My close brothers in the Justin ward. I haven't heard to much from yall since I left last October. I hope yall are all doing awesome. I just wanted to share to you all a little bit about my mission. So when everyone says a mission isn't easy, they are telling the truth! When I got here for my first three months I couldn't communicate with anyone. I couldn't teach. I couldn't fulfill my purpose as a missionary. As a lot of you know I was probably the second most cocky and prideful person in our ward. I would've been the first but if any of yall know Chase or Elder Bowler you know he was definitely first. Haha Just kidding. So anyways in my first area for the first few months of my mission I was a NOBODY. I had no friends no family and I was alone pretty much. So I did the only thing I knew and that was pray and ask my Heavenly Father for love and comfort. I have never prayed that hard in my entire life. So after that I picked up my Book of Mormon and started reading. I automatically felt comforted. I slowly began to learn the languages and culture. I learned how to really depend on the spirit and prayer. When we become humble and submissive that is when our Heavenly Father will make weak things strong.
Those of you that are getting ready to prepare for a mission or make the decision to go or not I want to share a little story to you that I can across the other day.
The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It occurred during a sacrament meeting and was told to me by a Regional Representative of the Twelve who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in sacrament meeting and bore in essence the following testimony:
Brothers and Sisters, as you know, the past two weeks I've been waiting for my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same anticipation and excitement that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream I was talking to a friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I've never met him in this life. As we talked a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter. I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud. It said: "You've been called to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born to the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will born into a land of plenty, in a land of freedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America."
My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call, and while we were rejoicing the messenger returned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read aloud. His letter said: "You've been called to go to the earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties - which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica."
We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said, "When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa Rica, my friend, please come and find me."
The this young missionary, with tears in his eyes, said, "Brothers and Sisters, I have received my mission call. I am going to Costa Rica."
There is a sequel to the story. About a year after the sacrament meeting, the bishop received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it and on that sheet written in capital letters were four words:
I FOUND MY FRIEND
We all have friends that are waiting for us. It our job to just give ourselves up for two years. Missionary work is the most important work that anyone could ever do! Just think about if you don't go or if you delay your mission. You may not be able to find your friends. As young men in this church we are entrusted with this calling to go forth and serve our brothers and sisters using the priesthood. If anyone is having second thoughts on whether or not to go, STOP, PRAY, and JUST GO!
Many of you guys supported and encouraged me to come out so now I want to do the same for yall. We are the chosen generation. So lets go out and become the BEST OF GODS ARMY ON EARTH!
Yall are AWESOME! If anyone has any questions or wants to hit me up with an email go for it! Love you bros!
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Elder Jake Frandsen
Philippines Iloilo Mission
