I Love My Little Mexico January 6th, 2014

I would just like to emphasize that I am literally an hour, maybe 2 or so, from the Mexican boarder.  I may have told some of you this story, but about 5 minutes after we went caroling at a branch member's house, they were deported!  And our Sunday school president just got out of jail a couple weeks ago for the same reason.  Mission life (;  Also, tamales here are fabulous, you should know this, and you should be jealous...But hey.  Last night, I spent the whole night being very sick and so you win some, you lose some, right?  Not to mention...on the way to this lovely place to correspond with you all, I ran right into the closing door...with my face. And I am just so glad that I amused every single person in this building.  I hope it brightened their day as much as it did mine. Oh hey! But fiestas here, yeah, they're great.  And this is the life (: here in my little Mexico. 

When we moved from our North Ogden home to Pleasant View, I had a hard time! And that really took me by surprise because it was still so close to North Ogden.  And one day, I sat outside the house on the sidewalk.  It was an incredible sky that was setting and the world was perfect.  I closed my eyes.  I could hear mom playing the piano and I could feel the same sun that always set, on my face.  And I realized, I was home.  Home was having the people I love and the things I love in the same place!  I didn't feel this in AZ at first...But I did just that the other day.  I closed my eyes.  The sounds were different, yes.  The warm winter was different, too.  But the same sun was smiling on my face, and I am around many people that I have grown to love here too, and so I am home. 

 

Speaking of home: real quick shout out to the fabulous fam who sent me such fun things and cards for Christmas!  Thanks to the Rupp fam for their cute card (: I love my cute fam!!! (:

AND shout out to the Hayward and Shirley Wride family.  I don't know you.  But it sure means a lot that you took the time to think of me this Christmas!

 

Back to the books.....

We get along very well in our district!  It is probably too much fun! (: We all did yoga for our morning exercise on Thursday and hahahha. That's all. I just know we're all here in the same place at the exact same time for a reason! 

 

I Had a little insight this week that I was stoked about!  Philippians 2:15"that ye may stand blameless and harmless, the sons (and daughters) of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whome YE SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD." Ah! I love that!  We shine as lights in this ever-darkening world.  ANd if darkness is the absence of light, then what this dark world is missing is the Light of Christ!  A literal, physical, tangible light: that brightens, and warms, and loves.  YE are the light of the world.  Let YOUR light so shine! (Matthew5:14-16). And, hey, it's okay to shine!  IT's okay to sparkle and gleam, because all of those things reflect light and that light offers warmth and love that this darkening world is in such great need of.  SO SHINE ON!   Just something to think about.

 

Yeah...life is good here (: The language gets really frustrating sometimes, though.  BUt that's how I'm being humbled.  And, hey, I can say the word toothless: desdentado...so you could easily say I'm progressing.  I played the piano in primary yesterday! I loved it! I love being with these shining kids (: so fun!

 

I just have one last thought to leave you with.  Of course, a poem.  I wrote this while I was studying yesterday.

 

Jesus in the tempest calmed the raging sea;

Oh now, my Jesus, calm the sea in me.

My ship now is sinking and the waters overflow--

and the fear I have inside me is continuing to grow.

"Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

I'm the lighthouse and the beacon, the life and the way.

And even from my slumber, I'll arise and calm your sea;

And then, my wayward sheep, fear not, and follow me."

 

Matthew 8:24-26

"And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but He was asleep.

And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?  Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."

 

Love you!!!! (: