1 year

"...Time only is measured unto men." Alma 40:8

 

 

   Even though I know that God doesn't look at time the way we do, today is a day that I am measuring. I have officially been out in the mission field for 1 year! Isn't that crazy! I remember the feelings I had at the beginning of my mission like it was yesterday. The excitement and homesickness and just feeling a little bit like I was in the middle of a dream. Being a missionary was something that was always so far out of my plans for myself and it didn't really feel real until I had been in the field for a couple of days. After those couple of days I was convinced that I wanted to be dreaming. I didn't want to be where I was at and I didn't know what I was going to do.

  

   On preparation day I sent out an email to my brother saying how I knew I was supposed to be on a mission but it was AWFUL. He sent me some great advice that helped me to understand some of my options with what I could do with my mission, I could come home, or I could learn about sacrifice and consecration.  After a lot of crying and praying in a closet, I decided to have a deadline. I told Heavenly Father that if I didn't love being a missionary by October 15th I was going home. I know it sounds a little dramatic and petulant, but 18 months seemed impossible! 3 months seemed, reachable. I could sacrifice 3 months and then re-evaluate.

 

   Sure enough, as I focused more and more on the service I was giving and trying to follow more closely the example of Christ, I forgot about my deadline and learned to love this incredible work. October 15th passed, then November and December until now... 1 year later!

 

   I have learned so much about consecration and submitting my will to God's will. I keep learning that really the only way to find true and lasting happiness is to be where God wants me to be. I am so grateful for this opportunity to devote all my energy, time, and talents to serving God and Jesus Christ and bringing others closer to them! I LOVE my mission now! I love sharing the truths that have given me so much happiness and peace in this life, especially about families. I love that my family has been sealed in the temple so we can be together forever! That is one of the most incredible truths that we have again been given and I am grateful that I can leave my family for this time to help other families be together forever! I know that I am a daughter of God and we are all children of God. He loves us so much and I love him. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I know that all of what I am doing and the opportunities out there for me and my family are because of him! I know that Jesus knows who I am, he knows what my challenges are and he is there to lift and to bless me. I know that he is there for you too! This is one of my favorite videos that reminds me how important Christ is in EVERYTHING that we do because ultimately, He is the center of the Gospel that I am sharing.

 

 Watch this video and then take a minute to pray about who you can share it with...then, act! Share it . . .you'll never know whose life you can bless until you take the action first.

 



Slurpee

 

 

   Look at my beautiful companion and I with our Slurpees? Don't we look so happy? Of course we do, the question is why do we look so happy? It could be do to the delicious cold and sugary slush, or it could be because of the kindness of a random stranger.

 

   Yesterday Sister Christensen and I had spent a long time outside and needed something to cool us off, so on our way home we stopped at 7-eleven for a quick slurpee run. As we were staring at the spinning machines deciding what flavors we wanted, the cashier started talking to us until another customer came up to pay. As she was ringing the other customer up, I decided on a flavor and quickly filled up my cup and went over to pay. As I walked up and was pulling my wallet out the cashier said,

 

"That man just paid for both of your slurpees!"

 

and pointed to a man who was getting ready to pull out of the parking lot. I hurried to the window to wave a thank you and watched him drive away.

 

    I don't think a slurpee has ever tasted so good to me, not because I chose a superior flavor but because of the kindness of a random person who became an instrument in God's hand to deliver a tender mercy to two hot and tired sister missionaries.

 

    I am so grateful for the Christ-like acts of those around me, both those I know and those I don't. One of the things that I have learned and am still learning about on my mission is the potential for good each one of us has. Things like this make me have a greater desire to be a blessing to others!

 

 

Who can you be a blessing to today?

July 4th

 

Fireworks at the MTC

    Happy Fourth of July! The 4th of July is my favorite Holiday! I love July, I love celebrating with Ice Cream, BBQ's, and Family and Friends, and I love History!  Last year I got to celebrate the 4th in one of the most amazing places in the world, the MTC (Missionary Training Center). What an appropriate place to celebrate. Because of our independence I have the freedom to worship God the way that I feel is correct and to go out and share it with others as well!

As one of our church's Articles of Faith states "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may."

I am grateful for the sacrifices made by all of the individual's involved in obtaining and keeping the freedoms that we are privileged to enjoy in this country! God Bless America!