FAITH COMMUNITY
Sariah Palmer, a young member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Gray, recently came back from her mission trip from Oaxaca, Mexico, where she spread the gospel to others with the hope they would come to Christ.
Sarah said she’s always lived in Jones County and likes where she lives. She said Jones County is a special place to be. She graduated from Jones County High School.
“I like how everyone is united, and how it’s a small town where we all know each other. I like knowing my neighbors,” she said. “I like how everyone is kind here, since the South is a place for kindness.”
The recently returned missionary said she enjoyed her mission. She said it’s an experience she will never forget.
“I was in Mexico for about a year and a half and just got back about a month ago. It was fun, but hard at times. Overall, I had a really great experience. I was excited to get to know another culture, and share the gospel with them,” she said.
Palmer said it was hard learning Spanish, but she said she adapted. She said she learned how to hold down a conversation with the local people, but it took a lot of practice.
“My mission was to invite others to Christ. In general people would let us in, even if they weren’t into what we were saying,” the missionary said. “The people were very kind. Some did receive our message to change their lives, so they could come into Christ.”
She said life in Oaxaca, Mexico was different from how it is in Jones County. She said they don’t have certain amenities like people in the U.S. She said they must conserve their water and pay more attention to their electric bill. She said it made her grateful for the things she doesn’t have to worry about.
“The culture was so rich. I think Oaxaca has one of the most diverse cultures. There’s a lot of people who speak Zapoteco, which is a different dialect of Spanish. It was almost like its own language. Everyone is very kind there, and they focus a lot on family,” she said.
The missionary said life has been a little hard to adjust to after coming back home, and things aren’t the same. She said she plans to start college soon at Brigham Young University in Utah, and major in marketing. She said she is creative and likes advertisement.
“I think I’ll always have a piece of my mission in my heart, but I am excited to start school. I’ll use what I’ve learned to help others,” Palmer said. “One of the things I learned on my mission is how important Jesus Christ is, so I’ll always follow Him and being able to share His gospel with others has strengthened my faith in Him.”
