My Mission Adventures: The Last One!!!

Good morning best people ever!!! :)

The day has come! I'm flying home tomorrow super early in the morning arriving at 12:34pm in San Jose, CA. It's crazy to me that I'll be released and go from Elder Campbell to Jeff tomorrow. I have been Elder Campbell for so long... In Laramie, Wyoming in March or April of 2014, I started became a missionary in almost all of my dreams! It will be an adjustment for sure.

While I wish I could have improved some things (maybe I'm unique, but I have never been able to look back on anything and feel like nothing could have been better), I am definitely satisfied with the time I have spent as a full-time missionary.

The best perk as an assistant is the opportunity I have had to spend time with President and Sister Brown. This week, I spent the majority of Tuesday and Wednesday with them pondering about transfers and making suggestions (some well-received and some not). It was definitely a blessing to work with them so closely. One of the things I have REALLY noticed about President Brown is that 100% of the time he opens the car door for his wife to go in and out of the car. And 100% of the time he helps her in and out of her chair. When I went to the Temple on Thursday with them, he and his wife knelt a handful of times together. Every time as they bent to kneel, his hand was on her back. It is amazing to see after 39 years of marriage their relationship is still awesome! While she is clearly capable of opening her own door and getting in and our of her chair on her own, he continues to serve and love his wife. It is amazing how much I have learned about being a good priesthood leader and father and husband by observing him!

This week I got to go on splits twice to visit some people! It was sweet. On Friday morning, President told us who was going to take my spot (Elder Pratt) and we brought him to join us that afternoon. When we got back, I was able to go out with Elder Casebolt (our vehicle coordinator) to visit Melissa & Logan Garcia (who I got to teach when I was in the Bison Ridge ward). That was awesome to run around with Logan and see them. They're the best! I'll miss them for sure. I also dropped off a bike I picked up about 18 months ago with a family. It was great to see the Ramirez family again. They are about the same as when I left! Gabe Ramirez came with me to church once or twice in the Bison Ridge ward. He told me Friday, "I've been thinking about going to church. I'll come with you this weekend!" I gave him the time and the address, but he didn't show (again). Lol. He probably followed through with his commitments 5-10% of the time. Haha. Even with that, I definitely love them a lot! It was a great blessing to see them again and introduce them to the missionaries that cover their area.

On Saturday Brother Griffin in the ward accompanied me to visit some more people (while my companions worked on putting the transfer schedule together). Brother Mortensen from the Bison Ridge Ward recommended visiting Theodore & Sister Watson. They were split off from the ward when the Windsor stake was formed at the end of last summer. I hadn't seen Theodore for a while. It was really great to see how much he has grown and that he is still committed to live the Gospel! He is a good dude. It is definitely one of my favorite things to see the fruits of people who have applied the Gospel in their lives after I have left! It makes everything so much more worth it.

Also, we found a new family to teach this week (and one of their daughters is named Campbell... Lol). And I got to visit the Bates last night! They are awesome. I am pretty sad that I won't be here as a full-time missionary for Sister Bates' baptism. :/ I was really hoping to be here for that! It was wonderful to get to know them and serve them and teach her. I can still see their faces as I left tonight. They feel like family.

But I digress… I have been referencing my adventures of this week instead of writing 'my last email as a full-time missionary.' It really does just feel like another email... That I'll send another one next week for my next adventures as a full-time missionary, but it's not! It's my last one with the mantle of a full-time missionary.

I loved this time so much as a missionary. Honestly, I feel like I'm leaving my home. I have lived here in Loveland/Longmont/Windsor for nearly two years now. I feel like I'm going to be leaving part of my heart here. There are so many people who I have come to love. People that I have taught. People that have been baptized. People that came back to church. Families and individuals at church. Even people I just met once. I have learned how to love as I have been a missionary. :/ And I honestly don't want to leave all that much. This is what I love to do.

But!! It's time to go! And I'll embrace it. When I was on splits I sat next to Elder Casebolt and Brother Griffin in the car while they backed up (I didn't freak out too much that I didn't have to back them up). :) I have faith. I have some dreams and plans and goals for the next phase of life!! I have been great as a missionary transferring to a new area with new goals and new people. I have learned to love the next people and bloom where I'm planted. Time to do it again! :)

Thank you again for all your support. I love you too! I am hopeful that some of the things I have written during the past two years have helped you in your own journey back to our Heavenly Father's presence. :) If nothing else, I know that I have learned A TON of things about both the Gospel and life. Every time I have testified of this message (Through a modern prophet, God has restored knowledge about the plan of salvation, which is centered on Christ’s Atonement and fulfilled by living the first principles and ordinances of the gospel), I have felt the Spirit confirm it is true. I know it; I live it; and I love it.

To close, I will paraphrase/quote two of my favorite relevant verses in the Book of Mormon (Jacob 7:26): "And it came to pass that I, Elder Campbell, began to be old in my years as a full-time missionary; and I conclude this, my record of my weeks as a full time missionary, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream."

And (Omni 1:25-26, my trainer Elder Nash's favorite scripture):

"25 And it came to pass that I began to be old and close my record, exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord: and that which is evil cometh from the devil.

26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."

In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!

Love,

Elder Campbell :)

(P.S. My new email is jcam750@gmail.com)

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