Danna Osumo returns from her mission (March 2014 – September 2015)

I believe that if I continue to be exactly obedient to His commandments and have faith, many more miracles can happen to my life.

Ever since I was a little girl, I always aspired to be a missionary. Going on a mission was always in my plan for the future. So when the age for missionary service changed, I started preparing and as soon as I could, I applied and got the call to serve in the Philippines Quezon City mission. And it has been the most fulfilling and the best thing I have done in my life.

The mission was nothing like I expected. I guess I always thought that missionary life was easy because the missionaries always looked so happy and relaxed when I see them in church. And many times it was joy and happiness. I felt joy when teaching and testifying with my companion, when my investigators came to church or when they were baptized. I felt happiness when we talked to someone on the street and they were receptive or when a member shared a meal with us. 

But it wasn't easy because, many times, it felt like we were expected to keep this level of perfection. To be happy and positive despite being overcome with fatigue from walking long distances in the sun and then feeling disappointed when someone canceled our meeting. We had to keep smiling even when we were feeling sorrowful when an investigator tells us not to come back.

And so I learned to be grateful. For whatever trial or blessing the Lord may give me. And as I count my blessings, I realise that the Lord has always been so merciful and gracious to me. He would always send help. A kind word from my companion, a scripture verse, a workshop, a letter from my family etc. And I knew that with His love and the atonement, I can do anything!

A principle I learnt in my mission was that exact obedience brings miracles. I was with my sister training leader (STL) one day, and we were going to teach a less active brother. There was a rule that missionaries were not allowed to teach someone of the opposite gender without someone else of their own gender in the lesson. But I was new in the mission and wasn't trained to follow rules strictly, so I was going to start the lesson. But my STL reminded me of the rule and so we left. I was disappointed we couldn't teach that lesson because it couldn't be counted in our daily activities. We had no back up appointments and no other visits planned. So, we decided to visit an active member. As we visited the member, their daughter-in-law, who had just moved in, joined in the lesson. We taught her and it turns out she was taught before; she accepted a baptismal date and was baptised a month later. I realised that my STL’s exact obedience wasn't a sacrifice to our numbers; it gave us a miracle as we wouldn't have been able to meet this golden investigator otherwise. I believe that if I continue to be exactly obedient to His commandments and have faith, many more miracles can happen to my life.

I know that The Lord has a perfect plan for all of us. My mission president and his wife, each companion, housemate, area, calling I had – these served to help me be more converted and grow so that I can truly testify that I know that God lives and that He loves me. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, brother and friend and that He will never forsake us. I know that this is His Church and that it was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. And I am so grateful to have the restored gospel in my life.