Well everybody, the time has come. My final email is off and away. I honestly don't know what to say because I never imagined this day before! I still have 2 more full days of missionary work and I'm so incredibly grateful for these last moments I'll have as a missionary of the Lord in the greatest work known to man.
To write about this last week again for some reason these past 3 weeks have kinda just mushed together. We have spent so much time finding and teaching. Seriously everyday we are at a grocery store from 1pm-5pm and it is a grind! It's so fulfilling at the end of the day when you know you've worked the hardest you could. That's what I've been trying to do with my last few weeks, work harder than I've ever worked.
Some fun things that have been happening is we've been able to find a few super cool people. Hopefully they progress after I'm gone. We've had a few lessons with our most progressing friends which has been good. We went to the library for Nadia who I was hoping would get baptized before I left but it looks like she'll have to wait till the end of September but I should be able to join her baptism over zoom! Most other lessons with everyone else however have been canceling on us. It's frustrating when you've got a whole night of lesson but none of them show up. But none the matter, it gave us more time to go try and find more people to teach.
Sunday was my last church service in Virginia for a while and I don't even know what to think! I am actually super sad but it still doesn't feel like I'm done. I feel like I'll just get transferred to a new area and start missionary work all over again. But I got to say goodbye to lots of members who I enjoyed. One even wrote down my address in case they ever are in AZ, they might stop by which would be so sweet!
Today was my last pday so everyone in the district wanted me to decide what to do. We ended up going to top golf and lunch! It was a blast! It's actually super sad to say goodbye to all of them because we've had so much fun as a district! Lots of people are leaving the district too, I'm going home, one missionary is going to a new area and another is actually flying to Japan this week! So needless to say we are all sad to say goodbye!
OK well I don't really know how to end something so good like a mission, I'm nervous for the future but am so excited to see all my family and friends. I'm nervous to start school and work but I know the lord will direct as I continue building spiritually after I return. A mission is one of the greatest things on this earth, it has brought me so many trials but so much joy, true joy, because of the atonement of christ. Before I left on my mission I knew the church was true but I'd never fully applied the atonement in my life. Well on my mission I learned how to do that, I've seen so many friends apply the atonement in their lives that It actually made it real to me. Jesus Christ is our savior, meaning without him we would be completely lost and forgotten but because of the sure knowledge we have of his life and ministry and sacrifice, we have hope to know that if we turn to him and give him our hearts, we will be saved and gifted eternity with our loving father in heaven. I hope you all know that and know that I know of a surety of that very principle! I love you all! And I hope to see and talk to everyone of you again!
-Elder Gavin Milius
P.s. I'm giving my homecoming talk this Sunday at 8:30am (Mountain Standard). Here is the address, I'd love to see all who can come there!
555 S Recker Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85296
