I Can Now Go Home

December 2, 2010

Mommy & Daddy,

Well, today is my last preparation day (p-day)! Can you believe that? I haven't emailed you yet. We have morning p-day, so I'm writing you and it's like 1145am. We had a zone pot-luck breakfast this morning. It was really good. I made papas-con-hueves to bring. We had a lot of food from other countries. I'm super full now!

This week has been a really good one. We have three new investigators! DJ from MO, we are passing him of to the local missionaries. We are teaching a guy named Adnano, he is from Mexico and is progressing now! He said he'll go to church this week. We also have Jessica #4! That's right, another Jessica. She is golden. She is from Alberta Canada. She is going to church on Sunday. It's a two-hour drive and she is totally fine with traveling that distance to go to church. I love when people are prepared to hear the gospel! They're willing to do anything to know the truth. It just amazes me how much as members of the church we take for granted. We have investigators who travel hours just to get to church. While we members only live 15 minutes away from our chapel and sometimes we would rather sleep in than go to church.

My mission has changed me so much. I now have realized what things are important. I'm so grateful that I've had this year-and-a-half to strengthen my testimony and change. I really feel like I'm different and I understand Heavenly Father's divine plan for his children. As few transfers ago in district meeting (actually it was probably more like a year ago) they talked to us about a scripture in 1 Cor. 13:11, it says "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

So for district meeting we changed the scripture so it applied directly to us. Mine said: "When I was Aubree, I spake as Aubree, I understood as Aubree, I thought as Aubree: but when I became a missionary, I put away Aubree-ish things." I want to continue to put away Aubree-ish things as I continue to grow and mature. I'm not quite sure how I can master that without being totally weird, but I'll work on that.

My testimony has been strengthened so much on my mission. I'm grateful that I've learned so much that I can teach my future family. I never would have learned all of this the same way had I not served a mission.

Thank you for all of your help, prayers and support throughout my mission. I could not have served without your help. I am so grateful that we can be together forever. I love you so much!

I know that God loves us. I know that Jesus Christ lives; He is our Savior and Redeemer. I know both God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the young boy Joseph Smith and he restored Christ's church.

I love you both so much! Thank you for being the BEST!

Love,

Sister Garbett

P.S. I'll be home for Christmas!

P.S.S. The other morning our zone had to wash the vans at 6am. While we were down there guess who we saw! Elder Dallin H. Oaks! He came and shook all of our hands! It was really neat! He came up to us and talked with us for a few minutes. He told us to tell all of our parents hi. The night before Elder Christopherson was at our choir performance, but I didn't get to talk to him. I can now go home. Heavenly Father knew that I wanted to meet an apostle before I went home!