for the last 18 months. Heavenly Father truly answered my prayer by not only sending me to the exact mission that I wanted, but by sending me to the exact mission that I needed. What a loving Father He is. He created the entire universe, yet he notes the fall of a sparrow. He knows me. He knows all of us! I love this gospel. I love it with all my heart. I believed in the gospel before my mission, but now I know. This knowledge is cemented into my brain. This is truly Jesus Christ's church. The very same organization that was here when he walked the earth Himself.

Joseph Smith was an honest man. He told the truth. He translated the beautiful Book of Mormon by the power of God and not of Man. He had visions. Angels are still coming to the earth! It makes me smile! I've never felt the spirit stronger than while I was reading the Book of Mormon. This book is absolutely drenched with the love of Christ for us. You know such a huge indicator ot me of God's love? The fact that we have Agency. The freedom to choose. He wants us to be able to figure it out for ourselves. He'll help us as much as we'll let him!

If you don't know this for sure, read the Book of Mormon, and then pray about it for yourself. I've seen many occasions of other people finding out for themselves that it's true. It's really special for me to know that I personally know this is true. Heavenly Father is really patient with me. He's told me over and over again that it is true. And I know if I ask again, he'll tell me then too!

Welcome home, Whita!