IRELAND-Y.O.L.O.! :)‏

Wow!  Where do I begin...this mission experience has come and gone so quickly!  I just want to let you all know how grateful Cort and I are for all of the love, concern, support, phone calls, texts, emails, interest in Callie, etc. that we have received from many of you over the past 18 months.  We know that your influences have helped shape Callie into the person she is today.  Thank you for adding to and sharing in the excitement of Callie being able to serve our Father in Heaven and the wonderful people of Scotland and Ireland.   We have loved sharing this journey with you and have such gratitude in our hearts for all of you.  This has been the experience of a life time for our family!  Thank you for sharing it with us, we love you!! ~Lisa

Here are a few questions I asked Callie...I wanted to share her sweet comments with you:

i love my comps! man, mom i'm so grateful i came on a mission!! 
 

What will you miss the most about your mission? THE PEOPLE!! AND TEACHING! AND JUST THE EXPERIENCE AND LEARNING ABOUT THE GOSPEL. FEELING SO CLOSE TO HEAVENLY FATHER AND CHRIST. 

Who will you miss the most? MY COMPANION AND BELLA.

Are you ready to be home? NO!!!! BUT YES AT THE SAME TIME. IM COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED. MY BODY NEEDS A BREAK HAHA AND SO DO MY FEET

This is her last email and she will be returning next Wednesday, December 17th!  I will send out an email with details about her homecoming on December 28th   Thanks again for everything!!..........Lisa

 

Heyy family!! happy holidays!!!!!

So this is my LAST email. Can you believe it? I can't. At all. Well before I start my last email, I'd like to update you real quick. Not a ton to report because we didn't get to see Megan or Stuart this past week but guess what....Richard passed the sacrament yesterday!!!! :) And, he's going to the temple on December 19-20. He was going to go in Feb, but he came up to us yesterday and said, "Sisters, God wants me to go to the temple Dec instead of Feb so I'm going on the 19th." I couldn't help but smile! :) I am just so dang proud of him. So grateful Heavenly Father put him in our path. That is basically the update...we are going to have a BBQ for our last pday today and play American football and football so I'm really excited! :) Here's a great quote...

"Faith in God, included faith in His timing."

When I made the decision to serve, I knew it was the right time. And now that I am at the end of my mission, I knew I needed to go at the time I did. I am so beyond grateful I came on my mission at the time I did. I've been able to meet so many people and make so many life long friends out here. I've been reminiscing on my mission a lot this past week and how much I've learned, grown, the friends I've made, ppl I've met, experiences I've had, etc..

"When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed."

I've learned about change. I've learned that change is okay. When I was in the MTC, I remember thinking how I didn't want to change because I didn't want to become someone who I wasn't. But when I got into the mission field, I quickly realized that I was going to have to change to become someone better. It was in Pollok with my amazing trainer that I learned to change. She helped me become the missionary I needed to become. I have changed, not so much in my personality, but in my priorities, goals, wants, desires, my knowledge, etc.. I'm grateful I chose to follow Christ, because it lead me to change into a person and missionary God wants me to be.

"When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing shoulder to shoulder with the best life this world has ever know, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have every reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions."

When I was in Stornoway, that is where I learned all about my Savior and how to rely on him. How to trust in Him. How to let Him help me. It was there that I learned about Him and His atonement. I gained my testimony of the Savior in Stornoway and I am sooooo thankful for that. 

"He who kneels before God, can stand before anyone."

Enough said. This quote is one of my favorites. I learned to not be afraid to talk to anyone. In East Kilbride, it was hard. People wouldn't listen but that is where I learned to talk to everyone because I was desperate to find people to teach. I also learned that people have their agency but I do as well. It was in Holywood that I learned how the Spirit speaks to me. I learned to always follow the promptings I receive and not to doubt them. I am so thankful Heavenly Father was able to guide me, lead me, warn me, and help me on my mission to find those who are prepared. 

I have learned so much on my mission and I am so thankful for that. I have a testimony. I have a testimony of my Savior. I know He lives and His atonement is real. Because of Him, I can be with my family for eternity and to me, that is one of the greatest blessings in my life. I am thankful to my Savior for helping me along the way on this great journey here in Scotland and Ireland. I have a testimony that Heavenly Father loves me and that He does answer prayers-that's why I'm on a mission. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it is the keystone to our religion. Joseph Smith was a prophet and I know he translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. I'm thankful that the priesthood is back on the earth. It has blessed me personally. I know that this church is true and I am so beyond grateful I came on a mission. I know that this experience has been by far the hardest thing of my life, but it has been the best, funnest, growing, learning experience of my life. 

Family, THANK YOU for everything. Your support, love, letters, prayers, encouragement, packages, etc.. I love you all so much and I cant wait to see you all!!!! Christ is the reason! :) 

Love always,

Sister Callie Firth 

ps I love you Scotland and Ireland. I'll be back, don't worry!!

sis skagen and i in our puffy coats...its that time of year :)

this what happens when its fast sunday, you stare at the cookie and wish you could eat it.