Mission Papers are In!

So after what seems to be a very long time that was squeezed into some very short days, I finally submitted my mission papers with my bishop. YAAAAAY!!! Haha. My to-do list for last week was quite extensive and I'm rather proud of it. With three pages of many things to do, discuss, complete, and pray about I am happy to say all of it is finished. 

Now I have a new two page list to get done this week. Yay. -_-  . I hope and pray that there is nothing wrong with my papers and I get my call very soon. 

I know my Father lives and love me. I know my Savior died for me. I know He suffered for my sins. I know that He lives again all so that I may also. I know that through Him all things are possible. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Update: my stake president got everything straightened out on his end and everything was submitted on Sunday. I should have my call in the next couple of weeks. He called while he he pushed the submit button and I was jumping up and down and squealing with joy. 

Patriotism by example

The previous week was filled with many ups and downs. One of the greatest ups was being able to find a whole branch of my family that I thought would be lost. There was little to go off of in Family Search, so I thought maybe one day I'll be able to find their records for their parents in person. Last Monday I found his parents and his family. I had felt a prompting to look at Family Search and ancestry.com for family history work I might have missed. Lo and behold there was a hint for one of the records I needed to open an entire branch of my family that I thought would be lost for years. What joy I felt! Not only this but I found out that my great great grandpa served in WWI and received a medal for his service. It brought me closer to him and his family because I know how it feels to have a dad deployed and how wonderful it is to have him come home safe and sound. 

My dad taught me patriotism, or rather his example taught me patriotism. He served his country for twenty five years in the army. He taught me that sacrifice for one's country is sacred and something many people don't understand. When I put out the flag at work, I always have the pledge of allegiance in my heart, as always followed with the song "I'm Proud to be an American." This is the song they play at homecomings for soldiers and it will always make me cry. The joy of having my daddy come home safely and to have him finally home was and is always overwhelming. 

I bare my testimony that I know that God loves each of us, and I am grateful for this land of liberty we live in. I am grateful for the soldiers who serve our nation. I love you daddy, and happy birthday. Happy Independence Day, and God bless America. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.    

Gifts

This week at the campground there was a little boy with Down Syndrome in the laundry room listening to Brother Bear over and over again. Some of my coworkers groaned but didn't do anything about it. The office wasn't busy, so I went over to our half-door and said hello. He said hello and smiled and I knew he was definitely one of God's strongest spirits. I was also reminded of my mom's gift. My mom is getting her master's degree in special education, and has a gift with these children that is beautiful to watch. While I feel clumsy and awkward, my mom takes them under her wing and loves them. She is far more in tune with these precious spirits than I have ever seen. 

Everyone has gifts, and some are more obvious and some take years to develop. I am very grateful for the gifts that I have and the gifts of my mama and my daddy. My parents have helped shape me into the strong young woman I am today. 

I bear my testimony that I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true, and I know that each of us has God given gifts. As we develop our gifts we will be blessed and we will bless others. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Promised Blessings

My Patriarchal Blessing is so amazing. The other day I was reading it again and found something I hadn't noticed before and it brings me to tears every time I think about it. It makes everything make sense. My trials, my hardships, my opinions on certain things, will bless me in this way. I don't feel comfortable sharing it on the Internet, but I know that each of us has certain blessings in store that aren't just temporary, they are eternal. As we follow God's commandments and listen to our Patriarchal Blessings, our blessings will be without number.  I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Scripture Nerd!!

In the King James Bible there is a total of 783,137 words and can be read in 70 hours. In the Book of Mormon there is a total of 268,163 words and can be read in 22 hours. In the Doctrine and Covenants there is a total of 134,804 words and can be read in 14 hours. In the Pearl of Great Price there is a total of 30,362 words and can be read in 4 hours. That's a total of 1,216,466 and 109 hours or 4.5 days, and that comes from 5 books if you count the Old and New Testament as separate books.

Now let's compare with some other series. The Lord of the Rings series consists of the Hobbit (95,022 words or 11 hours), the Fellowship of the Ring (177,227 words or 19 hours), the Two Towers (143,436 words or 17 hours), and the Return of the King (134,462 words or 18 and a half hours). This series has a total of 550,147 words and 65.5 hours or 2.7 days, and this comes from 4 books.

In the Harry Potter series there is the Sorcerer's Stone (76,944 words and 8.5 hours), the Chamber of Secrets (85,141 words and 9 hours), the Prisoner of Azkaban (107,253 words and 12 hours), the Goblet of Fire (190,637 words and 20.5 hours), The Order of the Phoenix (257,045 words and 29.25 hours), the Half-Blood Prince (168,923 words and 18.5 hours), and the Deathly Hallows (198,227 words and 21.75 hours). With a total of 1,084,170 and 119.5 hours or 5 days, and this comes from 7 books. 

Still think seminary and institute students don't deserve the honored title of "nerds" or belong to their own bonafide fandom? In order to get the Moroni award or the Christus award the seminary students have to read each book of scripture through the whole school year (and I'd like to say that most students read the selected book of scripture anyway, but I don't know for sure, I know did though). In order to pass institute the students much read the respective book within that school year. 

I have such a strong testimony of the scriptures and I am so grateful for my wonderful seminary teachers who raised the bar for me. Sister Cogdell, Sister  Sarah Westbrook, Sister Wright, and the long-term substitute Sister Cross are the wonderful women who helped shape my love for the scriptures. Through seminary I learned more than just facts, stories and doctrines. I learned patience, leadership, writing skills, critical thinking, and charity (the pure love of Christ). 

I bear my testimony that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is God's church. I know that the scriptures are true and that Joseph Smith Jr. was a prophet of God who translated the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and received much of the revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Best 19th birthday present

Serving a mission will benefit any young man or young woman who decides to serve for forever, and their families, converts, and the people they just barely even talk to because some people don't always join the church the first go around. There are eternal blessings to serving a mission, and those blessings only come through serving a mission. "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God... And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" (D&C 18:10,15-16) God loves each and every one of us, and when we bring someone to the gospel we have joy, and if we bring several people to the gospel our joy will multiply a million times over. We don't serve missions just because we are supposed to, we serve because we love our fellow man and want them to share the joy in living the gospel just as we do. That's why it's called "serving a mission", that's all we do on missions, serve.

I felt the call one year and 20ish months ago (almost two years) when I heard the prophet announce the age change and I knew I had to serve a mission. Believe me, a mission, up until that day, was not in my plans in the least. I was planning to go straight into college and not look back. But I knew I had to serve a mission. I had a warm feeling in my heart and I felt something say that I am going to serve a mission. It was wonderful and shocking, haha. And then when I went with the sister missionaries, all by myself, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am going to serve a mission, and I will love it because I love people and I love my Savior. I want other people to have the same joy I have in His light and His atonement.

This confirmation became even clearer when I went to someone's house who was taking the lessons, and her mom told her, while the sisters and I were there, that she could just keep going to her church. She said, "No mom, I don't want to go to your church, I want to go this church." Her mom asked why. She said, "It feels right. Every time I go to church with them I feel this warm feeling that just tells me that it's the right place to be." I saw it click in her eyes, and it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw.

I can't wait to serve a mission. I look forward to it more than Christmas, my birthday, even attending SVU. It will be such a grand adventure! A mission is so important to me and I know I will do my best and I will try and please The Lord. I bear my testimony on the power of the Holy Ghost and it is the only power that converts people. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Our Greatest Resources: Family and People

Yesterday, I was able to go visit my great great aunt Rainy, she is my grandma's mom's sister. I got to sit in with the adults (I guess I am one now, aren't I?) and listen to her talk about her life. She grew up a nonmember, in a home of five or six siblings.  She did not have a happy childhood, her father was physically abusive to her brothers and her mother, they were very poor most of her childhood. Aunt Rainy said she didn't like to talk about it, but stories like hers need to be heard. She was an amazing woman who sounded like a wonderful mother to her children.

I loved listening to her stories and what she knew about her family history. I loved finding out more information about the people who wrote the letters I have at home (some are written by her brother Porter, who died in WWII). 

She is so full of charity, the pure of Christ, that I just wanted to keep talking to her. She is such a loving person; she doesn't judge anyone. I loved talking to her and listening to her stories. Her patience and love made me want to become like her one day. She came to her challenges, and used them to springboard into becoming the wonderful woman she has become. I want to come see her again, but this time with my my mom and dad, and siblings. They will love her and she will love to hear from us.

I bear my testimony that families are eternal. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Service Doesn't End with Death

Yesterday, I went to the temple with my Aunt Teresa and cousin Keilani. I had brought names and I planned on being baptized and confirmed for them.

Unless a person is baptized by proper authority of the priesthood, taking upon themself the name of Christ, and then confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with the gift of Holy Ghost, a person cannot go to spirit paradise. In the temple we are able to be baptized in behalf of  the dead so that they may go to spirit paradise also. 

While I was there I felt my family surrounding me, they were there, hugging me and thanking me as I did their work for them. I still have work for them, but it was the most amazing feeling. Their love and gratitude for allowing them to be with their Savior was overpowering. I cried with joy. 

All of my deceased relatives, I looked up their records, I knew a few of their stories, I felt like I knew them, and they knew me and I felt that. They had been waiting for me. I was able to be baptized for my great grandma, and I know who she is through the stories my dad tells me about her. Lorna Lovina Parker. I don't know if she would have been a member in this life, but I know she was grateful, I know she accepted the gospel from the spirit missionaries in the hereafter.

I am so grateful for my Aunt Teresa and cousin Keilani. They came with me and helped me with some of the ordinances that needed to be done. I am grateful I was able to share this experience with them. I am so grateful I am able to serve my family, even though they are not here with me now. I look forward to being able to more work for them, and many more. I know that Christ lives, and through His atonement all mankind may be saved, through the laws and obedience to the gospel. Family history isn't just looking up names, you are allowing your family to be with their Savior again and to be with you again. It is one of the best and most special feelings I have ever felt. 

Giving and Taking and Changing

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a temper. There are a few things that get me really worked up, some are politics (please don't ask what party because if you can't see through the lines of my last post, then that's your mystery), when someone picks on my friend or sibling (seriously, don't go there, I have barely restrained myself in times past), and a couple of people who know exactly to get under my skin (seriously, one or two people on the planet). For a while I had let my temper and my mouth run the way it wanted go, I just didn't care. But, at a certain point I got sick of myself. I really just got tired if how heavy it was to carry around all of that anger and care-not-for-you attitude, anger is putting it mildly but I suppose it's the only word that fits.

Another turning point was when my seminary teacher created a class motto. It was Moroni 7:45-48. 

"45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

"46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--

"47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

"48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."

(http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/moro/7?lang=eng)

What a beautiful scripture! It was when I started to take this to heart was when I felt myself change for the better. People began to see a difference in me, a real difference in my countenance. 

And then one of those two people came into my life again. I had pushed them out time and time again for my own sanity. But they just popped up again every few weeks/months. It just wasn't fair! Why did they have to come stomping back into my life? Why did I have to deal with them again? Hadn't I suffered enough? But I recently realized that I was thinking all about myself. I hadn't even tried to put myself in their position. I am trying, and so far it's going alright.

For the longest time I had prayed for a missionary opportunity, but Heavenly Father was preparing people for me at that time. At the time I obviously wasn't prepared to answer the questions I would need to answer and I didn't have the patience I would need. I didn't have the charity I needed to be a good missionary.

Finally when Heavenly Father knew I was ready he sent me one, then two, then three, by the last day of school I had given out four Books of Mormon and one friend had started reading the Book of Mormon all on her own. The love I have for these sisters,these fellow children of God is what drove me to continue answering their questions instead of brushing them off and changing the topic the way I used to. I LOVE them. They are the sweetest young women I have ever met and I look forward to being their friend and seeing their progression in life.

The Lord gives and takes in his own time and in his own way. What a glorious blessing He is! It is our responsibility to pay attention and endure the giving and taking he does and do our best with it. I bear my testimony that the Book of Mormon changes lives and helps develop charity and love towards our fellow man. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.