courage

this transfer/month i chose my "theme" to be courage. because i need a lot of it. and thanks to God he has helped me develop more and i am now just realizing what it is and how i have had courage when i thought i wasn't. the quote on my planner is from president monson that says...

"courage isn't always a gradiose, sometimes its the little voice at the end of the day that says; i'll try again tomorrow."

 

 

COURAGE is...

the ability to do something that frightens one

strength

standing up for what you believe

trusting god

faith

not having fear

doing things WITH god

acting righteously

being a disciple of Christ

not doubting

doing things for God, not for others and what they may think

fearless

 

There are so many great examples of COURAGE in the scriptures. One of my favorites is Esther, watch here--

 

Esther's example of courage

 

"you don't ever realize how strong you are until being strong is all that you have left."

 

I am so grateful for Heavenly Father helping me have courage when i most needed it. I have learned that courage really is needed to "rise from failure, to strive again." 

 

 

 



happy thanksgiving from New York!

my first thanksgiving in New York was a success!-- some really kind members had all the missionaries over for a Puerto Rican thanksgiving dinner!

we've got the whole world in our hands! i am grateful for this beautiful world i  live in.

"the grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life. pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. how much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!"


a couple weeks ago we did a street sweep while i was on exchanges in Rego Park. we had a big sign that said- i am thankful for...- as missionaries we were suppose to invite people on the street to come and write what they are thankful for on the big banner. as i was asking people if they would like to one asked me, "what do you mean thankful? what does that mean?" it kinda caught me by surprise & at first i struggled to answer. to be thankful is...to recognize the blessings in our lives, it is a feeling of appreciation, it is being please & to return kindness (to God).

so...what am i thankful for? here are a few...

 

MY FAMILY

dad- he is the most selfless man i know. he only wants the best for me and supports me in every decision i make. one of my very best friends. such a hard worker. makes me laugh. positive! example of a disciple of Christ.

 

mom- the best mom in the world, everyone says it but i know she really is THE BEST. she has taught me everything i know about motherhood and being a pure woman. she is honest, humble. she has always taught me to shoot for my dreams. she is always thinking about her kids- sometimes too much. :) she is one of my dearest friends.

 

laken- my role model older sister. loves her younger siblings so much and is always looking out for us. i always have fun when i am with her. she is faithful and confident. she is herself no matter what and is happy. my sisters are truly my best friends.

brad- if i could describe brad in one word it would be- joy. he is the best husband to my sister. he is real. he is hilarious and i don't think i've ever seen him in a bad mood. always up for anything!

 

jade- has always been an example of what our relationships with our Savior should be. i remember so many nights we would have "sleepovers", she would give me the best advice, always. she has an amazing testimony. she is a nut and i love her.

riley- loves my jadey. he is a blessing to our family. he has brought happiness to our lives!

 

ali- has always been an example of diligence. she is my favorite little sister. she is always trying to do her very best and never gives up on anything. she loves so easily and is so easy to love. she is a beautiful daughter of God and is always there for me no matter what.

 

payton- is the best 14 year old missionary i know. he knows what is most important. he makes me laugh all the time, if i'm ever feeling down i can always go to him and he can cheer me up! he will always be my favorite baby brother.

 

my nephews- the cutest ones on the earth. they make me SMILE.

 

hunter- my best friend. he loves me for me. we are ourselves. he can make me smile or laugh no matter how bad i don't want to. he has taught me how to truly love. he is a hard worker who never gives up. i am thankful for his service to the wonderful people in Africa.

 

extended family- i am so blessed with many loving cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents!!

 

a few other things...

my puppy Annie, food, water, my mission, the gospel, a prophet, prayer, my life, the ability to laugh and be happy and MUCH, MUCH more.

and most importantly my Savior who has helped me become who i am today. who knows me perfectly and will never let me down.

 

we are happier when we are grateful. gratitude brings happiness.

i couldn't agree more with this statement. i believe it with all my heart. don't forget to be THANKFUL, not only today, but every day thank God for our many blessings.

another week in brooklyn

I can't believe it, i opened my call this week last year! Time flies. I will miss you all lots on Thanksgiving, that sounds like it will be so much fun! Don't worry i will be taken care of-- probably a little too well. We are going to a members house who has the missionaries over every year then we have a Thanksgiving party with the ward on Saturday. We aren't going grocery shopping this week, except for milk. :) And we ate papusas, my FAVORITE last night and i am still full, its disgusting. Thank you SO much for the package!! Thanksgiving and half way! So cute and creative as always. We LOVE the mix! So yummy. And those suckers= to die for. You guys are the best. I really have been so blessed with such an amazing family (not because of packages haha) for so many different reasons. You guys are my happy and i am so grateful for each and every one of you.

This week was great! We had mega zone conference on Wednesday and it was perfect. Especially for my half way day. It just made me realize what an amazing experience i am living and that i want to make sure i give my all every day and let this change me for the rest of my life and continue living righeously after. Missions really do change people! The gospel and love of God and Christ is so powerful. We were able to meet a new investigator, (J). She is GOLDEN. She is from Mexico, she has a husband and a 14 year old son. She is so smart and already knows quite a bit. She came to church yesterday and loved it! I am so excited to contiue teaching her. We also had another investigator at church, (A) who is 12.  i hope we can teach her more because the gospel is so important growing up at that age! Then you have the moments when you go to look someone up from a teaching record they say the person doesn't live there but then invite you to come back. Those are rare but precious! We had the primary program yesterday, oh my SO cute. You should hear it in Spanish its adorable. Little children are such good examples to me.

Missionary moment of the week: we were leaving this building from trying to find someone and i got on the elevator to go down and next thing i know the elevator is closing and Sister Franklin is on the other side leaning over fixing her boot. I tried to stick my foot in so that it wouldn't close but it just kept goin!! The way we looked at each other was priceless. I was like "uh oh my no wait i can't leave you ah!" So i'm chillin in the elevator trying to open the door and not push the emergancy button at the same time! Finally i get it open and Sister Franklin is just cracking up then i start laughing so hard with her! Ah, only if you've been a missionary will you know how we felt haha. Its going to be so weird to not be with someone 24/7 when i get home.

Mom asked me some questions that i will answer for all of you...Yes we walk, ride buses and trains everywhere! There is no other option. The cold here is deathly, it goes right through you. It is hard to find spanish people here, yes. But they're floatin around here somewhere! Hopefully the english classes we are teaching will bring more.

I love you all so very much!! Have a very happy thanksgiving!!!

gracias

thanksgiving package from la familia lewis!

 

the description...so cute

doing thanksgiving activities

i am just really excited for Thanksgiving, as you can see. i can't wait to tell you about my first Thanksgiving in NY! only 5 more days!

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

nine lived nine to go

I LOVE MY MISSION!

People always told me, "your mission goes by so fast, it will be over before you know it." That phrase is one you have to experience because for myself, i didn't really believe it until now. Nine of 18 treasured months have past & i only get 9 more. I am so grateful for one of my very best friends, Mama C, who shared this quote with me...

"you've had an eternity to prepare for your mission, & you'll have an eternity to reflect on it. but you only have 18 months to live it."

I will be forever grateful for this priceless experience of serving a mission. I still have so much to do & learn. It is hard in a way, to describe what i have discovered these past 9 months. One thing i know is that God has a plan for me & is molding me into who i am.



Just a little celebration with crepes! :)

I want to share some thoughts & feelings on those topics. There are 2 words that i have become very close to & they are: ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE.

This is something our mission president, President Calderwood, mentions often. he once said something along these lines... "we have no reason to be unhappy, we have the truth, we have the means to find joy in this life." these words have helped me A TON. I have absolutly no reason to be unhappy. I'm not saying my life has been all sunshine & roses, but since i've learned to put all my trust in my Heavenly Father & Savior and have an "eternal vision", i am happy. I love this image of our so called "life marathon".

"In some respects, progressing through life is like running a marathon...the end may seem too far away to concern you now. But life, like a marathon, requires a good start and i strong, consistent effort all of the way to the finish." Elder Worthlin

 

 

I love the imagary of this quote & how it can tie into the outline that President Uchtdorf gives-

once upon a time...

experience trials...

overcome adversity...

stay true to what is right...

and they lived happily ever after!

 

So i've asked myself, "how am i going to live my happily ever after?" I have ALWAYS loved this talk, it has truly changed my perspective on my life. & there is no better way but to quote his exact words; here are a few of my favorites...

 

"Isn’t that what we all desire: to be the heroes and heroines of our own stories; to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty; and, in the end, to live happily ever after?"

 

"Isn’t it remarkable to know that our eternal Heavenly Father knows you, hears you, watches over you, and loves you with an infinite love?"

 

"But such a blessing does not come without a price. It is not given simply because you desire it. It comes only through understanding who you are and what you must become in order to be worthy of such a gift."

 

In his talk when he is relating life to fairy tails he says, "they must overcome adversity." every single princess, its just simply part of life.

 

2 Nephi 2:11,15

 

"Adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way. Our loving Heavenly Father has set us in a world filled with challenges and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy."

 

                                

 

 

"Though it may seem that you are alone, angels attend you. Though you may feel that no one can understand the depth of your despair, our Savior, Jesus Christ, understands. He suffered more than we can possibly imagine, and He did it for us; He did it for you. You are not alone."

 

"when you are not quite sure what you are seeing, is it a beloved grandmother or is it a dangerous wolf?"

 

i love how it makes it sound so simple, because IT IS. All we have to do his TRUST him and FOLLOW his plan.

 

" And the day will come when you turn the final pages of your own glorious story; there you will read and experience the fulfillment of those blessed and wonderful words: “And they lived happily ever after.”

 

I found an journal entry from about a month ago that says...

As i was praying last night my mind flashed back to the process of deciding to serve a mission & the timing of it all. As i thought about my life & what has happened to me & my family the last couple years, i was enlightened by the plan Heavenly Father has for me, how He has helped me stay on the path of HIS plan for me. He knows me perfectly. He knows from the begining to the end. And i KNOW He has a plan for my life, as long as i stay close to Him & His son i will be quided & be the woman i was designed to be & do the things He has in store for me. 

 

I am beyond grateful for these 9 months and can't wait to have 9 more filled with unforgetable experiences! Just trust Him!! He knows you PERFECTLY.

 

"your own wonderous story has already begun. your 'once upon a time' is now."

 

 

 

 

 

half way...what the?!

Mi familia bonita!

Oh how i love you all so very much. I LOVE reading your emails and letters, they seriously make me so happy. I have the best families ever. I was thinking about how blessed i am, we go into peoples home and all there is is just arguing or bickering, which is normal but i feel so blessed to have such a loving family and live in a peaceful home. :) Ah, can you believe it?? HALF WAY MARK on wednesday! It really hit me this morning in studies that i only have the time that has already flown by left to be here in New York. I'm sure it will start going by faster for you all now. :) So much has happened, yet SO much to be done.

 

I'm happy to say i have no regrets and its my goal to keep it that way and work the very hardest i have in my life! Missions are such a great blessing. I have learned so much about the gospel and myself. I want to share some thoughts about my thoughts this week...:) we had a zone meeting that was the best zone meeting i have ever been to i think. You could practically see the spirit it was so strong, i'm pretty sure every single missionary had tears running down their cheeks. The theme of this transfer has been to serve with all you heart, might, mind and strength. This topic has really had a big affect on me and has given me a great vision of how i want to live my life. I have realized that there is no "mission life" and "normal life", my life now shouldn't change when i get home, it should continue in this direction. "the grass isn't greener on the other side, its greener where you water it." We talked about acting well our part, discussing what really matters in this life and where we are going. All we will take with us after this life is our relationships, with heavenly father, christ, family, friends, and those around us. There is something that someone from the stake presidency said in church yesterday (closest translation from spanish) " remember all that we have, even our afflictions and difficulties." I am so grateful for everything we go through in life because we can let us better ourselves and be happier. There is one more quote i want to share,

 

"...it is not enough for anyone just to go throught the motions. The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavely Father desires us to become."

 

God knows our potential! Look ahead, run your life marathon with faith and endurance, look past the finish line!

This week was good overall, our investigators are doing well...it just takes TIME, lots of it. But they all have great potential. :) We were able to go over and teach a recent convert, her brother listened too. I just thought it was cool that more people wanted to listen. But after we left Sister Franklin was like, "that is the first time he has sat in and listened to the missionaries in YEARS." miracles. Every day. We have ipads now, as you know. We are kind of like the guinee pigs for it, its going well. We have area org info on there and our planners, which i'm not completely used to but, the Lord is trusting us to do it all!

I love you all so much, be happy and know i love you guys!!

 

the lords game plan

lately i've been pondering and really thinking about this historic era that we are living in. an era that is compared to the first vision, it amazes me every time i think about it and strengthens my desire to work as hard as i can to help the kindgom of God grow. we got i-pads this week which is a huge trust from our father in heaven...these are an example of the Lord hastening is work. what does the word "hasten" mean? it is defined as: to be quick to do something. we must take part in the Lords game plan! right now, don't wait to bless your life and the lives of others. the time is NOW. I know from experience how it can bless our lives more than we could ever imagine. I am so grateful and humbled to be a part of this historic period of time, i am truly happy because of this gospel. Heavenly Father is waiting to bless us, we just have to do our part and know the game plan!

 

 are we ready to play? 

 

 

Elder Ballard said...

"We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior."

 

Start with this invitation. I know He will answer our prayers to our righteous desires.