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.