The Last Full Week in Idaho

Holy Comoly only 10 days before I return home to Minnesota! Today for ou r last P-day we are hiking to a waterfall at Thousand Springs here in Hagerman. This last week will probably go by way too fast. It's hard not to focus on going home because I am so excited to see my family, friends and to be able to do what ever I want when ever I want, but at the same time there is nothing quite like being a full time missionary. There is a certain part of the Spirit with us as set apart missionaries of the Lord and people can feel it. It's the Lord's help in our calling and I hope it's not a drastic change when I get released. So with that in mind I am planning on testifying of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of the Gospel more this week than any other week! Then again I should have done that my whole mission. I've thought the whole two years about going home with no regrets , "NO R EGRETS", but it seems at the end of any journey that hind sight is 20/20. The only regret I have is not being more bold about the truthfulness of our message 100% of the time, because I know it's TRUE! 

   Next week here in the Wendell ID Stake is Stake Conference. So yesterday was the last Sunday I was attending the ward here in Hagerman .  In fact it was Fast Sunday and Testimony Meeting, so I got to bear my testimony at the pulpit. The bearing of testimony is awesome because as we bear it, we can feel the Holy Ghost testifying if what we are saying is true and that makes the testimony even deeper. I have felt that every time I bear testimony of Jesus Christ being our Savior and Redeemer, of God being our literal Father in Heaven and the Restoration of the Gospel and the blessings it has brought into my life. Even Joseph Smith's testimony bears witness of Jesus Christ. 

      " And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
       For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—
       That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." 
(Doctrine & Covenants 76:22-24)

 I can add my testimony to that of the Prophet Joseph Smith, that I know God lives, that Jesus Christ is His son and that we all saved through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ if we come unto Him and follow His gospel and teachings. I know that without Christ we are nothing , that without the gospel our lives will never reach the full potential that God has given us. A ll I've experienced in the last two year s point towards the truth of the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His church on the earth today, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

~ Elder Ethan Howard