Suffering Builds Character

"No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God ... and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father in heaven." 

-Orson F. Whitney

I'll be the first to admit it's incredibly hard to remember that Everything is for our benefit. 

Even if we don't understand why something is happening or why things are the way they are. They are for your benefit in the long run.

Suffering builds your character, 

Purifies your heart

Expands your soul

Like Elder Holland once said, we must experience but a small portion of what our Savior went through, we must walk at least a step or two towards the summit of Calvary, in order to know something of this price that has been paid.

I bear testimony that Jesus Christ is the light, the life, and the way. And that the only way to eternity is through him. How grateful I am to my Savior for taking upon him more than I will ever be able to comprehend in this life.

Be Loyal to the Royal Within You

The first sentence of this hits me to the core. 

He values Us.

The world today is exactly opposite of this. The world DOES NOT value women. The world degrades women like nothing else. Woman are used as objects and only accepted and celebrated if they are satisfying and pleasing to the eye. This can and does make mothers and fathers weep around the world. To see their daughters, beautiful, pure, and virtuous turn out needing to be accepted only for what their physical beauty holds. Our Father in Heaven is looking down on women, women who are of SO much worth, belittled because the values of the world are dark, degrading and wicked. I wish I could look every woman in the entire world in the eye and testify to them that they are a daughter of God, they are daughters of A KING. If you are feeling of no worth remember who created you. Remember that there was a plan designed exactly for YOU. He wants YOU to make it back to live in his presence. And when each woman here on earth is greeted by our Father in Heaven we WILL feel more important and more beautiful than any being that there ever was, because you are to him. 

We are daughters of God.

Not objects of the world.

There's a beautiful song by Nicole Sheahan- "I Am His Daughter".  Look it up and listen to it! It's beautiful. Please read and listen to the lyrics and the meaning behind them.

~These are my favorite lines~

"The photos in the magazines 
Don't dictate who I'm supposed to be
The world can't recognize, all that I am inside
But I know in His eyes, I am a part of, the bigger picture

There's so much more to me
He helps me see that I have so much to offer
I am His daughter
He loves me the way I am,
He's my strength when I stand
He is my King, and my Father, 
I am His daughter.

Neal A. Maxwell

Have you ever heard someone say or even thought in your head "If there was a God, why would he let this happen to me?"  Neal A. Maxwell, an Apostle, said it very clear and simply. Think of our Savior Jesus Christ and all he went through as you read this quote-   

"How can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, 'Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then, let me come 
and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy Joy!' "

-Neal A. Maxwell 

We are given trials and experiences for a reason... it is part of this life. If we never knew sadness we would never know joy. Unfortunately, you don't get to choose your trials... nor do you usually see how much these trials are making you grow and become stronger, to become the type of person our Heavenly Father wants you to become and KNOWS you CAN become.

Janet

I will never forget my first lesson with Janet. It was my very first night here in Oregon and my companions had just finished telling me how they placed a baptism date last lesson with Janet and how excited they were for her. Well... we walked into that lesson and Janet said, "I'm not ready. I need to learn more. I feel pressured. I don't want to feel pressured. I don't want to do it. I don't want a date." How disappointing to hear!!!! However, we all bore solid testimonies of why we set dates and the importance of making goals and setting dates to complete those goals. She understood and was a little more easy going in the lesson after that. At the end of the lesson we asked her to pray everyday for a date that she would feel more comfortable with and when the Lord wants her baptized. She said she would.

A few lessons later with Janet we were sharing a passage in the Book of Mormon on baptism. At the end of reading the section Janet looked up and before we could say anything she said "oh.... I see why it's important for me to get baptized so soon".  It was music to our ears! At the end of the lesson we said "Janet, a few weeks ago we asked you to pray about a date that you would feel better about and one that you felt was right between you and your Heavenly Father, did you do that?" she responded "Yes.... yes I did" *WOO!!!* She paused for a moment then went on to say "my mothers birthday, February 27th".

Janet is amazing, she asks more questions than anyone and is so incredibly sincere. When we explain things she completely grasps it and feels it in her heart. She also isn't afraid to say she doesn't like a certain concept and wants us to explain why it's the way it is. And then after we do she always goes "Ohhhhhhh okay that makes sense".

Janet's sincerity in learning the gospel has deeply touched my life. I hope I come to be as sincere of a person as she is. Janet is getting baptized the 27th of February and we are so excited for her!

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Miracle Marc

             A miracle my companions and I have been able to see and be apart of is Miracle Marc. Marc is an older gentleman, served in the Vietnam war, and has been through some very serious health issues. Marc approached my companions and I at the laundry mat one morning as we were doing personal study while our laundry was running. He asked us what church we belonged to because he had noticed our name tags. We proceded to tell him that we were missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! We asked him if he had ever heard of the LDS religion before. He said he had and he used to work with a bunch of LDS people. We did a very simple lesson on the restoration then focused a lot on the B.O.M. He said he had heard of the book before, so we gave him a copy and a section of it to read. He was somewhat familiar with Joseph Smith and then right before we were about to extend invitations to him he asked "well I'd like to go to your services if I had an invitation..." We almost yelled "YOU'RE INVITED!!!" We invited him out that day, and every Sunday since then he has been at church!
         
          He has expressed several times that he loves the church and he loves how friendly everyone is. He loves being taught and learning more and more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He always tells us how grateful he is for us and how he will do anything we ask him to do because he knows we are called of God and are only asking him to do things that will improve his life.
       
          Marc has accepted the gospel in his life. He is getting baptized on the 8th of February!! He always tells us that the gospel has changed his life. We are such lucky missionaries to have been able to teach him and have Miracle Marc be apart of our lives!!

(Sister Durfey, Sister Falepapalangi, Marc, Sister hattin, me-Sister Fisher)

Why we call Him Heavenly Father

~This is my favorite mormon message~

       

         God is your loving Heavenly Father and he loves you with all his heart. More than anyone can comprehend... more than parents who think their love for their children is the strongest love there is. I know I am a daughter of God, he loves me, he wants me to be happy. And I know you are a son or daughter of God, he loves you, and wants so badly for you to be happy. 

         My favorite part is when it says, "I now stand very aware of how it all came to be..." this video portrays a dad, who loves and would do anything for his children. He states "it's all for them". That's exactly it... it is all for us. Everything here on earth, the air, the mountains, the trees, the food, the people, the light, it's all for us, to experience and to grow and to understand how to show love and faith in him and his plan for us. 

         My companion often points out the part where it says, "They lay in the comfort we provide". That we so often do that... we lay in the comfort our parents provide, we don't realize all our parents do for us. In the same aspect we don't realize all our Heavenly Father does for us. Think about how Heavenly Father has blessed you and reflect on all he has given you.

"All that we have and all that we are is because he is a Father to us". 

BELIEVE

If you don't have faith or it's wavering or struggling! FAN THE FLAME!!! I think the words of Elder Holland are taken very casually.... but think for a moment about those words and really focus on the truthfulness of them "ALL things are possible to them that believe". 

Too good to be true right? Wrong. If you believe and put your faith in Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father I know for a fact anything you are setting your mind to is possible, any challenge you are struggling with can be overcome.

If you ask for His help you will never be turned away. TRUST in Him... what is another word for trust?? FAITH!  

I Stand All Amazed

Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. Why? Because, if we understand what he has done for us and all he went through JUST FOR US we will come to have such a different attitude about our life here on earth. If everyone believed and fully, completely understood the atonement of Jesus Christ the world would be a different place. The lyrics to the beautiful "I Stand all Amazed" portray exactly what it is I wish everyone could feel in their hearts. Our Savior loves you.

*read the song very slowly and think about each line for a few seconds after you read it*

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,

that for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me 

Enough to die for me.

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

New Years Message

LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE

                                 Genesis 19:17

This video talks about moving on to a better future. It inspires us to change and leave the past behind. I love how in this video it says "Everyday is the first day of your life" how true.... that everyday we wake up it's a brand new day with a brand new you that you could be! Be the best you can be and HAVE FAITH!

Above All

If there was one thing I could share with the entire world, as a missionary, I would share this. 

Trials

How are we supposed to get through trials? How are we supposed to be able to handle all that life has to throw at us???
Whenever I think of these questions I love to think of a scripture in Helaman-

Helaman 5:12 ~

"And now, my son, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

How strong is your foundation? What can you do to strengthen your foundation?

I know that it is by building a strong foundation of faith in Jesus Christ that we can get through ALL things. Do all you can every single day, week, month, year to strengthen the foundation upon which you stand.

The Power of Prayer

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.

They have clung to me all my life.

~Abraham Lincoln 

Missionary Work

I love being a missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I love missionary work! The church is true. If you've ever wondered about the church or you're curious check it out :)

www.mormon.org