Thursday, February 27, 2014

Bitter-Sweet




Yesterday was a bitter-sweet day in the mission field for me. Yesterday I received an iPad! The iPad is to be used in my daily missionary work. No longer do we have paper planners and area books! Oh happy day! We now do all of it through an app! It is going to take some getting used to, but I feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity! The Lord is truly hastening his work! It is the most exciting time to be a missionary!



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The bitter of our day yesterday, was discussing a situation that a sister in our mission is going through. Sister Jensen Parrish lost most of her family from CO poisoning. This accident is extremely devastating. Talking about it did bring much comfort though. I don't know how people can lose any one without the gospel of Jesus Christ. Sister Parrish's testimony is a strength to everyone here in this mission. Her absence is going to be missed EXTREMELY! Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

I have a testimony that God gives us trials for a reason. No matter how difficult or tragic things are, it will be okay. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, everything will be made right. He has a plan! We need to trust in that. 

Families are Forever!

Theatrical

President Holland came to the Washington Vancouver Mission several months ago after I had been out about six weeks. There was a lot that he talked about in that meeting that I could go ON AND ON AND ON AND ON about. I would like to focus on a certain aspect of his talk though. He said something that had a very personal effect on me. He said something along the lines of, "Do not be theatrical. Use a still small voice. Make them feel electricity." Any one who knows me, knows that when I was in high school, I did musical theater. For someone like me, who focused much energy on being "theatrical", it was hard to swallow this counsel. What he meant by this counsel is that we aren't out here to play games. We aren't here to play mind tricks in order to convince you that our message is true. I am not here to entertain. I don't need to give some elaborate lesson that catches your attention. 

While growing up, I thought that my church teachers had to entertain me in order for me to pay attention. The truth is--they didn't. We have a personal responsibility to learn from one another and learn The Gospel of Jesus Christ. The message of The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ IS true! If you want to know more about God, THIS is the message that you want to know about. We have a living prophet on the earth today who leads and guides Christs church.

The way that the Lord would have us learn his truths would be by his spirit. Only the spirit can testify of truth to our hearts. We can recognize that the Holy Ghost is testifying of truth by the thoughts and feelings that come to us. We often feel peace and a sense of calmness.

“The language of peace, as spoken by the Lord, embraces a sense of quiet confidence, comfort, and warmth. It is gentle and calm, amiable and sweet; it is temperate and kind; it is orderly and identified by happiness, joy, and feelings of love” (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, The Holy Ghost [1989], 14).

If you are looking for truth, this is it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the most true church on the earth today. Look for the evidence of truth as thoughts and feelings come to you. I know that this church is true!

Please enjoy these extremely embarrassing photos of me!





 Me and my friend after a show choir concert















 Playing the role of Lucy in "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown"













 I played the role of the witch in "Into The Woods"













My final role in high school as Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables.
















Saturday, February 22, 2014

Alma 26:22




 





 If we repent, exercise faith, do good works, and continually pray, we can receive guidance in our life from our Heavenly Father. What ever it is that you are going through right now, you can follow these steps and receive answers to your questions!

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

A Big Day!




This last Friday was a very big day for me! I finished the New Testament for the first time in my life! It also is the day that I have completed the entire standard works, front-to-back, by myself! For some people, the Old Testament is the last that they complete, but for me it was the New Testament.

When I was fourteen years old, my brother was preparing to leave for a mission. My brother, knowing that I had never read The Book of Mormon before, told me that we were going to start reading it together. About a week later, he left for his mission and made me promise him that I would finish The Book of Mormon. I kept my promise and finished it right before his one year mark. I wrote him excitedly to tell him that I had finished, knowing that he would be happy for me. No doubt, he was very happy for me. But then came the new challenge: read it again before I come home. I chose to accept this challenge and did finish it about six months later.

While being on my mission, I finished reading The Book of Mormon for my dozenth time. Every time I read it, the spirit testifies to me that it is true. I KNOW that it is true! I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he, through the power of God, translated it. I know that it is the most correct book on the earth today.

Right before my senior year of high school, my seminary teacher gave us a summer reading challenge to read certain scriptures from the Old Testament. Around this time, an incredibly generous friend of mine gave me an iPod touch. I had decided to take this challenge of reading scripture from the Old Testament and started reading from the gospel library app on my new iPod. While doing this study one day, I decided to do a little math (I mean come on! It was summer time!) and figure out how many chapters a day it would take me to finish the Old Testament in forty days. I then made it a goal to finish it! Call me crazy, but I WANTED to read the Old Testament. Forty days later, I had completed the Old Testament. It is definitely one of my biggest accomplishments in my life.

Rewind back to my freshman year. This is my first year of seminary. I have just been issued this challenge by my older brother to read The Book of Mormon before he gets home. I was completely consumed by this challenge. It took all the will power I had to read from it, let alone the New Testament (what we were studying in seminary.). I completely missed the New Testament boat.

The years that followed in seminary, I was able to finish all other standard works (The Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price) front-to-back. Although it is somewhat sad for me to admit, it has taken me until I was twenty years old to read the New Testament front-to-back. I can say now though, that I have completed the standard works. Now, more than ever, I have a testimony that God speaks to his children through prophets. I know that he has given us scripture to help us in our daily lives. I can now say that I know that the New Testament is the word of God.

As I have taken the time in my life to study from the scriptures, the Lord has blessed me. Each time I read, the spirit confirms to me that what I am reading is true. As I have read the various books of scripture, I have felt close to God. One thing is for sure though, The Book of Mormon is the most true book on the earth. From its pages, we have the FULLNESS of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that it is a true testament of Jesus Christ. I love the scriptures!

At the end of The Book of Mormon, there is a challenge issued by the prophet Moroni. It says:

Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.


I know that if you will take this challenge, you too can receive the testimony that it is true! It is the most correct of any book here on the earth today! It is my testimony that it was written by prophets of ancient time for our benefit and learning. If you want help in your life, answers to questions, and to know your purpose--read the book! It will bless you more than you could ever imagine!


 
 


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Doubting Nothing

Today we had a very wonderful district meeting! Our district leader, Elder Hebert, shared a scripture that I really liked!

Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.  --Moroni 9:21
 
 
I know that this is true! I know that if we believe in Christ and doubt nothing, it SHALL be granted unto us! We must have the faith that things can happen! If we have faith, the Lord will grant unto us any righteous desire! It is my testimony that we have a loving Heavenly Father who wants to hear from us! He is there and willing to listen to anything we have to say! We must only muster up the courage to speak to him. I know that if you show Faith, the Lord will hear you and will answer your prayers! Believe in miracles!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Hasten MY Change

This past weekend, the Vancouver North Stake (where I am currently serving) held a stake conference. The theme of this Stake Conference was all about hastening the work of salvation. We had the opportunity to hear from President & Sister Taylor, the Portland temple president and his wife, and also President Crandall (stake president of the Vancouver North Stake). There was much that was said at this conference that I loved! I can narrow down everything I learned into one sentence that President Crandall said. He said, "Hasten MY change." This really struck me. We, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, talk A LOT about hastening the work. We are all very focused on missionary work and sharing the good news of the gospel with those we love. President Crandall said that in order to do this, we must first hasten the change within US. 

I love this. I am human. I am weak. I have a lot that I need to improve on. If I want to be able to bless the lives of those I love, I must first improve myself. I need to hasten my change! I have made the goal of strengthening my relationship with my Heavenly Father. 

I hope that everyone can think about the changes that they need to make in order to be more aligned with Heavenly Father. If we want to follow the prophet and do as he says, we must prepare ourselves to do so. If you are scared to share the gospel, HASTEN CHANGE! Do what ever is necessary to change so that you can do the work that you have been called to do! I know that if we take the necessary steps, the Lord will bless us and help us make the necessary changes! 

I love this gospel! I am so grateful to be serving as a missionary at this time. This is the Lords work. I hope that we can all make the necessary changes so we can be the Lord's tools!