Mission Farewell

My name is Taylor Pickett and I moved into this branch when I was in third grade. I just returned from a year at BYU Provo and loved every second of it. However, I am excited for my next chapter as I will serve in the Chile Santiago East Mission speaking Spanish. I will begin online missionary training for two weeks and the remaining four weeks of my training will be at the Mexico City Missionary Training Center. I am so excited to serve the people of Chile for the next 18 months of my life. 

During the first couple weeks of my freshman year at BYU, I was asked three questions over and over: What is your name? Where are you from? And what are you majoring in? It made for quick and easy surface level conversation. However, one person who would later become a good friend, stopped my usual answering of this question and said, “NO, like tell me your REAL story. WHO is Taylor Pickett?”. That simple yet deeper level question of, “what is your REAL story” completely took me by surprise and I wasn’t sure exactly how to answer. 

Today, I pose the same question to each of you, “Who are you? And what is your REAL story?” Not just your name or your interests or where you go to school or work. What is your core made of? And most importantly, who is the true author of your life story? 

Due to my dad’s work, my life story, beginning at age 10, took a big PLOT TWIST as we began to move back and forth between St Thomas and Reno. At first, it seemed like a cool Caribbean family adventure, until I grasped that it would also mean learning to be VERY flexible. Moving in and out of schools, leaving friends, and missing out on social events, was hard for me. Many times, I would lose sight of all the things I was gaining from this unique experience, because I felt like I was being left out of so much in both of the places I call home. 

Then, after a Sophomore year that was filled with some extra hardships and I finally had enough. I struggled to know where I belonged and I simply was not happy. I had a hard time feeling Christ in my life and was almost numb to the

spirit. My escape was social media, but that only left me feeling worse. I listened to music non-stop, but that was just creating noise in my life. 

(Now that I say this outloud…NO WONDER I couldn't hear the Spirit or feel Christ in my life?! There was so much external noise!) 

It wasn't until a two and a half week technology free humanitarian trip in Ecuador where I finally felt the Lord back in my life. 

On that trip, my focus for this two-week period was to serve. Whether it was mixing cement to build a school or creating genuine relationships with members in my group, my change of perspective WAS EVERYTHING! 

The more I served and got outside of myself and stopped focusing on MY sadness, the more abundantly I felt the Lord’s love. I began to study my scriptures and pray with the desire to ACTUALLY HEAR HIM, not just to check the box of “doing what I was supposed to do”. I made a promise to myself that even after this trip, I would keep feeding this SPIRITUAL FIRE Christ has lit inside me. It was EXHILARATING to feel the spirit again and in such a powerful way! 

Once I returned, I reflected on some of the hardships in my life, and I began to see the Lord’s hand carefully writing these tough chapters for MY BENEFIT. Each difficult aspect of my experiences was, IN REALITY, giving me a chance TO RETURN to Christ for healing. These trials were an OPPORTUNITY to build 

resilience within myself and anchor my trust IN Jesus Christ. I began to rely on HIM instead of friends, sports, or other activities that had INITIALLY been my source of happiness. Instead, CHRIST became the ROOT of my happiness. I found I was not as dependent on that worldly joy as much anymore. 

This doesn't mean I don't still struggle. Like many of you, I fight the urge to BREAK AWAY and write my OWN story doing things MY OWN way. Our culture is constantly telling us that we are the “captains of our own souls”, and we don’t need God nor Jesus Christ. Humans crave comfort and I sometimes fool

myself into thinking that If I write the story, I can avoid trials and be a lot more comfortable. Yet, this famous saying rings true, 

QUOTE “There is no growth in the comfort zone” END QUOTE. 

If we allow the Savior to write our story WITH us, and let HIS plans take priority over our own, what a beautiful life we can have. It is hard giving up that control. But I have found a lot of peace recently in letting Him be the lead in my story. 

Relief Society General President, Sister Camille Johnson, said QUOTE “I testify that the Savior is ‘the author and finisher of our faith.’ Will you invite Him to be the author and finisher of YOUR STORY? 

He knows the beginning from the end. He was the Creator of heaven and earth. He wants us to return home to Him and our Heavenly Father. He has everything invested in us and wants us to succeed.” END QUOTE 

Everyday I pray that I will learn to trust Jesus Christ’s authorship. Those “out of the box” chapters of my life bouncing back and forth between Reno and the Virgin Islands, WHILE at times seemed difficult and REALLY uncomfortable, have become the most transformative moments in my story. That experience helped anchor my trust in Jesus Christ and is allowing me to keep trying to 

turn over the pen and paper to Him. 

Allowing Christ to be the author doesn't mean we won't experience Mistakes and failures. God gave us the perfect tool to learn from our mistakes and continue to progress to become like Him. The gift of the ATONEMENT of Jesus Christ is like the perfect eraser. 

Elder Todd D Christopherson, an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ said, QUOTE “We can turn to Him … because He understands. He understands the struggle, and He also understands how to WIN the struggle. … The power of His Atonement can erase the effects of sin IN us. When we repent, His atoning grace justifies and cleanses us.” END QUOTE

Jesus Christ will help us edit and REVISE our stories as we go through the life-long process of learning. Christ IS the editor that will NEVER give up on us. His gospel is the gospel of infinite chances to change. 

Satan would have us believe that when we struggle, our life is too broken to repair or SIMPLY that our story isn't even worth sharing OR living. That is a LIE! We are NEVER beyond hope. 

In the Old Testament the prophet Isaiah says, 

QUOTE “Let him return unto the Lord, and he will have MERCY unto him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” END QUOTE 

The Book of Mormon prophet and author Mormon adds his witness of this, QUOTE “As oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were FORGIVEN” END QUOTE 

The joy of the gospel is that it is NEVER too late! As often as we seek forgiveness, the Lord’s redemption will allow us to start fresh. Our story can ALWAYS be changed through the REDEEMING POWER of Jesus Christ. 

Throughout the scriptures we witness powerful and UNFILTERED accounts where people change their story as they come to Christ. 

A great example is the Book of Mormon prophet Alma the younger. In his early adulthood, he tried to destroy the church and as the Book of Mormon put it in Mosiah 27:9, QUOTE” He became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his bpower over them.” END QUOTE

One day while Alma the Younger was out causing problems, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. When the angel spoke, his voice sounded like thunder and caused the earth where the Alma stood to shake violently. Alma was so frightened that he fell to the ground. 

Alma listened to the angel. He was told that his father had been PRAYING for him. His father had asked God to give Alma the Younger a knowledge of the TRUTH. The angel had come to convince young Alma of the power of God. 

However, it wasn’t the angel that converted him. Many people in the scriptures have seen angels or witnessed miracles, and still aren't converted to Jesus Christ. The angel had startled him, BUT it was the words of his father that Alma the younger remembered. He remembered that father had spent YEARS teaching Alma about the atonement of Jesus Christ. His father had said that Christ would come to the world and suffer for the sins of ALL people. It was at THAT MOMENT that Alma the younger began to change. 

The way we live our lives and the stories we tell MATTER. I LOVE that Alma the younger shares his unfiltered story of his personal struggle and conversion. There is GREAT POWER in sharing experiences, EVEN things that may be hard or sensitive. You NEVER know when your story may help someone, especially someone in your family, overcome an obstacle in their life. 

An exciting new chapter in my life story is my mission. I have often been asked WHY I have decided to serve a mission and honestly my answer is pretty boring… I have always wanted to go since I was a little girl. 

However, it wasn't until my mission interview winter semester, when it all became real. Was I really ready to give up 18 months of my life, a life that I was currently LOVING, for the Lord? It was easy to say it…but was I really ready to DO IT? Was I ready for Jesus to take the pen and write some testimony stretching and major growth chapters in my life? 

In my first interview, my bishop asked me why I wanted to serve a mission and I realized that just saying “I’ve always wanted to go”, would NOT be enough for this interview and definitely not enough to sustain me through my mission. I needed to dig deep and find my WHY.

My parents taught me that finding true joy in the gospel of Jesus Christ IS NOT found in checklists, but rather in having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. True discipleship is not a checkbox. 

I can’t say “I’ve gone on a mission” so I’ve done missionary work. OR “I go to church, say my prayers and read my scriptures, therefore I am a good disciple.” Checklists get us focused so much on the “WHAT” that we often lose sight of the “why.” 

My WHY of choosing to serve a mission has been found in my daily actions that allow me to become closer to Christ and hear his voice. I pray so I can HEAR Him. I read my scriptures so I can UNDERSTAND Him. I go to the temple so I can FEEL His presence in my life. I serve so I can LEARN TO LOVE as He loved. No checkboxes, just a desire to be close to Him. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ has CHANGED my life. It has given me true confidence. Christ’s LIGHT has completely defeated my dark moments. The knowledge I receive as I grow to understand His gospel, gives me direction to know where I came from, why I am here, and where I am going. The idea of sharing this with others, and HELPING TO LEAD them to Christ and His powerful grace makes me ready to jump on a plane to Chile RIGHT NOW! Jesus Christ IS MY WHY. 

I’d like to close with a quote from our prophet Russel M Nelson. QUOTE, “Are YOU willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow HIS words, HIS commandments, and HIS covenants to influence what you do EACH DAY? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do, to take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?” 

I AM WILLING AND READY TO LET GOD PREVAIL IN MY STORY because I know that is where my strength, happiness and peace reside.