Sister Gish's Homecoming Talk

Homecoming Talk

            Good morning brothers and sisters! It feels so good to be up here speaking today! I recently returned home from serving in the Colorado Fort Collins mission! It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, but it definitely feels good to be among my friends and family in the New Haven ward! Today I was asked to expound on my mission and to talk about what my mission taught me about loving my fellow man. I honestly couldn’t have picked a more perfect topic to speak on today because love was at the very center of my whole mission. It was such a sweet experience because I would have these moments where my heart felt so full and right when I didn’t think I could be any happier or love anymore, the Lord would bless us with another person to teach or someone would return to the fold, but I have to say it didn’t come easy.

            I thought that when I was set apart, that I would automatically have this overwhelming love for everyone I came in contact with, but I was dead wrong. I got to the field and guess what? People were not always nice to us. People we tracted into were mean, they would say rude things to us, they would bash the church, and sometimes they would just straight up ignore us.  That was hard because rejection is uncomfortable. I remember reading this scripture in 1 nephi 19:9 about christ’s ministry. It says:

“And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.”

So I started to realize that things weren’t going to be easy for me. I certainly knew that they were not easy for Christ. So I needed to learn how he got through it and I remember my first general conference as a missionary, Jeffrey R Holland gave a talk called “Be Ye Therefore Perfect- Eventually.” In the talk he is talking about the perfect love that God and Christ have for and he says:

“I am grateful to know that in spite of my imperfections, at least God is perfect- that at least He is, for example able to love His enemies, because too often, due to the “natural man” and woman in us, you and I are sometimes that enemy. How grateful I am that at least God can bless those who despitefully use Him because without wanting or intending to do so, we all despitefully use him sometimes.”

So there it was. I knew that if I wanted to love the people, I needed to love God. I needed to learn to see His children as He does. And the key to doing this is found in the Book of Mormon. In Moroni 7:45-47 it explains what this Christ-like love is, why we need it, and how we can gain it. It says:

“And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Wherefore my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail.

But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

Wherefore my beloved brethren, pray unto the father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his son Jesus Christ.”

I love that scripture. It taught me that without charity, I was nothing, so clearly I would need it to be an effective missionary. It taught me that I couldn’t just pray for it, but I had to pray for it with all the energy of my heart. I had to plead with God to give it to me because it is a gift that he only gives to those who truly follow the Savior.

So I prayed harder than I ever had before, and I strengthened my faith in the savior, I learned of His character, and repented daily so I could be more like him and when I did that, my love for people grew in every aspect of my life.

-My love for my family grew- right? Distance makes the heart grow fonder. I came to realize how much my family actually did for me!

-I came to love the members of the wards that I served in. People always say it’s not the place, it’s the people and that is so true. I lived with members for most of my mission, and what a sweet experience that was. I was very fortunate to get to eat with members on my mission and I came to love and respect each and every one of them. They always made being from home easier and I could feel my Savior’s love through them, and in turn that made me love the Savior.
-I came to have a great love for each and every single one of my companions. That wasn’t always easy. it’s inevitable that when you spend time with someone 24/7 that you will find things that annoy you. Sometimes, I had companions that were easy to love because we just seemed to click. Sometimes I had companions that I struggled to find things in common with. But, In the Missionary Handbook it talks about your relationship with your companions and it says specifically to “look for the good in each companion” and to “find ways to serve one another.” I testify that it was when I would serve my companions and when I would look for the good that my companion and I were able to teach with more power and conviction. We were united, and each and every single one of my companions taught me how to be more like the Savior. I will forever be thankful for all 11 of my sweet companions.

-I came to love, on a very deep level, the people that I taught. Now, all missions are hard for different reasons, but in my mission it can be very difficult to find people to teach. So I didn’t teach that many people. I only witnessed 6 people I taught enter the waters of baptism. There were times in my mission where that was really discouraging. I would read the emails of my friends in foreign countries and how they had more baptisms in one week than I had my whole mission. It was times like that where I had to remember that it is about the one. That maybe it wasn’t god’s will for me to teach hundreds of people. Maybe I was there to find the one. Maybe that one was myself, but none the less this church, this Work, Jesus Christ is all about the one. I love this scripture in 3 Nephi 11:15 when the savior appears to the people in America.

“And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into His side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.”

What a pleasure it was teaching the people of Colorado and Wyoming one by one. I came to love each and every one of those 6 converts and I came to love a countless number of returning members. It was a miracle to watch people grow their faith in Jesus Christ! As they prayed with real intent and as they read the scriptures, they came to know who Jesus Christ is, they wanted to become like Him, so they repented. I know more than ever that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is big enough. For anything. For anyone. I saw it change the lives of people from a variety of backgrounds.

            Most importantly, I came to love Jesus Christ. My mission allowed me to study His life more than I ever had before. I could feel His love and His spirit every day. My faith in him grew and He turned my collection of ideas about Him into a relationship with Him. I relied on His atonement to change me! I came to love the sacrament more than ever before. What a sacred privilege we have to reflect on His sacrifice every week. One of my favorite things I ever heard on my mission was “The sacrament may not be a saving ordinance, but it is the ordinance that saves us.” I know that Christ’s way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. As we live His gospel our love for Him and for others increases.

So I invite you to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ, and to repent, and to make covenants with Him such as baptism, confirmation, and those covenants that we make in His holy temples. I would encourage the youth in the ward to seriously consider serving missions. You are all needed. You all have such an amazing light to share, and there are people out there searching for the truth. You have the capacity to change someone’s life, and even more than that a mission and the Savior could change yours. I know this because mine has been changed forever.

I will end with my testimony that I love the Savior. What a pleasure it was to bear His name for 18 months. I know that He lives today and that He is the Savior of the World. I know that He and His father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith and they called Him to be a prophet. I know that through Joseph Smith, Christ restored His church and His priesthood to the earth today. I am thankful for the Book of Mormon. It truly testifies of the Savior on every page and it brings people closer to Him. I know that God still guides us today through our loving prophet, Russell M. Nelson. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Week 80: Sister Gish's Final Weekly!!! Parts 1, 2, and 3

Part 1

I can't even believe this is my last weekly, so instead I decided to send out 3! My stomach is in knots as I prepare to go home. I wish I could say that I gave my mission and the Lord everything I have, but that would be a lie. Every single day of my mission, I fell short in some way, shape, or form. No one is perfect and true disciples of Jesus Christ will always wish they could have done more. I have come to rely on the atonement of my Savior more than ever in my life. Each day I feel gratitude for the gift of daily repentance. It has carried me through my mission and will continue to carry me through my life. I know I wasn't the perfect missionary, but I do know that my sacrifice was acceptable to the Lord.

On Wednesday, I went on my last exchange in the history of ever! It was an honor to be with Sister Rollins! We had a blast reminiscing on our wonderful days we both spent serving in the Popo Agie ward! We talked to lots of people and we pretty much just laughed! Oh yeah, we also spent 3 hours polishing the baptismal font in the temple. Note to self, never touch anything in the temple, because it is a really hard to clean. Sister Rollins is a great example of making things fun, no matter what you are doing. 

Thursday was great! We had district council and we had a really good discussion on making studies meaningful! I'm thankful for all the time I have had to study on my mission. We talked about studying with the needs of the people we are teaching in mind. I was reminded that evn though I know I was meant to be here and touch lives, my life has been touched and I have learned so much from the people I have been able to teach! Also, we had dinner at the McGoffin's with my old friend, Sister Zitting! 

Then the rest of the week was an absolute blast. Sister Zitting and Sister Bertha spent the night at the Smith's and I got to be with them and with Meghan in the temple for her endowment! It was so wonderful to be in the temple with so many people that I adore! 

Sunday was emotional. I couldn't stop crying at church. It hit me like a ton of bricks! It was my last Sunday as a missionary! Ahhhhh let's not talk about it. Let's just say this is not goodbye! The people of Colorado and Wyoming can't get rid of me that easily! 

I love you all so much! Nothing is as sweet as my mission, but something tells me coming home is a close second! See you on Saturday! 

Love,

Sister Gish


Part 2

My mission has been the best! I feel so much gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the lessons I've learned! I've learned so much from each one of the 6 individuals that I witnessed enter the waters of baptism! I learned so much from all 11 of my beautiful companions! I learned so much from all 5 of my areas!  I can count alot of things, but countless are the memories I have made, countless are the amount of members who took such good care of me, countless are the times I've made mistakes, and countless are the times my Savior picked me right back up. 

To the people I taught in my mission--John, Pat, Jody, Chris, Cassidy, and Kat- I thought I came out here to change people's lives, but you changed mine. Utterly and completely. I will forever be thankful for each and every one of you! I love you! 

I was blessed with the best string of companions on my mission! Each and every single one of them has helped me come to know even better who Jesus Christ is. 

-Sister Harkness taught me to have fun. She reminded me that God needed me to keep my sense of humor and not to forget that He wanted me to be myself, just the sister missionary version. 

-Sister Warren set the tone of my mission. I couldn't have asked for a better trainer. Thank you for teaching me that exact obedience brings forth the blessings of heaven! 

-Sister Green taught me patience. I was still a new missionary myself and I was scared out of my mind to train her. She taught me more than I could've taught her! She is submissive and always willing to try new things, especially if it is the Lord's will! 

-Sister Latu taught me that it's not how you start, but how you finish! She showed me that the atonement of Jesus Christ is big enough! I am thankful that she came on a mission! 

-Sister Stapelman is simply sunshine. She sprinkles kindness like it's confetti and everyone who meets her will feel their Savior's love. She taught me how to be a window to the Savior. 

-Sister Bishop taught me to wear my heart on my sleeve. Be 100% you because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. 

-Sister Lee taught me how to get the job done. I have never met a more hard working woman in my life. She is like a big sister. She gives the best advice and she sincerely wants the best for the people she teaches. 

-Sister Kehoe taught me to bloom where you are planted. She knew that she was visa waiting in Greeley for a reason, and she trusted in the Lord to show her what it was. She worked her butt off and was so diggity down for anything me and Sister Zitting wanted to do. Even to tract 641 doors in a day! I know she is killing it in New Zealand! 

-Sister Zitting is one of the most beautiful people you will ever meet. Not just on the outside, but on the inside too! She taught me that the prettiest girls are kind, they are understanding, and they are compassionate! 

-Sister Martin is a huge reason why I got into BYU! She encouraged me to follow my dreams. She is the most selfless person I have ever known. She is also wise beyond her years! I learned so much about the Gospel from this girl. She is a leader! 

-Sister White taught me to be bold. She loves so deeply. She knows the gospel is true and that everyone needs it in their life. She proclaims the gospel with deep conviction. She is simply solid. She has been such a strength and support to me during my last transfer. 

To all of the amazing members of Dubois, Lander, Laramie, Greeley, and Loveland--thank you for the meals, the housing, and the referrals! You were a huge reason of why my mission was successful! I will be visiting you tons! I especially want to say how much I love Laura, Jerri, and Clari in the Centennial ward! Seeing you three walk the covenant path has been one of the best parts of my mission! 

My mission has meant the world to me! My heart is full! 

It is written on my heart forever! 

Part 3

So I had to steal this from cute Sister Weeter because I thought it was perfect! 

Dear Sister Gish 

This will be the fastest and slowest 18 months of your entire life. Enjoy every single second. It will go by in the blink of an eye. At times, you will wish you were home. At other times, you will never want to leave. It will truly be an adventure of a lifetime.

You will serve in 5 areas on your mission. Yes, 5. And you will grow to love each individual in those areas. You will serve among those in Dubois, Lander, Laramie, Greeley, and Loveland. Each of these places have their fun quirks, but don't worry, you will love them all! You will teach and meet hundreds of people within these areas. Some will be baptized, but others will just grow to love the Savior more. Don't get discouraged because the Lord is watching your efforts. He sees the good you are doing. He will bless you.

You will have 11 amazing companions and be in 2 trios. Each companion you will live with 24/7, but somehow you don't mind that at all. In fact, each of these dear sisters will become your best friends. You will have ups and downs with each, but because of your love for the Savior, it will all work out. You will learn to be there for your companions. They each will teach you someway to become more like the Savior through their example. Oh how you are going to love your companions!!

You will teach people of all walks of life. There will be some that you will help overcome addictions. Other will have troubles within their family. You will help others come back to the gospel after being away for so long. There will be times when those you have grown to love so dearly will hurt your little heart and no longer wish to meet with you. You will see the excitement in the eyes of some who never knew what they were missing out on. You will truly see the gospel of Jesus Christ change lives. Most importantly, it will change yours.

You are going to be a whole different person by the end of your mission. You will come to love the scriptures more than you could ever imagine. The Book of Mormon and the Bible will be your key to sanity in this crazy world. You will find joy in service. You will love serving among your fellow men. You will, in some way, find the sort of love Christ felt for His neighbor. Prayer will be the key to success. Without it, you will not have the Spirit to guide you to those individuals waiting to hear this message you are sharing. As you pray, you will be able to

overcome some of the hardest times in your life. Heavenly Father is listening and answering every single day.

Missionary work is far from easy. You will wake up every morning at 6:30, work hard all day, and feel so weak at night that you collapse into your bed without a second thought. The days truly do feel like weeks, but the weeks feel like days. As you work hard to bring souls to Christ, you will find your purpose in life. This is what you were born to do.

Your mission president and his wife will be your eternal friends. You will look up to them as examples of what true disciples of Jesus Christ are. They will be there to guide you and help you. They will share knowledge and inspiration to help you and those you are teaching through the challenges of life. You will forever be thankful for these two individuals. President and Sister McMurray are the very best! 

More important than all of the fond memories, cool people, and neat places, you will come to know who Jesus Christ is. He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. He truly was crucified for your sins and mistakes. You will feel the power of the Atonement in your own life. It will completely and utterly change you. You will no longer see Him as this mysterious figure but as a dear friend. He is there for you every step of the way. He experienced all the highs and lows. Turn to Him. 

The Colorado Fort Collins Mission is your mission. You will forever have it engraven in your heart. The people of Wyoming and Colorado will now be family. It will almost break your heart to leave them, but the beautiful promises of eternity give you the knowledge that you are now linked to them forever. Enjoy this time your have to serve as a full-time missionary of the Lord. 

The FOCO Mission truly is the best.

Week 79: Sister Gish Hit Her 18 Month Mark! ONE MORE WEEK!

You guyyys! This week was one for the books! So many exciting things! 

On Wednesday, I got to go on exchanges with my favorite person ever! Sister Lloyd is just the best missionary I have ever seen! I can hardly believe she is a new missionary! We had fun talking to people and doing member missionary work. She's got that greenie fire and it brought back all the good mems and all the feels of when I was a greenie! Where has the time gone? 

It was super fun to celebrate Valentine's Day in the Land of Love itself! I was totally spoiled with card from my mom (and Lola), chocolate covered strawberries from my dad, a dress from Sister white, and flowers from the Smith's. Mostly I feel my Savior's love! He has blessed me with eternal friendships and countless blessings! I love Him. 

We got to celebrate Kat's birthday party on Friday! I just love her. I can honestly say I know we were friends before we came to earth... We just had to find each other again! 

Saturday was her baptism and it was amazing! I have never felt the spirit so strongly in my life! It was a glimpse into heaven's light! Kat bore the sweetest testimony I have ever heard. I can't wait to see what else is in store for Kat as she continues to joyfully walk the covenant path. It was also my 18 month mark, so I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate! I wish I could find the words to express how special these past 18 months have been, but really there are none. What words do you use to describe an experience that has been so hard, but so joyful at the same time? I've cried lots of tears, but most days I can't wipe these dimples of my face. My mission has been sacred and it will be near and dear to my heart for the rest of my life. 

How thankful I am for the privilege of giving my heart to the Lord these past 18 months. I know that when we give our heart to Him, he changes our hearts. It might not be easy, and things might not go your way, but guess what? Things didn't go the Savior's way very often. People didn't always accept his invitations. People mocked him. But he didn't shrink, he let those trials make him stronger. 

Rely on the Lord! That's all I can even think to say! 

I love you all, but I won't be calling you ;) lol

Also I got accepted to BYU and I'm just a lottle (a little and a lot) excited about it! 

Love, 

Sister Gish

Sister Gish hit her 18 month mark!

Sister Gish and Sister Lloyd

Chocolate covered strawberries from Dad!

What an amazing 18 months!!

Kat's Baptism

Week 78

How is it already Tuesday again? The weeks are not slowing down! That's for sure!

I had the pleasure of going on exchanges with Hermana Dahlke this week! She is just one of my favorite humans ever! She is such an example to me of showing people your love through service! I'm sad that it was our last exchange! 

On Thursday, we got to go to lunch with Sister McMurray! She is simply amazing and I want to be just like her one day! She has been such a strength to me my whole mission. I don't want to say goodbye to her! We also took Meghan a smoothie because she had her wisdom teeth taken out! 

Saturday we had zone breakfast with President Crane! He and Sister Crane are some of the best people I have met on my mission. They inspire me as I joyfully walk the covenant path that leads to eternal life. 

On Sunday, we had ELEVEN people at sacrament meeting. So many people invited friends! The power of member missionary work is very strong. Please invite YOUR friends to come closer to Christ through inspired invitations! 

Kat has officially been taught all of the missionary lessons. She told us that she is really excited for her baptism! I'm excited too! What a way for her to celebrate her birthday! 

Yesterday, I had my last zone conference! What is life? It was so good! We talked about not just knowing the gospel and not just going through the motions of living it, but that we need to actively strive to utilize the gospel and the Savior's atonement so that we can become like Him

1 John 3:2-3

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

We can purify ourselves through daily repentance. I am thankful for Christ's atonement. My greatest pursuit in life is to become like Him. 

I also gave my departing testimony at zone conference, but let's not talk about it. Pretty much, I'm obsessed with the gospel. I'm obsessed with my mission. I can't wait to soak up every moment these next couple weeks! I'm thankful that my pursuit of becoming like Christ will not end when my mission does! 

I love you all! 

Sister Gish

Sister Gish and Sister Dahlke

Sister Gish and Meghan

Sister Gish with President and Sister Crane

Sister Gish's last zone conference!

Sister Gish giving her departing testimony