Marie Ellis returns from her mission (April 2013 – November 2014)

I absolutely loved teaching over the phone - there were many miracles and my companions and I helped baptize a few people from inbound calls. There are teaching centers on Temple Square with lots of computers for us to do this. Cool, huh? The church is true!

I served in the Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission with the privilege of serving in the Texas Houston South Mission from October 2013 – February 2014. My mission means everything to me and I pray that the Spirit will speak to you as I share my testimony.

Many of the miracles I experienced and saw on my mission cannot be put into words! I went on my mission when I was 19, and even though I was young, I realized from the very beginning that all the experiences I’d had prepared me for my mission and were needed for people I would see and teach. It was amazing to see how Heavenly Father used me and my companions to bring forth His marvelous work, which is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39) and in such a variety of ways!

Temple Square is a very unique mission; missionaries there don’t serve in wards. We serve and teach people from all over the world, whether face to face on the Square or online or over the phone through mormon.org. Elder Ballard once said that technology is a part of the restoration, and I know that’s true! I absolutely loved teaching over the phone - there were many miracles and my companions and I helped baptize a few people from inbound calls. There are teaching centers on Temple Square with lots of computers for us to do this. Cool, huh? The church is true!

What I am most grateful for is that I look at people differently now. Before my mission I didn’t really understand what it meant to have charity. Charity is the pure love of Christ; having charity means to truly love someone. Through prayer, practice and patience, I did my best to develop this attribute on my mission and continue to do so today. It’s not easy, but it’s very liberating and you genuinely feel happier when you love those around you, whether it’s the people sitting next to you on the bus or your own family. I know that God lives and that He is our Father. He loves and knows us because we are His children. We are all brothers and sisters! Remembering this simple but very true principle has helped me to have charity for those around me. Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered, died and was resurrected for each and every one of us. I know the Saviour lives, and because He lives all of us will live again also.

I am proud to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am eternally grateful to my Father in Heaven who called me to go on a mission where I was refined and transformed by Him! I am excited to continue to follow Him throughout my life and apply the things I’ve learnt from my mission. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Marie Ellis