assignment one

If there is one thing I have learned as a missionary, it is how to find joy in the simple pleasures of every day and recognize the tender mercies the Lord provides for me.  Sister Turner, my last companion, is one of the many people who have shown me how to do this.  In order to commemorate her mission, she decided to highlight each of her previous areas throughout the Tennessee Nashville mission and celebrate the experiences she had and lessons she learned.  I thought that was a lovely idea, and in honor of her, I think I shall do the same, using exerpts from my old jounal entries.  Here's to my first area as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...

Murray, KY.. July-September, 2010

"I just said goodbye to Utah for 18 months.  The longest I've ever gone without seeing my family, friends, or beautiful mountains is one month.  The scenery in Tennessee is beautiful though.  Almost everything is green and naturally forested, with big red barns and farms almost everywhere we go.  I love the rainstorms.

"First full day on the job!  It has been so busy since we first arrived here in Murray, and I have so much to write about, but no time.  My trainers are Sister Fear and Sister Fluckiger, and we've been so busy that I haven't even had time to unpack my suitcases!  Most of the day is hot, sweaty, exhausting, and headachy, but those moments when we get to sit down with people and share Christ's beautiful gospel make it all worth it.  I love to hear about these people's lives and beliefs, and then share with them the fundamental truths that have come from the restoration of Christ's church.  Everyone here is religious.  There really is a diferent Christian church on every corner.  Something I've realized, however, is how many people are still searching for truth and happiness! I am here to bring it to them.

"Since arriving here I've eaten a squirrel, seen a zebra in a horse pasture, painted a trailer in 110 degree weather, been proposed to by an ex-convict, and sung a solo Mormon hymn in front of an entire Baptist congregation.  I never know what a day in this live will bring, but every day is an adventure.  I am learning how to take the Savior's advice and 'lose [my] life for [his] sake'.. in order to really find my life.  The more I serve these strangers, the less strange they become, and the more I love them.  I find people, situations, and places to laugh about every day.  I have found more joy in reading and teaching the scriptures than I ever have before.  I am also coming to know myself in a better and deeper way.

"Although being a missionary can be very trying and discouraging at times, I know that this experience is good for me.  I know that I have been given things in my life that most people live without: The Book of Mormon and the fulness of Christ's gospel, a family who loves me, friends with high standards, a quality education, good health, and a clean, consistent place to call home.  I know that 'Because I have been given much I too must give' and serving the Lord for eighteen months is the least I can do to make it up to him."

the motive

There's a little saying I have written down in the front of my "Preach My Gospel".. you may have heard it before:

Obedience is the price,

Faith is the power,

Love is the motive,

The Spirit is the key,

and

Christ is the reason.

"And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God" -Moroni 8:26

Love for dear people like these...is my motive.

And the people I have come to love throughout my mission...make all the hard things about my mission worth it.

forget not

With General Conference coming up this weekend (you might remember me posting about the last one in April) we have the opportunity to hear from the living Prophet of God, along with the twelve apostles.  I have always loved General Conference weekends (when I was little that meant watching church from home in my pajamas and eating a lot of good food with the family) but I love them even more as a missionary.  Last Saturday was the Relief Society General Broadcast, and we were able to hear from three amazing women, along with President Uchtdorf.  The spirit strongly testified as they spoke, and it motivated me to be a better missionary and disciple of Jesus Christ.  I stole from LDS.org these tidbits from President Uchtdorf's talk.. enjoy!

Forget not to be patient with yourself:


President Uchtdorf reminded women that everyone has strengths and weaknesses—that no one is perfect, even those who may seem so.
“God wants to help us eventually turn all of our weaknesses into strengths, but He knows that this is a long-term goal,” President Uchtdorf said. “It is OK that you are not quite there yet. Keep working on it but stop punishing yourself. “
“Dear sisters, many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others,” he added. “Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself.”
Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice:

President Uchtdorf defined an acceptable sacrifice as giving up “something good for something of far greater worth.”
“Dedicating some of our time to studying the scriptures or preparing to teach a lesson is a good sacrifice. Spending many hours stitching the title of the lesson into homemade potholders for each member of your class may not be.”
President Uchtdorf noted that every situation is different, and suggested asking, “Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter most?” in order to distinguish between good and foolish sacrifices.
Forget not to be happy now:

Using an example from the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, President Uchtdorf described how one of the characters, Willy Wonka, hid golden tickets within chocolate bars, promising to reveal wonders to five people who discovered the tickets.
“In their anxiousness, people began to forget the simple joy they used to find in a candy bar. The candy bar itself becomes an utter disappointment if it does not contain a golden ticket,” President Uchtdorf said. Whatever a “golden ticket” may represent to each person, President Uchtdorf warned Relief Society sisters to not put their happiness on hold as they wait for a future event, or golden ticket, to appear.
“The lesson here,” he said,” is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us.”
Forget not the “why” of the gospel:

President Uchtdorf said that sometimes, in the routines of daily life, the vital aspects of the gospel of Jesus Christ are unintentionally overlooked. “We sometimes see the gospel as a long list of tasks that we must add to our already impossibly long “to do” lists. We focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we might do it, but we sometimes forget why.”
President Uchtdorf reminded the sisters that the gospel is not an obligation, but a pathway leading to happiness and peace in this life and “glory and inexpressible fulfillment” in the life to come
Forget not that the Lord loves you:

In closing, President Uchtdorf said, “Just think of it: You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious being in the universe! You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time.”


“You may at times feel a little like the forget-me-not—insignificant, small, or tiny in comparison with others,” he said, noting: “I hope (the forget-me-not) will be a symbol of the little things that make your lives joyful and sweet.”

I loved this so much, and hope you do too. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the speakers this Saturday and Sunday!

prepare to meet thy God

Yes I'm aware that I look like a nerd.
There are just some things about Tennessee that I don't want to forget.

It is not uncommon to see a sign like this in Tennessee. In someone's front lawn, near a church, or next to the highway.. it is something I have almost come to expect. These folks are very aware that we all need to be prepared to meet our God.  But what the signs don't tell us is how to prepare to meet our God.

In order to be prepared to meet our God, we must first know a little about Him. I've never seen God in person, but here is what I have learned.  Genesis 1 tells us that we are created in His image, therefore we know that God has a body of flesh and bone like ours.  God is our loving Heavenly Father, and he is not far from us (Acts 17:27-19).  He is all knowing, all powerful, and perfect.  The scriptures also teach us that "no unclean thing can enter into His kingdom" (3 Nephi 27:19).  Thankfully, God has provided a way for us to receive eternal life through his son Jesus Christ (John 3:16). 

Then what can we do to be prepared?  We can first have faith in God's only begotten son, Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 2:6-8).  If we truly believe in Him, we will repent of our sins (Hel. 5:10-11). Full repentance is complete with baptism by immersion for a remission of those sins (Acts 2:38).  God promises us that if we are baptized by proper authority, we can be given the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will lead us and help us to continue living a Christlike life!  

Why is this significant anyhow?  Why do we want to meet our God and live with him someday?   "And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7)  From what I gather, this is what most of us are hoping for, and the Lord has shown us how we can. 

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Elda Cospa

Sometimes I get sick of writing about me and my experiences (imagine that) so today.. I am going to write a little more about my brother in Ghana.  I posted about him a few months back; about how much I admire him and look up to him and get overexcited to read his letters and emails every week.  Today I want to share a few tidbits from those emails of his.  Hopefully he doesn't mind. Every time he used to make himself a big delicious meal in the kitchen (he's a much better chef than I am) I would wait until he turned his back and sneak a few bites..or a lot of bites. He always got upset at me for that. Now I am going to sneak a few bites from his emails which I think are more interesting than my own.  I think you'll agree. 

September 12th

"Remember Kingsley?  We baptized him in Mamponse right before i was transferred.  Well now two of his sons have been baptized and his daughter and wife will be baptized on the 24th!!!!  All of that just because of one contact Elder Thom and I made one Sunday afternoon.  I can't describe how happy i am about that.  Seeing an individual change is amazing, but seeing an entire family change is even better."

September 5th 

"I'm rocking out to some awesome gospel rock here in this internet cafe.  Gotta love Ghana (and Tennessee)!  This week we've been prospering work-wise but suffering physically.  We've been without electricity probably 5 out of the 7 days this week.  Here they call it "light off."  The three worst things about having no electricity are: 1. Our water pump doesn't work, which is as good as not having any water at all.  2. Our fridge doesn't work and all the food inside starts to spoil (I have 5 KGs of chicken in our freezer that's going to be completely defrosted by the end of today if the power doesn't come back on) and 3. Our fans don't work!  Which makes for hot sweaty nights.  It's not fun!  Ghana really needs to figure out this electricity business.  Luckily this internet cafe is really nice and has a generator.  Something we missionaries don't have."

August 29th

"One cool experience we had this week, we contacted and taught this guy named Sammuel B on Saturday.  We committed him to come to church and he said he would, but after doing this work for this long i've kind of lost faith in people when they say they'll come to church.  But then Sunday came and he showed up during sacrament meeting!  After sacrament meeting we were taking him to the gospel essentials class and one of the members walked up to him with a big smile on his face and gave him a big hug.  It turns out this guy is Sammuel's uncle!  After church Sammuel told us how much he loved the service and said that he'll definitely be coming back next week.  Experiences like that keep me going, missionary work is so sweet.  I have the strongest testimony about following the promptings of the spirit."

Ok, that's all for now.  I sure do love my little bro. Miss him like crazy but I know the sacrifice is worth it. He is blessing so many lives out there. 

a poem for Wendy

This post is long overdue, considering I met this lovely lady in 2010 and started this poem quite a while ago, but hey...better late than never.

A loving daughter of Heavenly Father,

You showed His kindness without falter,

But yet you did not know Him;

As you walked your path the light seemed dim.

You were content but not complete,

Still searching for that something

That could answer all your questions.

The Elders met a Baptist,

Who directed them toward your house;

You sat out on the porch with them,

Polite, but not about to give in.

"I'll listen for a while" you thought,

"But will not change my lifestyle",

(Little did you know what lay ahead).

It was then that we moved in,

Just two weeks after you'd met them,

You welcomed my companion and I,

As if we'd known you all our lives.

The dog became my biggest fan,

And little Eli preferred Larsen,

Even your husband let us come.

We asked you about what you'd learned,

Your face lit up, the spirit burned,

Our teachings were so new to you,

The premortal world and afterlife too.

We taught that Christ is your Redeemer,

Jehovah, Savior, stain remover;

We recognized the spark inside your soul.

Soon Thursday nights became our favorite,

Each week reserved for just the Bakers;

We'd say our prayers and answer questions,

Play with the boys and all their Nerf guns.

But nothing made us smile inside,

Quite like the tears welled in your eyes

Each time we testified.

Finally the day arrived,

When you agreed to be baptized,

The excitement was so evident,

Behind your nervous smile that moment.

We got to welcome Heaven's daughter,

As you ascended from the water,

In the whites you'd made us iron the night before.

You still continue learning,

And you have the tools for searching,

As we all keep pressing forward,

In this gospel of our Lord.

He loved you and your family,

Enough to send His missionaries

To the ones who were prepared.

To the recently called primary leader,

Whose son now calls himself "Brother Skyler"

And tells us he'll serve his own mission someday;

Thank you for letting us in dear Wendy.

I've been able to share my testimony,

This message so sacred and pure and holy,

With one of my very best friends.

the power of one

Because of one who partook of the fruit

We each can live and die too.

(1 Cor. 15:22, 2 Nephi 2:22-25)

Because of one who spilt His blood,

We can all be lifted up.

(2 Nephi 2:6-8, 3 Nephi 27:14-26, John 3:16)

Because of one who decided to pray,

We have God's word alive today.

(Joseph Smith History 1:16-17, Eph. 1:10, 2 Nephi 3:11)

When I feel weak because I am just one,

I think of all these ones have done.
(D&C 35:13-14, 2 Cor. 12:9, 2 Nephi 4:20)

women of God

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

-Margaret D. Nadauld

(I feel like the "We Can Do It" poster from the fifties would be an appropriate picture to go along with this post, but the public computers here in Union City, TN won't let me save photos from online...so you can just imagine the photo). 

faith vs fear

It took a lot of faith for me to trust the owner of this chicken when he told me I could hold it without getting pecked to death.  This was my first experience with holding a chicken.

Faith is a principle of power and action.  Faith is more than just a belief.  If we have faith, we will do something about it.  If we have faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, that faith will lead us to repent of our sins, be obedient to His commandments, and serve him until the end.  This is what I have gathered from my studies about faith:

-Faith leads to action. (James 1:22)
-Faith is manifest through obedience, diligence, and work.  (John 14:15)
-Faith comes before miracles. (Ether 12:6) 
-Faith is opposed by doubt and fear. ( 2 Tim 1:7)
-Faith can be increased through study, prayer, service, and obedience. (Alma 32:27)

Faith in Jesus Christ is the motivating factor behind what I do as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It is the reason I left home for a year and a half to serve without monetary compensation.  It is the reason I keep the sabbath day holy, the word of wisdom, the law of tithing, and the law of chastity even when most of the world tells me to do otherwise.  Faith is why I get up at 6:30 each morning, study the scriptures for two hours, and spend all day inviting others to come unto Christ, hoping that someone will listen. 

Faith is a gift from God, and something He wants each of us to develop. I am so thankful for my faith.

emma

Every time I think about the life of Joseph Smith or his wife Emma, I am reminded of how easy my life is comparatively! They did everything they could to serve the Lord and follow the guidance he gave them, and they were constantly persecuted for it. Emma Smith had to watch as her husband was taken from her in the middle of the night, beaten, and eventually killed. As the prophet of the restoration, He sealed his testimony with his blood as did so many prophets before him.

" Joseph Smith, the prophet and seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!" -D&C 135

I love this video because it reminds me of the sacrifice not only of Joseph, but of his sweet wife Emma. I am so thankful for her faith and selflessnesss.

he knows

I started this post a week or two ago but was unsure of how to finish it. It seemed incomplete.  Then on Wednesday I received a letter from my friend Mandy that was exactly what I needed.  I love how my friends who are thousands of miles away can answer my prayers simply by listening to and following the promptings God gives them.  I want to share the quote she sent me, because I love it:

"The gospel is the good news that can free us from guilt. We know that Jesus experienced the totality of mortal existence in Gethsemane. It's our faith that he experienced everything- absolutely everything. Sometimes we don't think through the implications of that belief. We talk in great generalities about the sins of all humankind, about the suffering of the entire human family. But we don't experience pain in generalities. We experience it individually. That means he knows what it felt like when your mother died of cancer- how it was for your mother, how it still is for you. He knows what it felt like to lose the student body election. He knows that moment when the brakes locked and the car started to skid. He experienced the slave ship sailing from Ghana toward Virginia. He experienced the gas chambers at Dachau. He experienced Napalm in Vietnam. He knows about drug addiction and alcoholism. Let me go further. There is nothing you have experienced as a woman that he does not also know and recognize. On a profound level, he understands the hunger to hold your baby that sustains you through pregnancy. He understands both the physical pain of giving birth and the immense joy. He knows about PMS and cramps and menopause. He understands about rape and infertility and abortion. His last recorded words to his disciples were, "And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20) He understands your mother-pain when your five-year-old leaves for kindergarten, when a bully picks on your fifth-grader, when your daughter calls to say that the new baby has Down syndrome. He knows your mother-rage when a trusted babysitter sexually abuses your two-year-old, when someone gives your thirteen-year-old drugs, when someone seduces your seventeen-year-old. He knows the pain you live with when you come home to a quiet apartment where the only children are visitors, when you hear that your former husband and his new wife were sealed in the temple last week, when your fiftieth wedding anniversary rolls around and your husband has been dead for two years. He knows all that. He's been there. He's been lower than all that. He's not waiting for us to be perfect. Perfect people don't need a Savior. He came to save his people in their imperfections. He is the Lord of the living, and the living make mistakes. He's not embarrassed by us, angry at us, or shocked. He wants us in our brokenness, in our unhappiness, in our guilt and our grief. You know that people who live above a certain latitude experience very long winter nights can become depressed and even suicidal, because something in our bodies requires whole spectrum light for a certain number of hours a day. Our spiritual requirement for light is just as desperate and as deep as our physical need for light. Jesus is the light of the world. We know that this world is a dark place sometimes, but we need not walk in darkness. The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, and the people who walk in darkness can have a bright companion. We need him, and He is ready to come to us, if we'll open the door and let him.
(Chieko N. Okazaki, Lighten Up, Preface; p. 174)
 
 
I love this in depth examination of the atonement of our Savior.  I know that he did suffer not only for our sins, but for "the pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sickness of his people."  (Alma 7:11)    I know that he's there, and  I know that he knows.

blackie

I am not normally much of a dog person. I feel like most of the time they just make houses messy and smelly and make visitors feel unwelcome. A pit bull even tried to kill my companion once, and since then I've been a bit traumatized. But Blackie.. is different. While staying with the Place's for the past week and a half, I must admit I became quite attached to this little dog. My favorite thing about Blackie (as you can see from this video) is how excited she gets when you give her a treat.  She acts like every dog bone you give her is the most exciting thing in the world, and she dances all around it and makes sure you know how much she appreciates it before she eats it.  I love it so much I always just want to give her another one when she finally finishes.

Alright, what does this have to do with missionary work or the gospel?  Well, let me tell you.  I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately and to me, Blackie is the perfect examlple of a gracious receiver.  When you give her a good gift, she will be sure to let you know how thankful she is..without even using words!  How often do we show that kind of appreciation for the things that we receive?  Every day we are given gifts.. if not from those around us, from the Lord.  When we show our gratitude for the things we are given, God is more willing to give us more.  Psalms 92:1 says it simply: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, o most high".  Alma 37:37 states, "..and when thou risest in the morning, let thy heart be full of thanks unto they God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."    I love that promise.

I know we each have so much to be thankful for.  I find that when I express gratitude for all that I've been given, I recognize even more blessings throughout each day, and I am happier!  Let us all be a little more like Blackie.

on the road again

"And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" -Matthew 8:20

Saying goodbye to Nyla.. our favorite 93 year old Mormon in Morgantown

For some reason this scripture keeps popping into my head as I think about the adventures Sister Turner and I have been having.  For the past 6 weeks we have been traveling throughout the mission, and we have just been transferred to Fulton.. the very Southwestern corner of our mission.  There are a lot of corn and soybean fields here.  We are currently looking for an apartment and for a phone.  Our area is very large, and we are probably getting terrible gas mileage because our car is still full of suitcases!  Life is just a bit chaotic these days, but the work of the Lord moves forward!  And along the way, are learning a lot about patience and flexibility.  We have so many wonderful people from the church who are taking care of us as well.

A few weeks ago we were teaching a woman who had joined us for one of our church services for the very first time.  As we asked her about her experience, she told us that as soon as she walked through the chapel doors "it felt just like coming home".  She has been in and out of different churches her entire life, and has been searching for a place that felt right; a place that felt like God's house.  She was overjoyed to finally have found the place. 

I know that no matter where we are living or how chaotic our lives get, there is always a home for us nearby.  I love being a part of a church that is worldwide.  I love knowing that I can trust members of the church who I've never even met before.  I love knowing that this is Christ's church, that His spirit dwells there, and that I always have a home (even if I don't have an apartment or a  phone).

how to find happiness

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings true happiness. I also know that God wants that for each and every one of His children.

(Moses 1:39 and 2 Nephi 2:27)

promised land

Yes, I know I am a little late for Independence day.  But I never get time to blog anymore and I have been thinking about this all week, soo... I will write it anyhow :).

                                               This is a picture of my niece that I stole from my sister

I hope you all had a marvelous 4th of July.  I have been thinking about how truly thankful I am to live in a country that is founded upon the principles of freedom.  At this time in my life, I am particularly thankful for the freedom of religion.  Were it not for freedom of religion in this country, Christ could never have re-established his church through the prophet Joseph Smith.

You might say we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are a fairly patriotic people.  Even though the majority of our members live outside of the United States, we are all indebted to the early leaders of this nation because they allowed for an environment that enabled the restoration to take place.  We also study from a volume of holy scripture that was written primarily in the ancient American continent.  We study from the Holy Bible as well, but The Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets in the Americas. 

These people, though far from Jerusalem, knew and prophesied for centuries about the coming of Jesus Christ.  And come He did.  After he visited the people in Jerusalem, he visited the Americas as a resurrected being.  The prophesy, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" in John 10:16 was fulfilled when he told the Nephites and Lamanites, "Ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold" (3 Nephi 15:21).

Christ is the Savior of the whole world, and God loves all of His children everywhere.  Of this I testify! 

God bless America

for the one

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
“And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:1–7).

The other day Sister Turner and I were talking about our traveling life.  Every day we drive hours to see just a few people; maybe even just one person.  We spend hours studying for just a few people; maybe even just one person.  We help them have faith in Jesus Christ enough to repent of their sins.  When they feel ready, we help plan their baptism. Baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a very sacred experience.  We do not call ninety nine people to the front as a spontaneous or momentary expression of faith.  Instead we spend days, weeks, maybe even months guiding that one individual through the beautiful process prepared by our Savior.  When that special day comes, the one feels ready.  The one understands the gospel of Jesus Christ and feels his love.  To me, seeing the change take place in that one... makes it all worth it.

"And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul: and we suppose that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some." -Alma 26:30



tender mercies

A few years ago Elder Bednar spoke about the "tender mercies of the Lord" mentioned in 1 Nephi 1:20.  Every day there are tender mercies given to us from our Father in Heaven as a reminder that he loves us and is watching over us.  The closer to God we become, the more we recognize these tender mercies. 

I remember the first night I arrived in Tennessee. I had spent two and a half weeks in the M.T.C. and still felt completely unprepared to go out and share the gospel with strangers full-time.  I didn't know much about serving a mission, or about my new home.  I was the only sister at the mission home, therefore I got my own room and queen bed to sleep in that night.  I remember sitting on my bed that night and staring out the window into the backyard.  There were rolling green hills and trees as far as I could see, and it was raining.  Green hills, trees, and rain are three of my favorite things.  In the distance there was lightning; another one of my favorite things.  Heavenly Father knew I needed those green hills and lightning that night, and he provided those tender mercies for me.  I thanked him for those tender mercies.

That was almost a year ago, and every day since then I have recognized tender mercies the Lord has given me.  Here are a few as of late:

 Fireflies (Sister Koford loves them too)

 Gallatin Ward Picnic

 Singing the National Anthem at the Sounds baseball game and seeing Sister Larsen and Wendy!

 Serving with one of my favorite companions.. again!

Passing signs for my favorite American town! (I have yet to go there but I've seen signs!)

I know that God is aware of me.  He is so aware of each of us.  He knows our needs, our wants, our likes and our dislikes.  He wants us to be happy, and provides many opportunities for us to be so.  It is up to us to recognize those tender mercies he gives us.

What are some tender mercies God has given you lately?

awake!

"Awake, my soul!  No longer droop in sin.  Rejoice, o my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul." -2 Nephi 4:28

I have been incredibly tired lately. There has been so much going on the past week and I just can't seem to get enough sleep!  For some reason my body also decided that 5:00 a.m is the new time to wake up, so even when I do get some rest I am wide awake by 5 and can't fall back asleep.  It doesn't help that I am a traveling missionary now and will spend approximately 4 hours in a car every day driving all around Kentucky.  But I am not complaining!  I love it so much.  Waking up at 5 just means I have more time to prepare (mentally and spiritually if not physically) for the day and traveling all over the place means I get to meet so many great people!

I just felt like finding (and then sharing with you) a scripture reminding myself to stay AWAKE! 

(this is also for my dear Sister Larsen.. who is leaving the great TNM after serving here honorably for 18 months.  I sure will miss that woman.  "O MY HEART!")

eternity

How would it feel to know that the one you love the very most, the one you promise your life to, can be yours in the afterlife too? What would it be like to know that your marriage is not just "till death do us part" but "for time and all eternity?"  Well most of my best friends I was just telling you about.. they know what this feels like.  Because they were not just married for time but were sealed for all eternity in a house of God.

Most were married here..

 or here..

 or here..

These three temples are all in Utah, but there are actually 134 temples like these throughout the world. People often ask me about these beautiful temples: where are they? What are they for?  What do we do in them?  I tell them that one of the things that occurs in these sacred temples is these forever marriages.  A beautiful blessing of having the restored gospel is knowing how our families can be sealed together forever.  In the year 1836, God restored his priesthood and the sealing power of Elijah, which "turns the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:5-6).  This is one of the main purposes of having these temples.

Although I am not yet married, I am able to go to the temple to worship and make covenants with my Father in Heaven.  I can also go there for peace and inspiration.  The temple is a sanctuary from the world; the closest thing to Heaven here on earth. Yesterday I was able to go to the Nashville, Tennessee Temple, where I felt God's love for me so powerfully and received many answers to my prayers.

I love to see the temple!

the kind that last

I've written quite a bit about my family in the past few months; more specifically about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has strengthened my family and made us who we are today. It's something that has been made very clear to me as I've been thousands of miles away from them in a world where most families are falling apart. Something else I think about quite often is the impact that good friends have had in my life. Because most of my friends at home share my faith, the same principles that have blessed my family also made my friendships what they are today. A lot of my friends have been my friends since the beginning of time (or at least the beginning of our time). We played kickball together in elementary school, choreographed lip syncs together in Jr. high, suffered through braces and break-ups together in high school, and supported each other through college finals. Some of my best friends I didn't meet until after high school, but those friendships are just as strong. When most people think about large groups of college-aged girls, they probably think of one word: drama. But when I think about my girls, the words that come to my mind are love, trust, kindness, support, honesty, respect, creativity, and lots and lots of laughter.  I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ  has a lot to do with the good feelings my friends have and the high morals and standards we've helped each other maintain throughout the years. 

These are most (but  not all) of the girlies.  I love them so so much.  Always will.

"Living the gospel and being true to gospel principles is the key to true, lasting, triumphant friendship." -Jeffery R. Holland