Joy in the Temple

This week has been unbelievably stressful. My personal job, and school lives each imploded within 72 hours starting on Monday. Granted, I still have both jobs, I still have school and I'm no longer behind on homework, and I still have all my amazing and wonderful friends. But I started to listen to a lot of negative thinking as I wandered through last week in a lot of emotional pain. Sunday it hit me like a ton of bricks, "You are enough! The Atonement will help heal this pain if you move forward, despite what anyone else's decisions are. You are your own person." Well, dang! Haha! The sacrament helped a ton and I just want to emphasize to each of you that when you trust in the Lord, and move forward doing the things we know we need to do, you will be blessed and comforted. 

I’m coming to the conclusion of my studies on hearts in the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine, and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The next topic I am studying is joy. This is something I need to relearn how to have, given the events of last week, I want to be able to find more godly joy in my life. 

My study begins in Ezra (as this is the first mentioning of the word joy in the Bible). Ezra 3:11-13, “And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.”

Why were they weeping with joy? Why was there such an explosion of emotion? Because the temple was being rebuilt. The house of the Lord. Can you imagine being without it? I was just depressed when I found out the Raleigh temple was going to be refurbished for a year so I’d have to drive down to Columbia, South Carolina when I needed to go to the temple! But I can’t even imagine how amazing it will be when the temple reopens and we have the cultural celebration and we’ll basically throw an amazing huge party celebrating the house of the Lord being open once again in the state of North Carolina.

I love the temple and I know of the peace that it can bring as we attend worthily and we seek the Lord with our whole hearts. I love the Lord so much and I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Missing the Mission

Hello all! This past Monday was a great day! I invited my best friend Karis to come to FHE and she came and she loved it! She's so excited to come to more activities and everything! 

This week I've been given responsibility over some of the social media of the publishing business I work for. It's been fun making little picture quotes for the facebook pages I'm in charge of, and in fact I've seen progress on these pages, slow progress but it's progress. 

This was also my first week of classes and I love them all so far. My classes all have to do with my major, early childhood education, and I just get so excited about my classes and what I'm learning. It feels so right. I'm so grateful for the Lord's guidance and my listening to Him. 

Haha on Saturday I was driving home from class (I have a Saturday class five times this semester), and I pass this man who is working in his yard. I had the thought that I should pull over and ask him if he needed any help. So I did, and I left the keys in the car. I asked him if he needed any help and he said no thank you but that was so sweet of you. I go back to my car and I realize I locked myself out of my car. So he notices that I can't get in my car and he offers to take me to my house and get my key with me. So he went to get his wife and she took me up to my house to grab my dad's key to help me unlock my car. We had a very nice conversation, but I felt like an idiot the whole time. I literally couldn't stop laughing when I got home. BUT I listened to the Spirit, and who know she what blessings will come from this. 

I need y'all to pray for my friend Cindy Poma, she's been missing since Saturday and it's driving me nuts. Everyone on Facebook is losing their minds and her family is worried sick. She needs to be found soon safe. Thank you! 

I miss the mission so much, every day. Yesterday I asked my branch president if he still missed his mission and even he said yes! The mission is a wonderful place with structure, the Spirit is in everything you do, you have a purpose, etc. But moving on is inevitable, but that doesn't mean you forget your mission either. I am finding opportunities to share the gospel with my friends every day. I got to share a pamphlet with my boss on Friday because she had questions about the Plan of Salvation. These little things build up and one day you get to have moments like I had on Monday with Karis at FHE. It's so cool to share the gospel with the people you love. I know these things to be true, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

God's Timing

Soooooo I'm so sorry this hasn't been kept up as it should be... I will try to do better, I promise.


So this week I was able to get fully registered for school (stupid high school), got my books, and today I started my classes. I'm so excited! All of my classes are mostly online (there are two that are online but also meet 4 times this semester). I am able to work on school work while I'm at work if I'm not busy with a customer and everything seems to be going great! I spent half of Saturday helping a member of my branch get started working on her family history. It was so cool because she was in the foster care system so she doesn't know a ton about her biological parents besides when they were born and when they died. But her brothers (all active members of the church) have done some family history so we had some stuff to work with. We found out that many of her ancestors served in the Civil and Revolutionary Wars! They came over while our country was still being colonized and that was so neat! How cool to know that your ancestors helped set up the foundation of our country! (Haha mine just came over and saw the east coast and went, "Hmm this is nice, whelp, bye!" And then went west).

I really truly love it here in Carthage and am so grateful for God's timing. I asked my dad yesterday for a back to school blessing. In my blessing, I was told over and over that the major I have chosen is the one that God wants for me. I will help many people that can't help themselves and that whatever obstacles come up they are not from the Lord for He needs me in this path. I know that I am doing the right thing by pursuing a degree in early childhood education in preparation to get my degree in special education. I know that the Lord has a plan for each of us in this life. If we but follow him and seek him out in prayer and fasting, we will receive answers. I leave these things with y'all in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I Volunteered with a Clown

Guess Who I'm training! The cutest Sister Missionary ever! Sister Christensen! She's amazing and I love her.

This week was fabulous! Monday evening we had dinner with our investigator Liz who was a referral from Sister Steed (I want to be just like Sister Steed when I grow up, seriously). She met her when I was sick a couple weeks ago. When we had dinner with Liz we mostly listened because she and Sister Steed became instant best friends. It was wonderful to see! She explained to us that she didn't like that other churches condemn people so much and that everyone is just going to go to hell.  We talked about the Plan of Salvation and she just loved every second of it. She said everything makes sense and she can't wait to learn more.

Sister Sand transferring out was still very sad :( but she's in the right place at the right time and Inglemoor doesn't need her and she doesn't have have anything else to learn from Inglemoor. But then I was put with Sister Christensen and she is wonderful! I can't ask for a better trainee! She's sharp and so ready to work! 

Liz came to the Relief Society potluck on Tuesday and everyone just loved her! Sister Christensen did great with getting to know everyone and I'm just so proud of her. 

That night we had a lesson with our investigator Audrey. She has a lot going on in her family and she just kept saying how much her Aunt Becky loved the hearts ("Heart attack"). We talked about the Godhead and the Atonement. She loved it and she was so upset because she lost the Book of Mormon we gave her. Then we showed her the Book of Mormon app and she was over the moon! She loves the audio setting because she has dyslexia and has a hard time reading. Sister Christensen did great with sharing her thoughts and feelings from the Spirit on her first day!

On Wednesday we had three powerful member lessons. I'm so excited for this ward to really explode with member missionary work. We're helping individual families create family mission plans. It's so dang cool.  

Our weekly planning session was wonderful! She catches on so quickly! And it was the first time I weekly planned within three hours since being companions with Sister Truax. Very led by the Spirit also. 

Also on Thursday we had another lesson with Liz on the Restoration. As we spoke on prophets and how God has always called prophets, and Sister Christensen testified of our modern day prophet (seriously, easiest trainee ever!), Liz was amazed. The Spirit was so strong during that lesson! Sister Steed and Liz's friendship is blossoming and Liz is excited to come to church with her husband (he comes back into town in a week and a half). She even said the closing prayer and the Spirit was so strong. I was nearly brought to tears! It was so special. We invited her to be baptized and she said she would like to learn more first (but she was totally moved by the Spirit and wanted to say yes).

We attended somethign called "Care Day" on Friday. It's where those who are struggling can come and have some basic needs met. There were booths for dental care, haircuts, social security sign up, health checkups, etc. We were at the end where the exit survey was and handed out two bags of groceries to families as they left. I saw SISTER NAKAMURA AND MOSES THERE!!!!!  I was over the moon. I was so happy to see them because I just love them and miss them so much. 

One of the most rewarding experiences was walking into our investigators's home and it felt like she was keeping commitments. We were talking to our investigator's Aunt Becky about the scriptures and she told us that Audrey (our investigator) was so excited about the Book of Mormon app and the audio setting that she listens to it all the time!

I love Inglemoor and I can't wait to help each of these wonderful people here to progress towards life with our Heavenly Father. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Follow Jesus

1. (Chorus)
   I need thee, oh, I need thee;
   Ev'ry hour I need thee!
   Oh, bless me now, my Savior;
   I come to thee!
2. 2. I need thee ev'ry hour;
   Stay thou nearby.
   Temptations lose their pow'r
   When thou art nigh.
3. 3. I need thee ev'ry hour,
   In joy or pain.
   Come quickly and abide,
   Or life is vain.
4. I need thee ev'ry hour,Most holy One.
5. Oh, make me thine indeed,
   Thou blessed Son!
6. Text: Annie S. Hawks, 1835-1918
   Music: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899

I'm learning a lot about following as a trainer. Following the Spirit, following Christ, following the mission rules, etc. I am learning a lot about how to follow, and thus being a good leader. If I want my trainee to be a follower of Christ, then I must follow Him as much as I can. There was a story from conference a while ago about a child that was following in her mom's footsteps. At one point her mom was upset with her because she kept tripping over her. When she asked why she was doing this she said, "I was told in Primary to follow Jesus Christ. I don't see Jesus Christ, but I do see you." I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve in this calling. This is such a blessing! I know that following Jesus Christ means following others oftentimes. I know that the example my trainer set for me was wonderful, and thus I will do my best with God's help to serve Sister Christensen. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Blessing of Teaching

I'm learning so much as a trainer and I'm having so much fun. It's funny as a trainer you feel like you don't have fears because you're working on helping your trainee overcome her fears. I love Sister Christensen so much. She's so dang cute and I love how much she loves teaching. It's funny because I still feel like a greenie. I still have energy and love the work. I love being a missionary! There's something I've come to learn a lot while being a trainer: you set the example for how your new missionary should act and she will follow it. She's going to take what she has learned from you and take it with her throughout her whole mission. This brings to mind the scripture in Alma 56 about the stripling warriors, "... yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." I am so grateful for this great responsibility that the Lord has given me. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and as we lead and teach in His way, not only will we be blessed, but those who learn from us will also be blessed. I close in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Fulfilling my Purpose

The last couple weeks we've been "heart-attacking" (putting cute notes, scriptures, words from hymns, etc.) on cut out hearts and taping them to doors of investigators, members, and less-actives. One evening we felt a prompting to heart-attack our investigators' door (Audrey, Todd, and Becky). Neither of us coordinated this but all of the hearts we put on their door had to do with the Savior and the Atonement (the whole song Gethsemane, Alma 7:11-12, etc.). We put them up all over their door and ran back to the car. The next morning we sent a text to Audrey asking if we were still good to visit the next day. She called us and told us that the afternoon before Becky found out that her uncle was dying and so they all took a bus to go and see him. On the way there they get the call that he had already passed and to just wait for the funeral. They came back to their apartment at 4 in the morning and saw the heart. Becky was previously sobbing uncontrollably and as soon as she saw the hearts she calmed and refused to have them taken down. Audrey had called to thank us and said she was looking forward to us coming by again. 

I was in awe of the whole situation. Sister Sand and I were speechless. It was in that moment I knew I was fulfilling my purpose as a missionary. I haven't seen any of my investigators be baptized, I haven't seen the full reactivation of a family, but I know that I am fullfilling my purpose as a missionary because I feel the Spirit testify through me and the Lord is using me to be an answer to people's prayers. I know that I am in the right place and I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know this is His only true church, where the gospel of Jesus Christ is full and without error. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.