Dearest family and friends!!
How is everyone doing? Sorry if you were confused when I didn't email
yesterday! We went to the temple today. :) It was a different
experience today, but really cool. When we got there they told us it
was closed for cleaning! My heart broke a little bit because I was so
excited to go! I hadn't been for about 11 months... So they told us
that we could help clean if we wanted to and we thought we might as
well if we came all this way! So guess where I got to clean for 2
whole hours? The Celestial room!! It was really neat. While I was
there I was trying to ponder on what Heavenly Father wanted me to
learn because obviously it was His will. So I kept praying and
pondering...and this is what I learned from the spirit was - no act of
service or calling is better than another in the Kingdom of God. We
all have different things we are called to do and sometimes that
requires our actions and choices to be seen by others. But there is a
lot of service that is done that never gets seen. Like no one that
goes to that Celestial Room will know that I cleaned the chair they're
sitting on...but it doesn't matter. Heavenly Father sees it all and He
loves us and is grateful for the service we give no matter how great
we feel it may be!
Anywayyyyys...it has been a good good week! Last Tuesday we had Zone
Conference. It was probably my favorite by far! Most zone conferences
we receive great trainings on the technical parts of being a
missionary like teaching, finding, etc. This one was really for us as
missionaries and it was one that I needed! The biggest thing I came
away with from the whole day has to do with my cheesy Subject line.
Life is all about learning, repenting, changing, and becoming fit for
the Kingdom of God. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said something along
these lines, " Repent is one of the most hopeful and encouraging words
in the Christian vocabulary." For a long time I looked at repentance
as a bad thing but it isn't! Because of Jesus Christ we can truly be
forgiven of any mistake or sin and we can change! We all were given
weaknesses, we all make mistakes and Heavenly Father knows that. He
knew we would sin. Jesus Christ did what he did so we could repent and
become like our Heavenly Father. D&C 19:16 "For behold, I, God, have
suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they
would repent."
A talk that really had an impact on me was "Lord, Is It I?" By Deiter
F. Uchtdorf. It talks about seeing ourselves clearly and being totally
and completely aware of our weaknesses. Two quotes that I love are,
"Brethren, none of us likes to admit when we are drifting off the
right course. Often we try to avoid looking deeply into our souls and
confronting our weaknesses, limitations, and fears. Consequently, when
we do examine our lives, we look through the filter of biases,
excuses, and stories we tell ourselves in order to justify unworthy
thoughts and actions. But being able to see ourselves clearly is
essential to our spiritual growth and well-being. If our weaknesses
and shortcomings remain obscured in the shadows, then the redeeming
power of the Savior cannot heal them and make them strengths.
Ironically, our blindness toward our human weaknesses will also make
us blind to the divine potential that our Father yearns to nurture
within each of us," And then going on speaking of the gospel He says,
"It is the good news, and it helps us to become good." Our Heavenly
Father sees us for who we can become even though He is also fully
aware of our weaknesses. Our Savior sees us that same way...and
because of Him we are never ever alone. When we turn to Him and allow
him to make our weaknesses strong (with some work on our part) we
become who He wants us to become and one day if we continue on His
path we will become perfect like Him.
We met with Sister Crawford this week and oh, she is so prepared! We
talked about the plan of salvation and how she really can find true
happiness...and she said that we really could not have come at a
better time in her life because the past months have been real hard
for her and she really needs happiness. We talked about the fall of
Adam and Eve and how if we didn't have to go through the pain we
wouldn't be able to know joy. Ans THAT really touched her. All things
are a compound in one. There will always be bad as long as there's
good and there will always be chaos as long as there is peace. :)
In the past week Heavenly Father has blessed us with 3 new people to
teach. I talked a little bit about one of them the other week...he has
2 children and a sweet wife! We met with him and his wife and taught
them the Restoration. It was probably Sister Hallam and I's best
lesson yet. Up until we met with them our day had been pretty
unsuccessful but we felt like we were being led by Heavenly Father, I
really think he was just humbling and making sure we were listening.
So when we taught them the spirit was definitely there and really
guiding us. And at the end He said he would love to keep meeting with
us because he always felt happy when he was talking to us. So we were
able to teach him about the spirit and how it testifies of truth
through feelings of joy, peace, and love. It was a neat experience. So
last we checked he has read the Book of Mormon and he has questions!!
So good.
Also, we did service for a sweet lady who is 101 years old and she
still teaches piano!! That's going to be you mom. :) she let me play
and sing her a song and then she played for us! She is so good for a
101 year old. Hopefully we can start teaching her. :)
Sorry this is so long, these iPads are really convenient, I had a
whole car ride to write! So, I hope you all have a beautiful week.
Never cease to think about the big picture, Gods plan for you, and
what you need to change to be fit for the Kingdom of God. You are all
brilliant and I'm grateful to know each of you! I LOVE YOU.
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