Well, well, well, well, well! Isn't this a treat!? - Astronaut Fred Randall

Hey there everyone... Rachael Feil here! It's been about three months since I have returned home from my beloved full-time missionary service, and I figured it's about time I make my final post! (Prepare for picture overload!!!)

Saying goodbye to my daughters...

The final temple trip with the squad(:

Saying goodbye to the Welch's :(

On the plane from Cincinnati to Salt Lake City, I got to sit by my fellow missionary, Elder Ben, and another gentlemen whom we quickly befriended (a gentlemen who was really into calligraphy, so I may or may not have asked him to write my name all fancy...)

Traveling home is the strangest sensation. I felt like I was in a dream. There was a moment on the plane, in between random conversation with my airplane buddies, where they were both sleeping and I had a moment to reflect on life... you know, we all do it... and after I had read a few letters written to me by my mom, dad, and sister, I decided to write down my testimony. I thought I'd share it with you!

"Well, these last eighteen months have been a roller coaster. They were filled with much heartache, pain, learning, growing, happiness, joy, laughter, tears... holy cannoli. Here on the plane I just wanted to record a few thoughts. I will always be eternally grateful for thins journey that God has sent me on. I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've learned to be a better person because of the Savior. I've also gotten to experience what its like to dedicate my time to the selfless service of others, and to be set apart from worldly things. Because of this, I am a changed human being. I have never felt more confident and happy than I do now. God really does take weak things and make them strong. I am a result of that. I love God and I trust in His plan. Though I am sad that my full-time mission has finished and that I will have to take off my tag later today, I know God has many things for me to do. Many things. He loves me. He trusts me. He has confidence in me and my life's mission, and I am grateful! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

I loved my mission! I learned so much from my companions, leaders, members, investigators, and friends. Now I am going from full-time missionary service to life-time missionary service(:

My companions:

Sister Clark!

Sister Nicol!

Sister Creager!

Sister Bluder!

Sister Conrad!

Sister Evensen!

Sister Hansen!

Sister Cook!

Sister Carlile!

Sister Ferrell!

Hoosier Missionary

Holy Cannoli. The. Time. Has. Come. This week, I will be returning home and will finish my journey as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is the most bittersweet thing in the world, truly. I have loved it so much, with all of my heart!!! Indiana and Ohio are my homes away from home. I definitely know I did all that I could these 18 months. I know that God loves the service I have rendered and more importantly the things that I learned that will help me in my future endeavors to serve. God is so good! This week was amazing! Many things happened. So. Many. Things. Sister Ferrell will be staying in Columbia City, and I will literally miss her and this place a lot! We have gotten to meet with jake several times this week, and he is doing so well! He has been reading and rereading passages and is comprehending the scriptures very well. He almost got to see conference and then he got sick:( but he wants to go back and watch it. He read the plan of salvation pamphlet and said that it makes a lot of sense and that he likes it. We committed him to pray and ask God about if it's true, so we will follow up with him tonight(: I will miss him! Conference was also super bomb. Sister Ferrell and I were so sad when it ended!!! One of my favorite parts was one of the area seventy's who was Korean, and his beautiful focus on "Looking up." It is this about phrase of which I want to leave my testimony: I testify that when we stop looking around at all of the things that ail us and hurt us, and instead look up to heaven and to Jesus Christ, that we will find and experience true joy. Look up! There are great things ahead because Heavenly Father loves you and will do everything is His power to bring you to salvation. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

LAST DISTRICT MEETING

COLUMBIA CITY

We love our car selfies...

The Monterosso's from Decatur branch took us to dinner! They are the BEST!

Making beignes!

#zonefundays #soccergolf #itsathing

#generalconference

This week has been amazing!!!

THE COOLEST HOME EVER

Sister Ferrell and I finally received some service opportunities which was awesome!! We helped this friend of one of our member's move boxes as she is preparing to move... and she was the sweetest lady. She was a pastor of another church, but we got to answer some questions that she had and develop a friendship with her!!! We are going back to serve her again next week :).

We painted this bathroom!

On Tuesday we had interviews with the Welch's... which was very bittersweet for me. I got to chat with President about my mission and it STILL seems completely surreal that I will be going home soon! I am thankful beyond words for the love and trust that the Welch's have shown to me... President Welch truly has a deep love for all of his missionaries and I can tell that his heart breaks a little every time he has to say goodbye!!!

Sister Welch and I

I am (and will always be) eternally grateful for a mission President like him and for Sister Welch, who is truly my mom away from home! She was actually showing me pictures of Red pandas at the Cincinnati zoo and I was dying because those are my all-time favorite animals.... we just laughed and talked and it was GREAT!!

Me & MY FAVORITES

We met "TM" this week, who is currently less active but striving to become active again. He knows from the bottom of his heart that the Book of Mormon is true, and so we are going to help him study it :).

the district

We had our first and second return appointments with our friend "J"!! He is super cool, super stoked about reading the Book of Mormon, and he has been praying and reading the material we give him and he is just SO SOLID!!! We love 'J'!!! Teaching him has been so fun. When we first went back, he told us that he invited us back because he figured if God sent us to his door, he'd better listen. He is so awesome and we can't wait to meet with him again this week

"V's" adorable kiddos!!!

I know with all my heart that the church is true. This church is incredible because it helps us to fully access the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, to bring us peace and joy always, and especially during times of affliction and challenge.

LOVE this family!

I love my Savior. I love being of part of this, God's work, and I am so thankful to be His missionary!! I am now entering my last week as a full time representative of Jesus Christ... and I truly can't believe how quickly my 18 months have gone, but I am thankful everyday that I was privileged to give this time to my God to do what He has needed me to here in Indiana and Ohio.

Us with our wonderful investigator 'S'

I am so thankful for our prophet and leaders, and I am pumped to hear from them this weekend!

 I love you all!!!

#generalconference

Us

Love, Sister Feil

E.I.G.H.T.E.E.N.

Hey all!

This week was so good! We had a Zone Meeting on Tuesday and it was incredible!!

After our coordination meeting... ON ELDER SUTTON AND MY 18 MONTH MARK!!!

We had a few lessons that afternoon with some returning members and then we found an unexpected service opportunity (we helped an investigator clean her house!)... and that was a lot of fun!

Wednesday we drove to the Fort Wayne building to Skype into the New Missionary Training meeting...  That was very cool!

Skyping in to new missionary training...

Last Thursday was my 18 month mark... how in the heck did that happen so quick?

Sunday we had Ward Conference and it was focused on strengthening families... it was super good!!

Making snowmen...

And we had an awesome lesson afterward with a new investigator family we found this week! SO AWESOME!!!!

We have a great week ahead! Missionary work is the best!!!!!

Companions!!!

Love, Sister Feil

In the blink of an eye...

Holy moly! The weather has certainly been VERY nice to us... and this week has been incredible!

BEAUTIFUL DAY...

Wednesday was Zone Conference and crazily— it was somehow my turn to give my departing testimony! SAY WHAT??? The whole experience was BEYOND SURREAL and I am still in the process of trying to figure out just how this could even be possible!?! It's true what they say... it happens in the blink of an eye!!

WE ALL CAME OUT TO THE MISSION TOGETHER

The Conference was extremely inspirational... and President Welch is just THE GREATEST!!!

It was so much fun to see my recently 'old companion' Sister Carlile... as well as all of my Muncie peeps! As the meeting happened to be in Muncie — we celebrated epically with Colcannon's for breakfast and Cammacks for dinner... my two favorite spots!

One of the assistants gave us some sister missionary figurines... and we gave him a donut. Good trade-off.

Friday, I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Sister Bennett and it was awesome to serve with her again! We worked in the Fort Wayne 1st Ward for the day, and it was super fun :).

Me and Sister Bennett and the burnt toast (:

Saturday was cool. There is one part of our area that doesn't get touched a lot, so we decided to go there and just started knocking doors... We met some really nice people and handed out a ton of cards!

#hydration

And church yesterday was so great... I loved it. And we got to see 'V' last night and after our lesson with her, we discovered that we all like ping pong — so of course we had to play a few rounds. She is Chinese, and a total whiz... so she had to go really easy on us to even make it a game, and it was soooooooooooooo funny!!!!!!

I know God has so many blessings in store for all His children everywhere. They are conditional upon our obedience... and although He doesn't expect us to be perfect, we can be perfect in trying! Our choice to be obedient refines us and shapes us into who God knows we can be.

COMPANIONS

Follow His counsel! In all things!! Alma 37:37. You will be so blessed. God loves you all!

Love, Sister Feil

SO WINDY! Sister Breeze, me, and Sister Slavens (:

hey yo!

SHOUT OUT to my friend (and one of my former freshman roommates) Aimee Jenkins who is ENGAGED!!!!!! Yeah buddy, CONGRATS!!!!

This week has been so good! Sister Ferrell and I are getting to know the area and the members better, and that is awesome!!!

We had a super cool district meeting on Wednesday in Columbia City (we live in Fort Wayne — so it is a bit of a travel for us)...

Perfecting our Russian smiles... :)

... and while we were there, we went to meet some recent converts in the ward and some less actives as well, and that was so incredible!!! We also went to Mutual that night to get to know the youth better, and that was pretty sweet, too.

Thursday we had double dinners!!! Dinner with an investigator (Filipino food) and then with dinner with a member... MEMORABLE TIMES to say the least!! It was all delicious and sufficeth it to say that I was EXTREMELY stuffed (and perhaps a bit sleepy) by the end of the evening — lol!!!!

Y.U.M.

Friday, we got to see "V" and she is doing well. She wants to improve in her scripture reading so we are going to help her with that!!!

Sunday was fabulous because we FINALLY got to officially meet the ward altogether and we taught gospel principles... That was fun!!! We met with our investigators, "C" and "C," and then "D" also. A great week and another great week ahead!!

Also! "C," who Sister Carlile and I met our last week together, is getting baptized at the end of the transfer... MIRACLES ARE EVERYWHERE!!!! (:

hey yo!

Love, Sister Feil