Hey Everyone,

Words can't really express how I feel right now entering into my last
week of missionary service. It's honestly hard to believe that these
two years are almost at an end. This mission has been such a blessing
to my life and I will be forever changed because of it. All the people
I've had the privilege of serving with and around have taught me so
much, so much that it's hard to sum it all up in one letter.

I've really grown to love England and all the people here. I remember
when Jeffrey R. Holland came to the mission he talked about how much
he came to love England on his mission. He shared Mosiah 18:30 And
substituted the word England instead of Mormon. "And now it came to
pass that all this was done in [England], yea, by the waters of
[England], in the forest that was near the waters of [England]; yea,
the place of [England], the waters of [England], the forest of
[England], how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came
to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for
they shall sing to his praise forever." The people in the Book of
Mormon loved the place of Mormon because of all the wonderful things
that happened there and because it was there that they came to a
knowledge of their redeemer which is the exact way I feel about
England. I think that's why everyone always says that the mission they
served in is the best mission in the world.

I've been getting a lot of questions this last week about what I've
learned from my mission. It's been really hard to narrow it down. I
could take days explaining everything I learned. I've learned a lot
about faith. That true faith isn't based on the outcomes we want.

 I've learned about the necessity of repentance.The absolute necessity
of changing the way we act and think for a better way. Without it
there is no progress. I've learned that my level of diligence and work
is equal to the measure of how much I love God. I've learned that If
we don't have a vision of what we can become or what we can accomplish
then our appetites will rob us of our will. I've realized that the
underlying reason for everything we do has to be because we love God.

These things are only a few. I'm forever grateful for my mission
experience. It has forever changed me. Thanks for all the support over
these two years. See you soon.
Love Elder Ford