Week 2 (2nd Epistle) - November 12, 2013

This time here has gone by so incredibly fast.  It feels like days drag on and then all of the sudden, my schedule says I´m on week 3.  That is so crazy.  I have learned a lot this week.  A lot!  About myself, about spanish, about the gospel...about how much my Heavenly Father is aware of me.  I keep having to remind myself that I am not going to be perfect in the blink of an eye.  In fact, I will never be until the day I come to meet my master.  I keep having to tell myself that the most important thing here is the spirit.  The spirit and the gospel of Jesus Christ. You would think that that is all we are learing about here, but with all the emphasis on Spanish, everyone seems to forget every now and then.  Here is something that I was given as a challenge that I would like to extend to you all.

Ask these 5 questions while you´re praying to know God.  Literally and seriously, do this.  It may seem silly because we go throughout our life saying we know God, but have we ever asked? 

1. Are you there?

2. Do you have a body of flesh and bone?

3. Do you know that I exist?

4. Do you know my name? About me?

5. Do you really love me?

Get your own burning testimony of your Savior Jesus Christ.  Make the time to pray and to read your scriptures.  It is so important.

We had an amazing devotional and that was something we talked about.  After, we went back to our classroom to talk  about it.  It was incredible.  We became so much closer as a district that night.  I just felt like we are all here at this exact time for a reason; to learn and grow together.  Here´s a little about our district.

Elder Sundrud.  He likes oragami.  He reminds me of a reserved, sophisticated Chad (our cousin Chad).  He gets frustrated easily and likes to be in charge, but he means well.  He was district leader for a week or so and now he is zone leader because a district in our zone left.  

Elder Jeske is his comp.  He is cool!  He´s super chill but a lot of times that means he doesn´t take everything too seriously.  He likes to make jokes when we´re trying to study.  He likes the same music Jared likes.

Elder Peterson.  He is hilarious!! He´s from ID and he has the funniest voice. I don´t mean that rude...just everything he says he almost says in the form of a question.  It´s really slow and drawn out.  Sometimes he has a lisp and sometimes he doesn´t.  He´s awesome!! 

Elder Sommerfeldt is from Canada.  We call him Canada even though we´re not supposed to have nicknames...heh...He´s funny.  He is our district leader now.

Elder Buchanan is my favorite!  He´s just so nice, right out of high school...so willing to study and learn the language and preach the gospel.  He´s two years younger than me, but I really look up to him.

His comp is Elder Cobb.  I really like Elder Cobb too.  They are just two all-around good guys.  I really look up to them and their example because in the hours we are left alone to study in our classroom, a lot of people goof off for 2 hours and study for a half hour.  They are very diligent and a good example.

The rest is just us 4 girls I´ve talked about.  My comp and I and our sisters Hermana Ennis and Hermana Lundquist.

 

 (If you are wondering if I goof off, the answer is...okay, it´s sometimes) But we are in a classroom for hours and hours of the day...and if we´re not in the classroom, we are at gym and  my comp makes me run and run and run...This is fine, I need it.  But I also need time to be a perosn for 2 seconds.  A person that is a missionary, nonetheless.

One important thing I have learned recently is that I am here on the Lord´s time, not mine.  I chose this and He chose me.  I would like to inform you that Karlee is in Pleasant View, UT.  I hope she is good company...because Hermana Hurst is here in Mexico and will soon be in AZ.  I don´t plan on visiting Karlee, either.  I am here to serve the Lord, not to think about what I was doing, what I could be doing, what I will be doing after....all of that will work itself out if I just stay diligent! That is the quality I am trying to attain.  Diligence. 

So more about the CCM.  I see PD and Daidre all the time! (Elder Dixon and Hermana Maw).  Some new missionaries arrived last week and there are some friends too! Elder Summerhays made it here and so did 2 girls I know from high school.  It´s fun!

SO.  Here, everyday, I eat fresh pineapple and watermelon...Every day! (: It is great.  It was kind of funny because when Caleb Summerhays got here, I told him hey good thing you got here on a day they are serving something kind of normal, most days it is weird.  And ever since then, it has been fairly normal! What in the world? I spoke too soon.  They all the sudden began American-izing the food!  haha

One thing that I have been missing so much is cookies...just normal, soft cookies....haha

Gym time is wonderful.  As I mentioned, my comp has me run a lot.  But I want to...she just pushes me.  She was a personal trainer before she left.  We do other things after running too like bball, volley ball, and soccer with the other districts.  I taught Elder Jeske and Elder Peterson Crow!  They love doing yoga haha (: I teach it to my district every now and then...I know...I´m pretty cool.

This was pretty funny...this Sunday´s devotional got a little long.  It was all powerpoint and just...fine. (: haha so I hear a weird noise...and i turn around. FOUR elders.  4. were sound asleep and literally snoring out loud in a row.  Hahaha oh, CCM memories.  

We also had a wonderful devotion Sunday evening!! I loved it!!! It was about leaving your old self behind to become the Lord´s missionary now.  The person speaking was someone in the CCM presidency and he was fabulous.  He quoted Luke 17: 32 "Remember Lot´s wife."  Ohh what a great scripture.  I have never noticed it much, but it holds such great power.  Lot´s wife doubted the Lord´s ability to give her something better than what she had.  Don´t keep a summer cottage in Babylon!  We need to gather the glowing embers of the past, and not the ashes.  Look forward to the future with bright eyes and hope (: WE CAN DO THIS! The Lord is on our side!! Every day.  

Something he said that I really liked was this: It doesn´t matter why you came, it matters what you do now that you´re here.

I am here to work.  I am here to serve.  And I am here to change.

Remember this throughout your life, Whatever decision you make, you stick with it until it sticks to you! This life is the test, not the reward.  Hard things will happen, but it doesn´t mean God isn´t watching over us.  It just means that He is giving us the ability to lean and grow.  How great is that! That He is trusting us with the responsibility to find the good in these trials and to grow.  We need to accept and meet that challenge with hopeful eyes and a smile on our face!! WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.  Be patient. Be obedient.  Hearken. Hold fast. Heed. and Have faith. 

I just want to quickly share a poem I wrote the other day after reading some scriptures:

How can we know our Father above?

How can we know to feel His love?

How can we trust with all of our heart

When sometimes we feel so far apart?

We must actually search with true intent.

And turn to our Father, sometimes, to repent.

Remember He listens and guides and ensures

When we put faith to actions, answers are ours.

When in times of doubt, don´t doubt your faith.

Keep walking forward throughout your days.

If you ever feel distant on the path that you choose,

Remember this: God never moves.

He´s constantly watching us from above,

But we must come to Him to feel of His love.  

I love you all so much! (: If you ever feel discouraged, remember to ask yourself "am I daily striving to be close to the Lord?" The Lord only dwells with us in righteousness.

I love you!!! (: