Elder James VanderMeyden's Costa Rican Mission: Chapter 30: The Final Frontier

Well, here it is, the final email. The final p-day. My final moments as a missionary. It feels really weird to be leaving.

For my last p-day, We plan on playing bola (futbol soccer, sorry). I already packed because I have to go to San Jose EARLY tomorrow. Then we are going to have pizza with a member. I said goodbye to everyone, but I really don't like saying goodbye. It's hard.

I loved Christmas, even if it wasn't white ;)

Also, Weird thing. They´re sending me to San Jose without a companion. There will be at least one other missionary with me but she´s a sister... That´ll be really weird for me. The last time I was alone during changes was my very first change from Nicoya to Siquirres, when I had to take a Taxi for 3 minutes alone to go from one bus stop to another. :P good news is that there will be missionaries waiting for me in San Jose. The La Rita Elders will be Elder Garay's companions until transfers.

Mom asked me for what I have learned, what I would change, and what advice I can give. So here it is:

The most important this I´ve learned from the mission would be True humility. Accepting God´s will over what one wants. being obedient to the commandments comes with this and blessings come from this. The great example of Humility is Christ:

Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

I´ve learned that we must always trust that the Lord knows best, even when we want something contrary to his will. He will always choose the best path for us. He will always lead us to become what the best we can. He will always give us trials to help us develop the attributes that He needs us to have. And, if we are humble to Him and His plan for us, we will be perfected in Him. We can be a powerful tool for good in the lives of many people.

Different? I wish I could have given my all and not fallen in the worldly temptations such as watching television and wanting to know about the new movies and lingering in places where they played music just to listen, that so easily beset me. To be honest, they weren´t good things that I did in the mission and I could have overcome it if I had given 100% and not just 95%. That is my biggest regret.

Advice? I´d say to keep reading the scriptures always. Many less active members start on the path of less activity just because they don´t have a good base of praying or reading the scriptures daily. GET THAT HABIT. It could save your eternal life.