Sister Vanessa Ratunuman : KELUARGA DAPAT KEKAL SELAMANYA. 27 Mei 2018

Families Can Be Together Forever

My sweet fam & friends,

THIS IS IT! My last email home. I will be headed to LAX on 6 Juni and into the arms of my mother so soon. The feelings I am feeling are the weirdest feelings ever. I am NERVOUS SO NERVOUS and so SAD and so excited but yeah, I don't know how to describe it. I tear up every time I think of leaving Indo. I know I am going to cry heaps leaving Indonesia, but this IS home, and I know I will be coming back sooner than I know it.

To express how I feel about my misi in an email is impossible!

What I can say is that God lives, and He hears our prayers. Jesus is the Christ, and He indeed has felt every feeling of despair and grief that any being has experienced. My prayer of 19 years of having the chance to meet, to know, and to introduce the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to my family in Indonesia has been answered. I know that families can be together forever with Heavenly Father's Plan. My mission has been absolute evidence of God's desire for my family to be together forever... and I know that it will happen!

In each city I have served in, I have had a personal connection with my family that I just recently learned about as I have had the time to talk about family history with my Oma and Opa (grandparents) here in Manado.

My first city was Solo- which is where my Opa's mother is from. My second city was Malang- where my Om Nyoman lives- dad's cousin- who gave me a family history rundown from my father's side in Bali. Jakarta, my third and longest city, is where 2 of my older sisters were born, where my parents met, and where they lived for a few years when they were young parents. I also met another saudara there- my Aunt Nancy- which is my dad's cousin, who also gave me some family history. My last city, Manado, is where my parents are both from, where they grew up, and where my family currently lives.. The city where I literally had the opportunity to serve, to love, and to KNOW my FAMILY! I have seen so many miracles here, and I indeed have seen God's hand in my life on the misi.

Just 18 months ago, I could not tell you more than 5 words in Bahasa Indonesia, I could not tell you more than 3 things that I knew about my grandparents, sisters, cousins, or any of my family members that live here, and I couldn't even tell you 5 things I knew about Indonesia, the country itself, or the people.

The hole in my heart has now been filled! I know where I come from, who my own family is, what is special to them and what they've experienced, and where we are going- together as a family.

I know that salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter. My family will be together forever and I will do whatever it takes for the rest of my life to help them to come home to my Father in heaven.

Mosiah 2:41-
And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I love you all, and I feel so blessed to have had this incredible experience. Indonesia is forever in my heart.

See you next week!

dengan kasih yg AMAT BESAR,

Sister Vanessa Rachel Ratunuman <3

ps- THE GREATEST MIRACLE YET! My sweet fam came to church yesterday to hear me talk about eternal families. I love them SO MUCH!

fotos:

1) the fam at church :")

2) My aunty uli & big sister, Sisilia

3) my cousin, Nivy

4) Aurel & Cinta, my niece & cousin

5) my cute niece, Aurel!! mini me!! she lost her tooth last night hahaha

6) my father's homeland! tondano!