(This was much cuter when she sent it, but I copied it the best I could.)
In 2012, one October at the end of the week,
A girl sat watching President Monson speak.
He had a lot of good things to say,
But one announcement made shouts of "hooray"!
They were changing the ages that sisters could go,
Age 19 for girls? That just can't be so!
Well, the conference caused a boom for missions worldwide,
But this girl wasn't having it, she held to her pride.
"No way," said she, "I'll never serve, I'd rather sit."
She was afraid but never would admit it.
A few years later, with more experience, more faith, more love,
This girl still didn't want to go, but the Spirit gave her a shove
"You could do that," the Spirit said. "Are you sure?" she thought.
"Positive, you're tough! Don't say that you're not!"
Her list of fears was long: talking, driving, dogs, and strangers,
Dark nights, weird foods, mean companions, and other dangers.
In 2014, two Octobers late with family around,
She opened her call and to her surprise found,
A request for Sister Warburton to go to the Northwest,
Washington, Tacoma, some told her it was the best.
She prepared and then she left. To the MTC she went,
She learned a lot and by the end she knew what the gospel meant.
Well, she thought she did, but then she entered the field.
She knew the field was white, but the harvest wouldn't wield.
Her first stop was Belfair, a beautiful little place.
They taught a lot, but when baptism came up, they all said "no!" to her fact.
"That's just not right! The gospel's true! Why won't they hear?"
She learned that sometimes people would rather drink a beer.
Sometimes they don't want to commit, others are afraid,
Laziness is a common factor, and some think tithing can't be paid.
"Agency is a pain," she thought, "let's take it away!"
But she knows that' not how God wants it to be this day.
Three transfers in Belfair, and "success?" Still none.
But she loved that place and the people were fun.
There are some some things in Belfair she learned:
How to talk to strangers, and no fear of dogs she earned.
Teaching and testifying, she did get better at,
And practicing her perfect love, she better, too, at that.
She never wanted to leave, but the time came to go,
Olympia was her next stop, she knew it would make her grow.
In the capital of Washington, they met some odd, odd people.
They worked REAL hard to get them underneath a steeple.
Diligence, patience, and humility were qualities she would gain.
While working hard through the summer months would definitely be a strain.
The blackberry harvest was fruitful, plums and cherries, too,
But for some reason baptisms wouldn't come, not even one or two.
"In the WA-TAC we baptize" just didn't seem quite right.
In her first five whole transfers, not a baptism was in sight.
But she kept working, and learning, and growing, and doing her best.
She kept the faith, and hope she had, and gave to God the rest.
When transfers came, she thought she'd stay, but God had other plans,
Banished to Winlock, the middle of nowhere, she'd never stand a chance,
Doubled in? Training? What the heck! "I thought President liked me!"
"But I don't even trust myself to train way out there in the country!"
Sisters Philippi and Warburton arrived on Tuesday night,
From the start they were welcomed in, their future there looked bright.
It was a boonie area, that much was for sure,
Cows, chickens, dogs, lots of walking, no houses, no doors,
Three people a night, that's about how knocking went,
But memories were made and miracles heaven sent.
They focused on baptism, and for once it actually came,
She finally got to fill the font, it wasn't just a game.
From that day forward, she had more faith and hope,
She now knew baptisms come, and nothing could stop her, nope!
Winlock really was the best, she loved that Podunk town,
But God keeps things moving forward so she had to move around.
To Silverdale she went from there, back up to the North.
The differences: more people, houses, less boonies, farms and so forth.
It was an adjustment, from middle of nowhere to Navy Base,
She found less people interested in talking about God in this place.
To be honest, she's still not totally sure why she was there,
But she's grateful God trusted Silverdale 6th to her care.
After one transfer she left again, back down South she went.
She was happy to find that to Elma she was being sent.
Back to small towns and boonie roads, what she was used to.
Talking to cows and walking long roads are things that she can do!
Elma is the "promised land" as the stake president likes to say,
She saw that there when she got to teach Lorraine.
Once again we decided to keep baptism on "da mind"
And when we did Lorraine wasn't hard to find.
She called us up and asked if she could be baptized right away
We said "of course!" and in two weeks came the day!
Later the next transfer, a member came up to us,
"Kaytee is my son's ex-girlfriend, she wants to be baptized too."
(There's more to the story, but rhyming really limits you.)
We began to teach Kaytee and she was just pure gold,
A handpicked daughter of God prepared to come into the fold.
Sister Warburton liked Elma, she seemed to fit right in,
But missions are about growth, so onto a different part of Washington.
Soundview was the last stop for her here in the WA-TAC
It was totally different, it hit her with a smack.
With no big city experience, she had to be retrained.
Shibe ibeviben libearned iba nibew libangibuage, ibit's ibinsibane!
Central was different, but she loved it anyways,
There were many people to talk to, it was a nice change.
All in all, when I look back on my mission,
Some core things stick right out:
I learned from the beginning that I am absolutely inadequate, of this I have no doubt
I'm really bad at teaching, and most of the time I still don't know what to do.
I've learned that on my own, this work could never go on. But God's in control! Phew!
I've learned that God could do this without me, but He loves me oh so much.
That He's given me this opportunity to serve and help and such.
He allows me to try to be an instrument in His hands.
And I feel grateful for my desire to help in this land.
In D&C 4, it says a desire to serve is all you need,
And faith, hope, charity, and love help to accomplish the deed.
I'm grateful to be a missionary, I'm grateful for God's faith in me.
I'm so glad to be in Washington and for all the miracles I've seen.
To end, I have a testimony of the gospel, I know that it is true.
Heavenly Father loves us all, that includes me and you.
I know my Savior lives, I know He died on the cross for me.
I'm grateful for Jesus Christ and His grace that makes me free.
I know Joseph Smith is a prophet, I know He was called of God.
The Book of Mormon is true, I prayed and I know it isn't a fraud.
The Priesthood is on the earth, restored in it's perfect form again.
Of these things I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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