Hey everyone!
I'm sorry that I haven't been able to write for the past two weeks. I haven't really had a p-day... busy working and getting from city to city. It's 4:40 am right now; I will be leaving for the airport in just a few hours so this email is going to be shorter than I would have liked...sorry. And please excuse my writing if anything doesn't really make sense, my brain feels like it's not really connected to my body right now ahah.
Within these past two weeks I've worked in 5 cities (Alkmaar, Lelystad, Groningen, Tilburg, and Gent) with a bike and a suitcase...getting on and off the trains alone was an adventure in and of itself. When I showed up in Tilburg Zuster Parker just looked at me and said, "You look so exhausted but so happy." And that was the perfect way to describe what I was and looked like at the end of all this. I have never been so exhausted in my life, traveling up and down countries, but I have also never been so happy! It has definitely been by the grace of God that I have had the energy to do all of this.
These two weeks have been some of the most incredible two weeks of my mission and my life and I've enjoyed every second of it. I love all of the sisters that I've worked with so much. We've had SOOOO much fun! There was not a day where we weren't laughing. And every time I had to leave a city and the sisters, my heart broke a little. It was so strange...I didn't think I could get so close to people in just 2 or 3 days. But I think it was a good preparation for when I will actually be leaving the mission and going home. I know that a piece of my heart is going to stay behind here as I get on that plane.
I feel like I'm leaving my family and home all over again. I have LOVED my mission. It means absolutely everything to me! It was the foundation that I needed to build on for the rest of my life. In every city I found myself wishing that I could stay just a little longer. It was funny because one of the sisters even called President Bunnell to see if I could stay just one more week with them. His reply: "I'm sorry to say this but the wheels on this train are not stopping."
Everyone kept asking me what I was going to do next in my life and I was reminded of the question that has plagued my mind ever since I was about 10 or 11 years old: "What is to become of me?" I wanted to come on a mission because I promised my 9-year-old self that I would. I came on a mission because I wanted to serve God and become a better person. But most important, I stayed on my mission because I cannot deny the power, light, and comfort that this gospel has brought into my life. And now I'm going home because, well, it's time for me to start another chapter of my life.
My reply to people whenever they ask me that question is, "I don't really know." I have an idea of where I want to go in life and what I want and plan on becoming. But in all honesty, I don't know what I'm really going to do next but I'm excited to find and figure it out. When I was a little kid setting goals for what I wanted in life, I never imagined that I would be where I am right now. As I've changed some of my plans to try and meet God's will I can look back and say with all conviction that His plan was and is always better than mine, no matter how difficult it was.
Some things were really really hard but I am so grateful for all of my experiences! As I look back on my life to this point I realize that I have found so many people that I never knew I needed in my life. Lost friends and family that were only lost because I didn't make it to the country yet. I think that's why I love traveling so much; you meet people that become so important to you and most of the time you don't really realize it until you leave.
I am reminded of the quote: "Don't strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt." I hope that I have been able to do that, even if it was for just one person. I know that I've felt the absence of some of the people that have crossed my path. I just want to say thank you to all of you. Thanks for coming on this adventure with me and thanks for you love and encouragement; it means a lot.
I had my last interview with President last night. He asked how I was doing with everything. And even now it still has NOT registered in my brain that I'm going home. I just feel like it's transfers or something. But I am happy to go home. I can't wait to talk to my family and friends. I've missed their faces and their voices. What is to become of me? I don't really know, but I'll let you know as I figure it out if you want :)
A lot of people have asked me to bear my testimony because they wanted to know how and why I came to and stayed in this gospel. My answer is simply this: When I was a child I wanted to know if God existed. And if He existed I wanted to know if He cared. In the years that I have searched to try and get to know Him, I have come to the conclusion that 1. it doesn't matter if you believe in Him or not; He exists regardless of our faith in Him - He's not a fairy, and 2. as we live the way He has asked us to and not heed our limited amount of knowledge and opinions then we will have more joy and light in our lives than we can comprehend.
The foundation of my testimony of this gospel came from reading, studying, and living the principles that are so simply explained in The Book of Mormon. I love this gospel! I love it so much and I have loved sharing with other people! I love it I love it I love it I love it! And I am so incredibly grateful for the understanding and power that it brings. We are children of God and He loves us. He wants us to be happy and He has given us the tools in order to achieve our potential; if only we would use them. I'm grateful for suffering and all the difficult things we have to go through in life to get to know God and become better.
I love you all! This is Zuster Jen Begazo signing off for the last time as a set-apart, full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'll see you on the other side!