Letter - April 11, 2011

April Showers

Dear Everyone,

Can you believe how the time has flown? I’m sorry for being so terribly silent through emails. I have seen miracles happen here in Vilnius lately. We have three investigators who have set dates to be baptized. That’s unheard of. Each of the companionships here in Vilnius are doing equally well. I attribute it the blessings first to The Lord, but also to the faith of the members, who fasted in March for the missionary work of this area. The weather has been rainy, sometimes icy, and sometimes sunny, but always changing it's mind a couple times a day.

It was a spiritual feast to enjoy General Conference this week. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be serving in the mission field right now. I am hopeful as ever that we will continue to find humble men and women who wish to follow Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to hear from a living prophet and apostles. How wonderful that this year is the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible as well as the 75th anniversary of the Church welfare program. I hope to finish a faithful mission, to serve with every last bit of strength I have. I still lack courage sometimes (I know, hard to believe.) In some ways, I’m striving to get back some of that trainee fire that I had to talk to more people. I’m doing better missionary work than I’ve ever done, and there’s still a long way to go.

We will see one of our investigators baptized with two others on the 30th of May. He, along with two others, will be the first convert baptisms in the Vilnius Branch in about a year. The members here are so wonderful I can hardly stand it. They are some of the most giving people I know.

The investigators’ name is Vitalij. He started coming to English Class a few months ago. One lesson we invited all our students to come with questions about us which they would like us to answer. Rarely if ever do our students actually take us up on the offer, but he did. We were able to answer his questions to the class and give a simple testimony before showing, yes, the Restoration film. A week later, he asked for a Book of Mormon, and attended a baptismal service held that day. He read the entire book in a couple weeks, and accepts every commandment we teach him. He is humble and good. He said the Book of Mormon was pretty hard for him to understand the first time, so we taught him to pray for understanding. He says he can feel the spirit helping him to understand, especially since this second time through he’s reading in Lithuanian rather than Russian. I can hardly believe it. I can hardly believe how happy he is to receive the gospel. Hearing so many ‘no’s on my mission, as I’m sure everyone does, has just helped me to value all the more those ‘yesses.’

Jesus Christ is our Savior. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is His Church. Thomas S. Monson is His prophet. This is His work. I Love you all.

Sister Paul



You will complete your full-time missionary service here in the Baltic Mission on Friday, 24 June 2011 and return home. Further details and information relating to your departure will come to you in a few weeks.

You have answered the invitation of the Savior to follow Him. The principle He taught His disciples applies to you as well: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” You have had your hands on the plow as you have been diligently serving. Keep your hands there and your attention fixed on the task at hand.

In fact, now is the time to lift your focus and diligence up one more notch. The Lord has work for you to do. The salvation of His children, who are your brothers and sisters, is depending on you. I have several suggestions to help you finish strong.

1. Keep the missionary schedule exactly.
2. Set daily and weekly goals and accomplish them—set goals for proselyting, study, and Christ-like attributes.
3. Keep diligently studying your mission language.
4. Keep your departure date to yourself.
5. Invite your companion (and district members) to never mention or discuss your departure—focus on today and talk about your investigators and how to accomplish your goals.
6. Invite your family to not discuss post mission plans in their emails—ask them to help you focus on serving with all your heart, might, mind, and strength.
7. If you have educational deadlines or to-do’s, get them done on preparation day and forget them.
8. Mentally avoid making plans or thinking about your home-coming. Focus all those thoughts to a month or two beyond your departure date and keep your thoughts vague. This keeps you from dwelling or getting caught up in events beyond your mission.