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In this Part 2 episode of the Mission Stories podcast, Shawn welcomes back Sister Kirra Eddington to discuss her service in the Texas Dallas South Mission. While the previous episode focused on her pre-mission conversion through repentance, this episode explores how that spiritual foundation sustained her through tragedy and fueled her success as a missionary.

A Prophetic Warning and a Tragic Test

Kirra shares a profound experience from the MTC. While reading 1 Nephi 3:15, she received a lingering, unshakable thought that something "really bad" was going to happen on her mission, but that it was God's will for her to stay and finish her service no matter what. Shawn notes that this revelation—specifically the "lingering" nature of the Spirit—gave her confidence that God was in control.

Three months into her mission, the trial arrived. Kirra received a call that her mother had been diagnosed with Grade 4 Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer with a short life expectancy. devastated and fearing she would never see her mother again, Kirra found strength in a moment of grace at a church activity. Looking through a window, she saw a painting of Jesus Christ’s face perfectly framed, reaffirming the MTC revelation that she was exactly where she was supposed to be. This spiritual confirmation allowed her to stay and serve with purpose despite the heartbreak.

The "Wave of Energy" in Teaching

Kirra explains that without her prior experience of repentance, her mission would have felt like "summer sales on steroids"—miserable and rejection-filled. Instead, teaching became her favorite part of the work. She describes feeling a "wave of energy" whenever she sat down to teach because she wasn't just reciting a script; she was offering people the same "exquisite joy" and relief she had personally tasted through the Atonement.

Deli and the "Meteor"

Kirra recounts finding a "meteor" (a media referral) named Deli. Expecting a woman, she and her companion were greeted by a man covered in tattoos and piercings. Despite his intimidating appearance, Deli was a "golden" investigator. He had been told by previous pastors (and his own mother) that he was destined for hell due to predestination doctrines (which Shawn identifies as Calvinism). Deli had deep, sincere questions about why God would create children just to damn them, and Kirra was able to offer him the hope of the Restored Gospel.

Tina and the Power of the Book of Mormon

The episode highlights the story of Tina, a woman who had hopped from church to church seeking "more". For three months, Kirra tried to convert Tina using logic, Bible verses, and "lawyer mode," but nothing clicked. Finally, following a prompting from their mission president, they decided to stop "bashing" and simply read the Book of Mormon with her.

The change was instant. Tina began devouring the book, reading ten chapters ahead between visits and recognizing Joseph Smith's prophetic role on her own. Shawn uses this as a prime example of the principle that "the Word of God answers every question", noting that logic cannot replace the converting power of the Spirit found in the scriptures.

Shawn concludes the episode by emphasizing that a missionary's ability to endure "hot, dusty days" and tragic news comes from building a foundation on the "Rock of Our Redeemer" (Helaman 5:12). Kirra’s final advice to listeners is simple and urgent: "Don't not go on a mission... You won't regret it."