What We Make It. February 23rd, 2015

We have had probably one of the longest weeks, this last one haha (: but
doesn't it just go that way sometimes?  I like to think that I'm being
refined, right? So I can be confident that it is necessary for me to remain
in the fire a little longer.  oh...but Tucson burns sometimes (;
I got to speak in Sacrament meeting ayer and allllso teach Relief Society!
This singles ward is preparing me for something or something...? But it was
fine! I was asked to speak on continuing in our conversions and so I quoted
the Pops, of course (: I talked about how there is no arrival in life and
the constant need to progress. And also, the trap of feeling "content" in
life. I love in Alma 37 when Alma tells Helaman that when Lehi's family was
apathetic or lazy, they did not progress in their journey.  There is so
much truth to that!  If anything, being on a college campus has helped me
to desire to be more self-motivated and to strive to accomplish!  So I am
grateful for each experience.  We have someone watching out for us who
really knows what they're doing. (:
I have been learning throughout the months the constant necessity to follow
the Spirit and the crucial importance of following what the Lord has in
mind...not us.
I love the Book of Mormon.  I have been finding that the more we take the
time to read it with non members and less active members, their desire to
improve and follow God increases.  The Spirit speaks and it speaks directly
and plain.  What a gift we have!  Read the Book of Mormon.  There is such a
spirit when you do and you will find the things you need to either improve,
find comfort, feel peace, or be enlightened!

Also, I can not contact someone in Sign language...that's been fun to
learn! I stiiiill need to learn patience! haha I have such a hard time with
these signs, but I am getting it down. (:
Fun days.

Love you much (:
Shine on.

Welcome to Summer - February 16, 2015

So there's this place called Tucson Tamales and I love it (: You could only guess why (; but it has the best tamales! Yay. That's a positive thing.

Other than that, I think I just came off the roller coaster and we're coasting in to a beautiful week! Life is grand.  I love these refining moments. 

I was reading in Alma 37 about how Alma was reminding his son, Helaman, about the Liahona that guided Nephi's family in the wilderness.  He said it was such an easy thing to do and so they were lazy and forgot to exercise their faith.  It hit me hard that I cannot forget my God when things ARE going well! Because He is the reason that I can even get through the hard times and that constant faith is what will allow me to be guided and directed from Him.  It is SO simple.  Live the gospel, keep your faith in Christ, and you will be guided and led.  

Alma 37:44 "For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word to Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land."  It is that easy.  (: 

Alma 37:46 "...do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us.  The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever."  So look! It is just so amusing that it really is that simple, the way is prepared, and yet we get lazy, because it is that easy...so why would it matter?  But it does!  Life is hard, not the gospel.  (: 

I have learned that it is when you put your trust in the Lord and faith in Him that you find success.  In any realm of life.  

Our recently-baptized friend got the Priesthood this Sunday! He is wonderful and I feel so privileged to know him.  The other day in our lesson, he told us that he received revelation and it made him cry and he didn't know why!  He said he really felt the Holy Ghost and he cannot deny these things.  Ohhh I have never known such a joy.  We talked about sharing the gospel and how he will return to Africa soon and his response, with a smile was, "well, I guess I have a lot of work to do!"

Other than that...Valentine's day on campus... interesting time.  I didn't even know it was Valentine's day last year haha but that was surely not the case this year! Oh the days. 

I just want to say that I know it is through the comfort and enabling power that Jesus Christ offers that we can feel whole and at peace.  Alma 38:8 "...behold, I did cry unto Him and I did find peace to my soul."  I know that anyone who cries unto Him will find that same peace.  I love that. I am so grateful to know that.

I love you (: 

God is SO good. February 9th, 2015

Well, life is beautiful (:
I feel like, looking back, I can really see how the Lord has made my
weaknesses strengths! And I still have weaknesses...but I just love that I
can see the truth in the scripture that tells us that as we come to the
Lord, He will make weak things strong! I put all my confidence in that
scripture, because I am a weak thing.
Our friend was able to be baptized and confirmed these last two days!! (:
He is a shining light.  I am SO grateful for the opportunity I have to know
him and to learn from him.  He is an example to me.  God speaks to man if
they will listen! And He makes of us new creatures.  I love something that
our friend said as he was bearing his testimony after his baptism.  He
said: "I feel like I left the old L. in there" (pointing to the baptismal
font).  His testimony was bright.  What joy filled my soul!! (: It is like
nothing before.  I also got to sing at his baptism.  He asked if I would
speak but I asked him if I could sing instead because I love music and feel
that I could best share my testimony through it.  That was a lovely
experience for me!  I could hear my voice echo in the baptismal font and I
was just filled with the spirit.  (haha don't get me wrong, I'm not trying
to tell you I was amazing or anything) I was just very grateful for the
opportunity!
I want to end with a poem I recently wrote about God's love.  It is so
abundant and overflowing (:

God's Love

To me,
God's love is in the morning sky
When the mountain peaks reveal the first ray of light.
Or when the air is crisp and all the world is still,
This is when I can feel my God is near.
To me,
God's love is in the willow tree
That bows to the earth just to greet me.
Or in the fallen leaves of the shadow days of fall;
They remind me I'm noticed, when I feel so small.
To me,
God's love is in the summer rain
That sings to the earth it can be clean again!
Or in the white snow on a gray December,
The love of my God I always remember.
To me,
God's love is in the fading sky
When the stars outside paint our canvas eyes.
Or when the moon and her smile are bright,
I feel God's love in the quiet night.

One of my favorite scriptures is in Doctrine and Covenants 59:18 "Yea, all
things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the
benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the
heart;"  And that is how I know God loves me. (:

Love!

Rainy Dayz February 3rd, 2015

Well, it looks like I am staying at the U of A!!! (: I am pretty excited
about that. I am ready to do better than we did last transfer. Of course,
that is always the goal, right? To be better than you were before?
Things have been going really well.  We've been having a lottt of member
support and that is what it's all about! That is what gets us rolling. I
love it (: I am so grateful. Plus, we really have been needing it
considering I have been gone so much lately! I keep having to send mi compa
off on splits so I can go to meetings haha good thing she is patient with
me! (:
Patience. That's something I'm still learning.  But WOW. I am so grateful
for these experiences we have each day that mold us and shape us into the
people we are supposed to become.

This last week, also, I ate something called the 'Devil Taco'...it is not
nice. Don't do it! haha This member in our ward makes them for missionaries
he wants to kill haha just kidding. But I had to literally sign a waver to
eat it. I don't really know why I was feeling so bold that evening! But so
far, I am the first sister to try it! (perhaps a little prideful? haha) I
only could eat 3 bites!  Let me tell you. It was an adventure.

So something that has been constantly brought up lately in my life as well
as in lessons and in conversations is God's love! It is something that I
have become more and more aware of.  In my last training I gave, I asked
the missionaries what is one of the things they love to testify to people,
and I think that the fact that God loves us is my favorite!  (: Everything
ties back to it.  We have what we have, we are who we are, we are where we
are because God loves us! And He is constantly reaching out to us to show
us that.  Oh, but do our eyes always see?
Sometimes we need to look through heavenly eyes to see the perspective that
God has.  His vision is so much more!  I love God's love.  I love that He
shows it to me in the smallest, simplest ways.  I think I might say this a
lot, but I love His mercy! So much.  And I know that it is only because of
Christ that we are given mercy.  God is love.  We love Him, because He
first loved us.
I love you!
Que tengan una linda semana (:

oh, and get this! Elder Hurst is going to be in my district now haha so no
more letter mix-ups, eh?


pics) Rainy days haha