Monday, January 4, 2016

For the last time

I have 40 minutes for the last time where I will need to email you to let you know I am alive and well. The convenience of doing it in person will be so bittersweet because the very thin distance emotionally between me and the Savior is not going to be the same in a short week. I know there's no such thing as being disconnected from Him, but I do know that this very well may be the last time I can serve Him with the power and authority to be his full time servant. 

I am currently listening to a hymn called "Beautiful Zion, Built Above" and thought that I would attach the 2nd verse lyrics.

Beautiful heav'n, where all is light;
Beautiful angels clothed in white;
Beautiful strains that never tire;
Beautiful harps thru all the choir;
There shall I join the chorus sweet,
Worshiping at the Savior's feet.

If Zion is truly built above, I'm convinced that its closest coordinate is Rancho Cucamonga, California. I've grown up calling many places my 2nd home, but I've never had the courage to actually leave home (even for school in the same state) until I came here. Here; here is my 2nd home. Here is where the Savior abides closest with me. They say that each person shows their love differently and His way is so profound where it can be found around us each day, but the magnificence and beauty of His everlasting love is easiest to be seen when you are serving His children. Abinadi teaches us that if we are sinners and are going to need to rely on Christ's atonement in order to live again, then we are all of His seed. I know that our Savior has never ceased to worry about us and we can never do something so wretched that would cause Him to look away and pull back from the way that He loves us.

I'm actually getting kicked off in 4 minutes, yikes.

Family and friends, thank you for being so good to me and for watching me develop into a missionary in which I hope I will always be able to reflect. I am here to serve our Creator and our Father and am eager to return and offer that service to those whom the Lord needs me to. I love you all so so so much and can't express my love enough for our Heavenly Father for all of these spectacular experiences He has given to me on my mission. I will cherish it forever. I love you. See you next week.

For the last time,

Love,
Elder Shawn Lyle Bennion