It is been 67 weeks since I said good bye to my family. I still remember my mom walking out of one door while I walked in another door as missionary and absolutely everyone weeping uncontrollably and singing “Called to serve.” As I walked in another door, I felt I was leaving my family behind to serve, but now I understand that I never left my family but I got a very big family. I am very grateful for the time I am spending in the mission, for the people I worked with, and especially the people I am serving.
My first place on my mission was Chennai, the place where I have never been before. With fear and questions like, what I am going to do? How I can commit myself fully towards my mission? How will my companion be? But once as I stepped in there; all questions vanished. During these 67 weeks of time I used to read, read and read. My biggest happiness as a missionary came through knocking on doors, I saw the days people shut the door on our face and I saw people lovingly inviting us to listen to the message we had and who accepted the invitation to be baptized. A little while later I was approaching the Sabbath day with a sweet feeling as it was their baptism, I will never ever forget the feeling of seeing them getting baptized. I feel that I was the one who have met the sweetest people, who invited me and my companions and they allowed us to teach them the gospel. Many times I used to have trials but still nothing stopped me serving my mission. I enjoyed going to dinner appointments with my companion to lots of member homes in a wide diversity of different settings of wards and branches. It was by meeting different families and being exposed to different traditions and environments, I gained an appreciation for them and their lives.
My funniest part on my mission was when I am trying to learn their language. I used to write it down in my notebook and when I tried to read it back, I found how easy it was for me to start my own new language. Some of my most cherished moments are I love teaching gospel doctrine, leading hymns and when I share my testimony with investigators. It is the most spiritually fulfilling feeling I’ve ever had. Whenever I’m given a topic to be discussed, I ponder on it. I love presenting my ideas in an unusual way and seeing people get excited when I present it . I love to systematically study the scriptures, by which I have completed reading “The Book of Mormon” within 3 months. My hardest time was when I get transferred to a new area, leaving the people who loved me a lot. Change in place will change climate this I find it hard at the beginning of a transfer. I am so happy with all these experiences that I have gone through all these days and I still have more to go. I love being a missionary and I know it! How great is my calling!
Sister Divya Yadav Yelamanchili