Christ has made me more than I could make myself. The last email! - Week 80 (Transfer 11, Week 6) - November 7, 2016

Sister Osman is coming home!!!

Arrival date in SLC: Nov 9th, 2016

Homecoming talk: Nov 13th, 2016, 11:00 am
285 North Matterhorn Drive
ALPINE, UTAH 84004
Please, join us at our home afterward
for food and a chance to get re-acquainted!

Email us for our address!

Last day--this morning. Got some laundry and oatmeal!

Hey Everyone,

Man, it's the last Monday. The last email. I remember the first day I went into the MTC. I loved it. I felt at home...it was the right place to be. I was so excited. The MTC was so full of the Spirit and so much motivation. It was as if you could feel the building moving forward. So many minds put together, out to do the same thing, for the same reason. But there was that underlying energy of anticipation--we were all so nervous.

I remember my first day in the field. The car ride home from the mission home, I kept falling asleep mid-sentence. My companion was trying to get to know me, and I kept falling asleep while she was talking to me, then I would jolt awake and apologize.

I remember the first guy I ever talked to on the street. He was tall, with a red beard and long red hair walking across the cross walk in Ajax. His name was Patrick. We met him probably 4 more times while I was there in Ajax, just pumped into him on the street. Our first investigator was a young boy named Kareem from Jamaica that we met at the very end of the first day. He was the last boy we talked to.

I remember my third day in the field. The alarm went off at 6:30 am. My trainer hopped out of bed like it was nothing and I woke up like, holy molly I still have 18 months...I'm going to die of exhaustion. This is never going to end.

But then every day I would wake up, I would get up, I would go out. And miracles would happen. And then eventually, it wasn't hard anymore. I learned that I can do so much more than I ever thought I could because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Christ has made me more than I could make myself. It's been such a blessing, such a gift. I have had the opportunity to see God's hand in the lives of His children. I have had the opportunity to see people change and progress. I know that God loves us so much. 

I don't know what to say that will adequately describe what I've experienced and how amazing it was, but my mission has been the best thing ever. I am so grateful for what I have learned, for the people I have come to love and know; I'm grateful for my companions, my family, the people in my areas, the things I've experienced, the prayers I've heard, the opportunity that I've had to help people and most of all to experience the Atonement of Jesus Christ for myself.

The Atonement is an experience. It doesn't happen all at once. Real repentance is earned, and it happens every day. I testify that Jesus Christ payed the price because forgiveness is not a cheap experience, but He did it for US! His church, The True Church is not created by walls or buildings or things; it is made up by His people. I have had the opportunity to understand how much God loves His Church. We are the church, all of human kind and He loves us so much. I have learned so much from being here and I am so grateful for it....words can't explain how much I will miss the people here and how much I will miss being a missionary. But I know that I can ALWAYS be a missionary. Being a missionary means that you serve people. You love people. And you stand as a witness at all times and in all places of Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

Thank you all so much for your support. Love you all. See you in a couple days.

Love,

Mikkia Osman

Saying good byes. 😭

At MLC they had me leave my departing testimony. There were like 10 other departing missionaries in the room, and we all gave our testimonies. We were all bawling at the end.
Then the elders in our ward, Elder Bliss and Elder Lemon made me a cake. Everyone in the ward wrote me good bye notes and the ward mission leader made me a big scrap book card thingy. Then at church at the end of class Bre stood up and said, "Wait I have to say something! I'm so grateful for sister Osman and all she's done for me." And then she started crying. And then Lynn stood up and thanked me. And then Robert. And Anne-Marie. And then we were all crying. And then we took pictures with everyone. And then in sacrament meeting Sister Wilson and I bore our testimonies right after Bre did and we were all crying. And then Brian started crying. And Heather cried (at home a while ago). And then everyone sent us texts saying goodbye. And then Sister Kovecses called us this morning and said, "I just wanted to hear your voice one last time." Hahaha, she made me the cutest hat. And the kids drew me pictures. And all this stuff....I could go on and on. It's been really sad, I love everyone here. But then at the same time I think of seeing my family again and I feel this big sob coming up my throat....haha wow....