Editor’s note: Many are familiar with my daughter, Sara Arkell, also known as The Piano Gal. Sara has been called to serve in the New York Syracuse Mission. This is a series on her weekly letters that we will be posting on the site for those who wish to follow along with her mission. You can read her previous emails here.
Hello hello!! Happy May! We’re already 1/3 of the way through 2022. I can’t believe that! Wow! Hopefully y’all haven’t forgotten about the goals you set at the beginning of this year 😉 Time is a’tickin!
This week my brother got his mission call!!! He’s going to the Argentina Bahía Blanca mission! I am so excited for him! He’s going to do so great and learn so much. My big sister heart was hurting that day though. Wow! I was so homesick this week! I was really struggling! It’s SO hard to not be home for these big events, talk about sacrifice.
I was a mess for a couple days so I decided to ask for a priesthood blessing from one of the senior missionaries. And I felt so much better afterwards! I felt at peace & comforted and just knew I was going to be okay. I know the priesthood is real! I know God is aware of us & wants us to have peace and comfort and gives us the tools in order to have it!
WE HAD A LESSON WITH JESSIE THIS WEEK!!!! Wow that was the coolest thing ever. I could not stop smiling and my cheeks hurt afterwards we learned so many cool things about her! And everything we brought up about the gospel in that call hit home for her. She said it made her heart happy and she feels really good about it! We’re so excited!
After we ended the Zoom call, we were jumping up and down, smiling, and said a very heartfelt prayer of gratitude to Heavenly Father. It’s only because of Him that she is so prepared. This verse stuck out to me in district council this week! It’s Alma 13:24:
“For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory.”
Angels are preparing people’s hearts & we get to find them! Missionary work is so awesome!
We did a lot of filming and editing for our mission’s social media pages. We just launched the ASL page yesterday so make sure to go follow! We’re working super hard on it! I’m getting lots of practice at my videography skills. Getting better everyday!
The other day we were filming at a park and there was a guy walking his dogs who stopped and asked us what we were doing. We told him & then got talking! We ended up teaching him about the gospel and set up a time for this Thursday to meet again! That was a “right place, right time” moment, definitely orchestrated by God! Not a coincidence that we both happened to be at the park at that specific time so we would cross paths! Pray for Eric!
One of our friends no longer wants to be baptized 🙁 It’s so hard when you can see how much the gospel will bless their life, but they aren’t willing to live some of the commandments or make that lifestyle change. You have to really understand WHY in your heart. Hopefully he’ll come around someday!
God loves you!!! Hold on to that if nothing else. He wants you to return back to Him, so do what it takes! Live the gospel and you’ll find JOY. Love y’all!