1 Year

I can't believe it has been a year since I hugged my family and left the comfortable life I had back home behind. Little did I know there were much BIGGER and BETTER things out here in Iowa/Illinois. I am so grateful I took a leap of faith and jumped into a world full of the unknown. This has been the best year of my life. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I LOVE MY MISSION. I love the people I've gotten to serve around and the people I've met. This is truly the greatest experience I've ever had. I'm so grateful for this opportunity.

Here are some highlights of my week:

Let's just start with last P-day! We went bowling and I went crazy!!! I forgot that I'm kind of insane at bowling, so everyone was shook. I won both games and absolutely wrecked the elders. I got my highest score of 156. I started the second game with a strike on round 1. Sorry, I just have to publicly say on here how good I am, haha.

Anyways...

We're teaching this guy named Caleb, and I can't even lie, he is so intimidating. He is so smart and has so much knowledge of the Bible. He read 5 chapters in the Book of Mormon on his own. We did a Book of Mormon read with him and read Moroni 10:3-5 at the end, and invited him to pray about the Book of Mormon as he keeps reading it. He asked if he could close us with a prayer and RE-READS Moroni 10:3-5 and then says, "God if this book is true, reveal it unto me." King. It was incredible.

Mowed a lawn this week, and if you know me, you know that made my whole week. I love mowing lawns; it is so fun, haha.

We had the opportunity to go to the Nauvoo Pageant with Chad and Vanessa, a part-member family that we are teaching. It was literally so remarkable, oh my gosh. I am so lucky to be in this mission where I can go to Nauvoo and hear the stories about the early saints who did so much. I am so grateful for them and their sacrifice. Chad said, "This is something I will never forget." Me too, Chad. Soooo good.

We had MLC this week and it was amazing. I was so overcome with emotion about how grateful I am to be here and how grateful I am to have President and Sister Barney as my mission president. They are truly incredible, and I just love them so much.

I got to go on exchanges with my bestie, Sister Klippel!!! Wow, I just love her sooo much. We have so much fun together, and it literally feels like I'm hanging out with one of my best friends. She is an incredible missionary, and I'm so grateful for all that I've learned from her these past 2 transfers!

My time in Pekin, Illinois, has come to an end. I am so sad. I love Pekin with my whole heart. This area, these people, have truly changed the course of my mission. I have loved every second that I have had serving here. I will never ever forget my time here. I am so sad to leave, but I know the Lord needs me somewhere else, and I'm excited to get to work. I am heading to Indianola, Iowa. Back to Iowa, baby, let's go!

I just want to say how much I love Sister Colson. It has been so fun serving alongside someone I came out with. She is so amazing, and I know that she will be someone I will stay close to for the rest of my life! She truly feels like my sister, and I am so lucky to have been companions with her for 2 transfers! I just love her SO much.

As I have reflected on this last year of being a missionary, I have been so overwhelmed with emotion. I am so grateful that God loved me enough to tell me that there were better things out there for me than being home.

I have loved my mission because this is where I have come to truly know my Savior Jesus Christ and His infinite and eternal sacrifice, His atonement. I have made so many mistakes in my life, but because of Jesus Christ's atonement, I know I can be forgiven. I know we all can be forgiven. The atonement is so real, and I have seen it change the lives of those I've taught, the missionaries I've served around, and myself included.

I know God and Jesus Christ live. I know that God loves each and every single one of His children.

I love being a missionary more than anything. I have learned more in the past year than I have in my entire life. This is the sacred time, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am so grateful that I chose to take a leap of faith and come out here. I have never been more at peace than I have on my mission. I know I am where God wants me to be. I have never been happier. I never want this to end. I never want to take my tag off.

Alma 34:8-11

8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God, there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murders, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay.

This is Christ's restored church. I'm so lucky to be an instrument in His hands. I can't wait to spend the next 6 months bringing the most important word to those I meet.

I love you all!!! Thank you for all your support; it means the world.

Love, Sister Liljenquist

Quotes:

Sister Catton: "Scriptures are like love letters!"

Pres. Barney: Talking about texting referrals ASAP "Elders, if you're in the middle of working out, do it in between sets."

Elder Weber: "Sisters, why so quiet?"

Us: "IDK, we're thinking!"

Elder Weber: "You're never quiet; I thought something was wrong!"

Carissa: "Is the COVID vaccine against our religion?"

Us: "No, it's not; you're good!"

Carissa: "Dang it!!! I had this job in my hands, but I don't want to get the vaccine."

Elder Woodruff: "We just did so well this month, so they said, how can we outdo the zone?"