These past 2 years have changed my life

Hey everybody. One more for the books, please bare with me haha

This week Elder Pilling seeks revelation for the upcoming transfer, receives revelation from President Nakken, and eats food. Good food. 

Really though, this was a spectacular week. Tied everything together and it was marvelous. I've never felt so connected and in tune during a transfer meeting than I did this week. I feel like I finally really got the process down and then, well, I get put at the top where all the departing missionaries go:( literally the worst. We made 6 new areas because of the 12 missionary influx we are receiving which means we needed to get a bunch of apartments and cars and things. Always makes for a challenge when transfer day comes. 

After we complete the transfer, our final step is to kneel and pray for each companionship by name, area, and assignment.  This is a particularly special time to ponder and feel the presence of the spirit to ensure the work is accepted. So that was all good. 

What was also awesome about this week was having Elder Schoen with us. He's my replacement haha and we had a good time, us 3. We kept the gas on and had this super cool lesson with our new friend Andrea, she's black and so awesome! 

Since Elder Schoen just came from Moorpark, which was my first area for 6 months, we went down to get his stuff and it just so happened the Hanshaws were feeding them. Sooooooo we got to eat with some of my fav members in Moorpark all in one swoop! It was pretty hype. 

Oh my goodness I almost forgot! We got a new car!!! Her name is Mckell and she is a 2020 chevy Equinox. Terribly slow but handles like a razor kinda. Feels pretty narrow. Anyway started with 40 miles. Pretty hype to have a new car. It's blue metallic which is the only colour of its kind in the mission. Sad to see the Avalon go but apparently Salt Lake was chapped we had the mission President's car... It's like they don't trust us or something haha 

Kapono got the priesthood, my departing interview was spectacular. President Nakken is a genius. We ate food that was delicious, prayed a lot, other things, ran out of food, and that's about it. 

To wrap it up...

My mission really has meant everything to me. I've done a lot of good here, and I keep getting surprised by others reaching out to tell me the impact I've had in their lives. But above all this rings one phrase, "I've done my duty, nothing more".  The scriptures teach this concerning the service:

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."

It doesn't say that you are only accepted if you see X number of people come into the church, or if you reach some level of status, all that is required is that you serve him with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. That's been my goal since the beginning. No assignment or stuff for things makes up the glory.  The glory is in the service of God. 

When I was in my first transfer we received the memorial Ensign for Elder Robert D. Hales. Included was his air force team's motto he said, “Our unit motto—displayed on the side of our aircraft—was ‘Return with Honor,’...This motto was a constant reminder to us of our determination to return to our home base with honor only after having expended all of our efforts to successfully complete every aspect of our mission.”

It was pretty timely to have that come in a time of my mission where I was very moldable. Every night I'd reflect. Sometimes I'd be frustrated or disappointed but we can always repent and try again. I truly believe that that magazine was inspired. It's shaped the way I do things. So feast on that. 

My mother says people read these but I'm still not convinced haha but anyway it's been a good 2 years. It's changed my life. And I've loved it. Thanks for the support and love.

See you in a couple! 

Love,

Elder Pilling

3301 W Gonzales Rd, 
Oxnard CA  93036