La Isla Del Encanto

I could write a whole post about my vacation to Puerto Rico...but instead I would like to share what I learned from that wonderful little Caribbean island. 

Flamenco beach aka paradise

I spent a year and a half living in Puerto Rico as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the hardest yet one of the most rewarding times of my life so far. I am assuming that most of you reading this already know the details about what a mission is like, but for those of you who don't, please read the next paragraph.

My beautiful mom and sister

To serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is completely voluntary. Most missionaries save up their whole life to pay for their mission. I was blessed to have the financial help of my parents. Each day as a missionary schedule is spent praying, studying the scriptures, talking to everyone and teaching them of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  No breaks. No days off. We do this because we love God, and we have consecrated these 18 months to him and his service. Missionaries all have the common goal and purpose "to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end."

300 year old tree 

Wild horses on Vieques

Black sand beach on the island of vieques

I would not have dedicated 18 months of my life to this AND stayed faithful to it even after my mission was completed if I did not know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only place I can find the fullness of the gospel and is the true church of God on the earth. 

Underneath the waterfall La Nina in El Yunque national park

Visiting Puerto Rico was more than sweet because it meant I would be able to reconnect with those whom I had grown to love. The people that I was able to share this amazing gospel with have changed my life. During the trials of being away from home, learning a new language and giving up my wants and desires to help other people allowed the Savior to change my heart. 

Benji. An amazing man who overcame his addiction to alcohol despite his difficult circumstances.

An amazing family I taught during the first months of my mission

The most important thing that I have learned is that to know God, we have to give up the world first. As soon as we make that choice, our eyes are opened to the many blessings and light that come from the heavens. Our Heavenly Father knows us and he loves us with all of his heart. His whole purpose is to bring us back home to the Celestial Kingdom.

Amazing mission president and his amazing wife!

I am absolutely certain that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. It is through him that we are able to be cleansed from our sins and be made new. I know that baptism is the gate that opens the way to eternal salvation and allows us to receive the gift and companionship of the Holy Ghost. I know that the church was lost for a period of time after Christ's death and that it has again been restored in it's fullness through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that God speaks to us now as he did in days of old, through a living prophet. 

I am so grateful to God that he led me to Puerto Rico, let me have those amazing experiences, and allowed me to return again to mi isla del encanto.

 xoxo 

Morgan