Sister Elly Rex: Anchorage Alaska Mission 2020-2022

  Other returned missionaries have told me that the last click of your name tag is the loudest click ever. I can testify this is true. If I could choose, I would be a full time  missionary  for my Savior for the rest of my life. But I will follow God's plan for me:) Teaching my friends in Alaska the doctrine of Jesus Christ has changed my life forever. I know that Jesus is the Christ, that Joseph Smith was His revelatory and prophet on the Earth. I know The Book of Mormon is true because it has brought me closer to Jesus Christ.  I can also testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's kingdom once again restored to the Earth.  I have learned that I love airports. It's the perfect place to talk and listen to everyone about their faith. I was able to talk to 20 people in the Anchorage airport before I flew out. I was able to pass out 4 Book of Mormons too! I have a love for meeting new people and trying to figure out how Heavenly Fath...

 

  Dear Bishop and Sister Rex, Thank you for raising up such a wonderful daughter and disciple of Jesus Christ. We have LOVED being around and associating with Sister Ellyn Rex. She has blessed so many lives by her service, example, and unconditional love. While serving in the Rabbit Creek Ward she became such a great friend to our youth and they loved being around her. We miss her already.  I really appreciated the courage of Sister Rex. She was not only fearless in sharing the gospel and inviting others to come unto Christ, but she was also willing to share life experiences that were challenging for her. She created safety in sharing from the heart by first sharing from her heart.  Her willingness to share included a beautiful psalm that she sang while playing the piano. I will never forget when she shared that with our family. It touched all of our hearts. She has the courage of a lion!!  Sister Rex was also so quick to serve and bring relief and support to those a...

  I saw a man sitting at a bus stop. We walked over and the man started bashing on religions in general. It hurt my heart a lot. I felt the power of the Savior's compassion for him as I pondered how he was a child of God, even if he didn't believe in Him. He told me I couldn't be happy in a religion. I asked him if I looked happy. He paused, looked at me and responded, "you are glowing of happiness". I said, "it's because of my faith in Jesus Christ ''. He didn't like the answer and got really angry. So we wished him a good day and quickly walked away. What he said really made me feel down. As we were walking away heavy, a man in a blue Chevy volt drove by, smiled big and gave us a thumbs up. This man, through a simple deed, brought me to tears. I know God sent him there and then to give us the confidence to continue sharing the word.  We read Alma 36 with our friend Devon in Yakutat. We read verse 3, where it says, "whosoever shall put t...

  Sister Younica compares my personality and excitement for the work as, "Golden Retriever Energy". Probably because at 6:30 in the morning, I'm instantly up. When we go and find people, I'm running to their side. When we teach our friends, I get so excited!! I feel Gods strength with me through every second of the day. This is my last week as a representative of Jesus Christ in Alaska. It still hasn't hit me that I will be home so soon. I don't want my full-time mission to end, but I know that as I press forward relying on my faith in Jesus Christ, I can continue to move the work forward wherever I go.  We met Victoria snow-shovel-OYMing. Victoria was abandoned by her mother at age 14. She was homeless until later on. She has been through everything you could imagine.  She said she would go to different churches because she felt something was missing in her life. Many preachers told her that her children were going to hell because of her situation. She discus...

  "You're a seasoned missionary" -President King President King and Sister King are still unable to return to Alaska. So we had Zone conference and interviews online. President King inspires me. Between his wife having a tumor and running the biggest proselytizing mission in the world, he continues to have faith. Every interview we have had, he reminds me of the young missionary I was when I arrived at the airport. My pink dress and pigtails;) This time was different though. He promised me some things as long as I follow the Savior. He said, "Will you follow the Savior for the rest of your life?". Then he wept. He reminds me of the scripture, 3 Nephi 17:21,  when the Savior's heart is so full of love for the multitude, that he wept.  "And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them".  President King is the most selfle...