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

Words January 26th, 2015

I practically just wrote to you! haha but I'm back! 

This weekend ends up our transfer so fingers crossed I'm here for our friend's baptism!!

Hmm.

I read 2 Nephi 3:5 today which talks about how a branch of the house of Israel will be broken off and then it says, "nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing them out of darkness unto light..." And it really hit me!  And I had this moment where I flashed back to my ancestors and realized that they were a part of that promise, that they made the choice to follow, and that I am the beneficiary of that decision.  It was very humbling and I got a little emotional...Yes, I was born into this Gospel, but only because of them!  And that promise was kept that the Lord made which said that the knowledge of the Messiah would be brought to them; that they would not be forgotten. And they were not. And we are not.  And I love that.

I had a weird moment yesterday where I saw a familiar face who introduced me to his friends as 'Karlee' haha I was like whoa!! That's not my name! It threw me off.  But it was cool to get to see a friend. Super random! Out of no where.  Kind of freaked me out a little haha but it was cool! it was my friend Spencer.

I just want to share a poem about my life lately (: How much I LOVE this. (:

'Joy'

I never knew I'd be the one,
To live under the Tucson sun.
But here I am on my two feet
Walking in the desert heat.
And I've never known a sky so wide
That held such beauty locked inside.
But in this air I can clearly see
The reasons why God needed me.

I never thought that my two eyes
Would find a deeper joy in life.

But as I've followed my God above,

I've found a better way to love.

And I never thought my heart could grow
More full than I have ever known.

But this desert light fills my soul
And suddenly, I find I'm
Home.

John 14:23 "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

 Love you.

A couple Weeks. January 22nd, 2015

Well, it's been a little fast and crazy lately, but I am here now (:

We didn't get to email on Monday and we went to the temple Tuesday and had exchanges yesterday haha and the list goes on!

hmm... The last 2 weeks:

-I did a training in zone meeting and it wasn't too bad doing so alone!

-I have been seeing miracles on the daily (which should be expected in anyone's life!) and they have really taught me to be aware of God's constant hand in my life.  Also that I should never get too comfortable and think that just because I am receiving blessings now that I don't need to keep working and continuing to do the things I am supposed to.  Whether we are receiving blessings or not (but we always are!), we should still continue in the path of the commandments.

-I have been able to see my dear friend Isaac from my first area many times because we are teaching his neighbor! Sooo great! (: tendermercies.

-I have eaten 2 dinners in one night (almost back to Hispanic style haha but one meal was African and one was Chinese! and neither were by choice hahaha got to love those investigators!)

-Our investigator from Africa is progressing so well! (: He understands everything he reads and he teaches me more as well! He bore testimony to us that he knows these things are true and when we invited him to pray about the word of wisdom, he said, "I don't need to! I already know it's true. It just makes sense!" It was awesome (: We told him to continue to strive to receive that witness for himself.  He will be baptized in 2 weeks! 

hmm...other than that! Just here learning away.  I love the mission. I am so grateful for this time I get to spend to draw nearer to my Savior by helping others come unto Him! (:

The Book of Mormon really is another witness and anyone who reads with a sincere heart really will come closer to their Savior! I know it! (: It's such a beautiful, perfect gospel (although we are not....we will become!) 

Keep shining the gospel light!

Blessings!!!! January 12, 2015

I ran myself out of time...but I just want you to know that God knows us!
We have been seeing miracle after miracle. I know they come after we
exercise our faith! (: Wow. we are just so blessed.
The most important things to know in life are that God loves you and knows
you! And that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ,  we can be new. We can
be whole. We can be cleansed. I know this with everything in me.
Nothing brings more happiness than this knowledge.
Have a great week! (:

New Year's Week! January 5th, 2015

This last week has been fun (:
The weather has almost been as bipolar as UT!

It snowed! What...haha love it!

On New Year's day the entire mission got together and we had what we called a Mission Unity Day (M.U.D.) as our President liked to refer it as haha.  It was so fun! We got to play games and see all of our old companions! Not that I saw many...considering they're all home except for Hermana Dominguez and my current companion...but I saw all of my friends (: We had a good ole time!  We played a giant mission-wide game of Simon says...and guess who won! Yep (: Before they started they said the last 2 standing would be the next APs (almost perfect) haha small joke...but it ended up that a bunch of people got out at once and I was the last...so you know what that means...(; just joking!!! I am learning much of humility out here, do not worry.  The mission does well to teach you that you really are lower than the dust.....but also that the enabling power of the Atonement is what lifts us back up again and encourages us to keep improving.

I got to attend another Mission Leadership Council.  My favorite meeting in the mission!  It is full of inspiring leaders (who are my friends (: ) and a spirit of desire to learn!  And oh, what we do learn (: It is joy.  The longer I have these great experiences, the more I learn that everything goes back to love!  And how appropriate because everything is possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, who is love.  

I got to train in district meeting last week haha that was a little random! And I get to train solo in this upcoming zone meeting since I am now a single leader haha pray for me! This is the only thing that makes me nervous in life!  (:

One sad experience and then a cool one, okay?:

So we talked about baptism again with our Chinese friend.  He has many fears of what would happen if he is baptized.  They are very realistic and it would take immense faith to overcome them! I do understand...but when he told us this again, I couldn't help but burst into tears.  I was so sad.  

I spent the rest of the night (as this was our last appointment) pondering why...why it is like this in some places of the world and why it is so trying for our faith to accept.

I came to 2 conclusions.  #1. we HAVE the Gospel here and we can accept it in its fullest here so I better share it with EVERYONE who has the blessing of freedom to freely accept if it be the desire of their hearts.  #2. God's timing is perfect.  We are here to become and one of those things we learn through the journey of becoming is patience.  We do not need to be discouraged because God loves us! He has promised that if we are faithful, we will be lead to the promised land....and that promised land for me will be when the Gospel fills the whole earth. (: I can't wait!!! 

 SO trust in God, who is mighty to save.  In His wisdom, and not man's. 

The cool experience we had happened because I am just haha me.

I smiled and waved at this guy walking in a crosswalk as we drove by.  A couple days later we were eating with some members at inn and out burger haha and I looked up to make eye contact with this same guy! I could tell that he recognized me as well.  I wasn't sure at first why he looked familiar, so of course I got up and talked to him.  He did remember me! And because of it, we were able to invite him to learn. 

~a testimony of waving (:

Have a beautiful week (:

(sorry I have been wanting to send pictures, but I can't figure this computer out and so next week?? like I said, still learning patience) (: haha