My Letter to Santa

Dear Santa, This is my second Christmas away from home! It's easier than the first, but I definitely still miss my family. As I'm thinking about you and your travels later this month, I can't help but not want to pack your bag with more gifts. Make Rudolph's load a little lighter, you know? This year my letter to you will be the top 10 gifts I've already received and am very thankful for. 10. My Warm Socks- Winter is a lot...

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All about the Outlook

Recently I just got moved to a different area. As missionaries we have the chance of getting moved every six weeks, but usually stay in one place for about 6 months. Moving and saying goodbyes are the hardest part. I have always had a pretty hard time moving for many reasons. A missionary told me that the only thing I could do was think positively and excitedly about this change. I decided that is exactly what I was going to do! And what...

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Common Misunderstandings

Talking to people all day every day about religion, we get asked a lot of questions! I've noticed a trend with some main misunderstandings of our beliefs doctrine and purpose. That's why I'm dedicating this blog post to debunking those misunderstandings! :D Here are three of the most common misunderstandings: 1. We are here to trick people into joining our church. Our purpose is to INVITE others to come unto Christ through Faith in...

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Sing that Tune

Excited to use our Piano playing talents we walked in to the assisted living room. Right in the middle of the foyer was an electronic baby grand. This was our stage. We carefully removed the cover and set up the music stand, placing the binder open in front of us we began to warm up. This rock-around-the-clock sing along session was ours. Then within seconds our confidence plummeted. They handed us a microphone. Not knowing in the...

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Forgiving Yourself

Having the tendency to dwell on mistakes, tear yourself up over them, and then wave a white flag in defeat, will never lead you to improving. Think of Peter. He denied knowing and walking with Christ. He denied faithfully standing by his side He denied all of this three times. "And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny...

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One Step at a Time

The young men president over our congregation recently asked us to talk to his youth! I LOVE these opportunities. We felt inspired to talk about how, when, and why we decided to serve a mission. As I was testifying of how I came to have the strength to take that step into my mission I realized when I took that step, I didn't have the knowledge I could do it for two years. I honestly didn't know if I would be able to do it. However I did...

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Cool People and Spiritual Moments

Recently we had the cool experience of meeting the one and only... JJ! Yeah, he's a big guy, I know! When we first met him we were walking down the street and he called us over from his car, a Crown Victoria that was lifted and had 24 inch rims. You can imagine how excited we were to get over there! From then, for the next few weeks, he brought us out to dinner and even went with us to visit someone we knew in the hospital! Why is...

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Carbon to Diamonds

I reached a point a week ago, Where I felt that I've finally figured out how to be happy and content and to enjoy life with ease and LOVE what I do! I remember having the distinct thought of, The next challenge is coming. Shortly after that another whilrwind hit me and continues to blow! Why when I was so happy would God allow the boat of my life to be rocked again? The Holy Ghost brought to rememberance two things: 1. Christ calms the...

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Right Time, Right Place

The Lord is always aware of where we are and what we need. Driving home from playing ultimate frisbee we hit traffic and slowly rolled passed an accident. The accident had happened not too long before. Passing the man who was directing traffic I hit the gas pedal and went on our way home. Then a voice comes from the backseat saying that we know those people that were in that accident! I turned into the next parking lot and flipped around. We...

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Look Not Behind Thee

Elder Holland gave a talk at BYU and it was exactly what I needed to hear: "Try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes." -Elder Holland This quote hit me and I realized...

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Feeling the Spirit-Through the Priesthood

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have the blessing of holding the Priesthood. What's the Priesthood? Priesthood: the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. It is the power that God gives for us, his children, to do all things necessary for salvation. Jamie (name has been changed) is somebody who hasn't heard of the Priesthood before. She recently...

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Take it One Step Further

The ward I am serving in now just came out with a ward mission plan, It's something I had heard but as always the refresher was great! If you are comfertable with smiling at someone, take it one step further and say hello. If you are willing to say hello then take it one step further and ask how their day is. With this fresh in my mind I took it to heart and decided to try it myself as a missionary. I recently had a minor surgery...

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Green Wood

Getting the opportunity to serve people are some of my favorite moments on my mission. There was a specific person that we would move wood for. She would keep her wooden stove running when it got cold to stop her pipes from freezing allowing her to have water in the house.  As we searched through her garage we were instructed to find the dry wood and avoid the green wood. Standing, Confused, not being able to tell the difference...

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The Red Square

As missionaries we play basketball all the time. And when I say all the time, I mean every free moment that we could possibly play, we play basketball. At one point there was a missionary who became frustrated because they couldn't play quite up to what they wanted. They never seemed to be able to win! I watched as they practiced shooting the ball over and over again and improving, but slowly. Walking up to them I pointed out the red...

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Music

There is an incredible spirit that follows music. It can break barriers and touch people's hearts in ways that nothing else on this earth can. The question is how it touches us. Recently I was at the church building and someone sat down next to me at the piano. He began playing a familiar hymn I matched his melody with supporting arpeggios and chords and it all came together in an instant. We hit the last note and both looked at...

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Family. Isn't it about, time?

With the new iPad's I have been able to watch the old commercials that used to air with the catchy tagline: "Family. Isn't it about, time?" Here are some of my favorite ones: God has blessed us with families here on earth to bring us joy! When a family is centered on Christ that is when true happiness is found. I have had the opportunity to grow up in a family with parents that constantly worked on having our family centered on our Savior.  Was it always easy? Were we always perfect at reading scriptures every day? Did...

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Step into the Wilderness

Often when we follow the counsel of The Lord, we will have to tarry in the wilderness before we find our promised land. This pattern is shown time and time again. Lehi was promised a great land, and he tarried 8+ years in the wilderness before he arrived. The Israelites were promised a great land, and they tarried in the wilderness for 40 years before they arrived. Blessings and answers almost always come line upon line, precept upon...

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Vestibulitis

I couldn't help but cry in frustration as we drove away from yet another doctor's appointment with questions unanswered. For nearly two months I had been nauseous and dizzy enough to keep me out of school and laying down with little to no energy. I had become discouraged. Missing school and being house ridden was taking it's toll. Hopping from doctor to doctor, medication to medication, the problem continued and the questions remained unanswered. Then...

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GPS Failure: Receiving Direction

My heart sank as my GPS displayed the message that the battery was low.With a broken car charger and a major lack of sense of direction, the thought of not having a GPS worried me.I was stuck in the middle of a city with no way of knowing how to get home.After averting panicking, I pulled on the side of the road.I knew the major roads to get home, however I didn't know how to find them.The compass on the car pointed North and I knew that...

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