Hey family,
This is the last time I'm going to write you all, but I just wanted to share some things I've learned on the mission/my testimony. Things I've learned:
1. How to recognize and follow the Spirit. Before I didn't really know what that felt like and always felt confused when after church meetings people would walk out saying "Man, the Spirit was so strong today, I could just feel it." In my head I would just think "Spirit, what Spirit!? I don't feel anything!?" I think I'd been so dependent on physical feelings/sensations while growing up that I didn't learn how to pay attention to spiritual sensations. Hope that makes sense...
2. A greater love and appreciation for my family, for the home I grew up in and the things my parents taught me
3. The ability to recognize the difference between a home established firmly in the gospel and a home without it. Even the house feels different, and it seems so clear: "Uh duhhhh, if you would just start living the commandments everything would get better."
4. The ability to really listen to people, to read them, and to know their needs/how they are without them having to tell me
5.A greater knowledge and understanding of the gospel principles
6. The ability to plan and prioritize my life according to eternal priorities
7. Feel and experience the pure love of Christ for people I have just met or don't even really know
So many more but that's what comes to mind first. I remember my roommate Sarah M used to say that if she wouldn't have gone on a mission, she doesn't know how long it would've taken her to learn the things she did. At the time I just thought "What things!? I wanna learn them too!" And now I can say the same. Maybe I didn't learn the same things she did, but I learned what I needed to, and I have no idea how long it would've taken me if I wouldn't have decided to come on a mission. If I would've known all the blessings and everything I was going to learn and receive in coming on the mission, I never would've doubted the decision. About 8 months ago dad mentioned a scripture in Doc & C 78:17-18 in one of the talks he sent me, and since then it's been one of my favorites because I've found it to be so true:
17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.
Welp I'm almost out of time, but I guess I will just finish by saying that I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ, restored by the prophet Joseph Smith. I know the Book of Mormon is true and when we read it every day it's a guide, a protection, a comfort, and a strenght for us in our every day lives. I know God loves us and that He does everything He can to help us learn and grow and be successful in this life so that we can one day come back to Him. This knowledge is the greatest gift I have to share with people, and I hope to keep doing in when I come home...
I love you all and I can't wait to see you!
Love,
Hermana Dance
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Hey family,
What's up? Thanks for writing...! How did your birthday go dad? I'm assuming you had a zone conference or something. Friday we had interviews and the president was asking me about what I'm going to do after, my major, . . . . Hermana Ward asked the same thing, and so did Hermana Bloomfield, one of the Hermanas that came with me who was there doing some trainings. I had a little freak out/moment of terror after thinking about all that stuff, but then I calmed down and pushed it out of my head. Waaaaah!
Yesterday was a good day....! We taught a new family (a young couple and their little boy) and the spirit was super strong....wooooo! We'd met the girl a few days ago and Saturday we taught her about the family. She was really quiet but nice and let us put an appointment to come back Sunday afternoon. We came and met the boyfriend and he was lame and didn't really want to talk to us. But she got him to come and at least pretend like he was participating. He wasn't really paying attention and kept looking at the cars and people walking by instead of at us, so I kept asking questions to get them to participate and focus. We were teaching about Christ's earthly ministry and I felt like we were being kind of ignored and I almost decided that we should just get out then because they seemed negative and like they didn't want anything, but I decided that if we left without talking about the restoration the condemnation would be ours. So we kept going, and when we started talking about Joseph Smith everything changed.
Gonzalo (the boyfriend) started looking me in the eyes and paying attention. Elizabeth stopped being so shy and starting answering the questions more. And when I said the First Vision everything got quiet-the cars stopped passing and honking, people stopped yelling, and it was a stillness you could feel. I felt it, and I know they felt it. Later I asked them what this all had to do with them, why they thought we were teaching them this, and when they didn't really know I promised them a whole bunch of blessings that I don't really even remember but I felt the Spirit super strongly. Woot. We're going back on wednesday night (when we first met them they told us that he works all the time, it'd be hard to find a time, . . . , but now they were willing to let us come back no problem. The Spirit works miracles...! ) :)
Ok, that's all for now. Love you all, hope you're all doing well and that you have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Dance
D&C 112:19
D&C 42:61
Hey before I forget, did you all buy my ticket to come home from Latvia yet? I love you guys and I'm stoked to see you and all, but I know that if I'm there for more than 3 weeks I'm going to go crazy without being able to figure out classes, scholarships, work, housing contracts, blah blah blah. ahhh!! So could you buy my ticket porfis? Thanks, love you!
What's up? Thanks for writing...! How did your birthday go dad? I'm assuming you had a zone conference or something. Friday we had interviews and the president was asking me about what I'm going to do after, my major, . . . . Hermana Ward asked the same thing, and so did Hermana Bloomfield, one of the Hermanas that came with me who was there doing some trainings. I had a little freak out/moment of terror after thinking about all that stuff, but then I calmed down and pushed it out of my head. Waaaaah!
Yesterday was a good day....! We taught a new family (a young couple and their little boy) and the spirit was super strong....wooooo! We'd met the girl a few days ago and Saturday we taught her about the family. She was really quiet but nice and let us put an appointment to come back Sunday afternoon. We came and met the boyfriend and he was lame and didn't really want to talk to us. But she got him to come and at least pretend like he was participating. He wasn't really paying attention and kept looking at the cars and people walking by instead of at us, so I kept asking questions to get them to participate and focus. We were teaching about Christ's earthly ministry and I felt like we were being kind of ignored and I almost decided that we should just get out then because they seemed negative and like they didn't want anything, but I decided that if we left without talking about the restoration the condemnation would be ours. So we kept going, and when we started talking about Joseph Smith everything changed.
Gonzalo (the boyfriend) started looking me in the eyes and paying attention. Elizabeth stopped being so shy and starting answering the questions more. And when I said the First Vision everything got quiet-the cars stopped passing and honking, people stopped yelling, and it was a stillness you could feel. I felt it, and I know they felt it. Later I asked them what this all had to do with them, why they thought we were teaching them this, and when they didn't really know I promised them a whole bunch of blessings that I don't really even remember but I felt the Spirit super strongly. Woot. We're going back on wednesday night (when we first met them they told us that he works all the time, it'd be hard to find a time, . . . , but now they were willing to let us come back no problem. The Spirit works miracles...! ) :)
Ok, that's all for now. Love you all, hope you're all doing well and that you have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Dance
D&C 112:19
D&C 42:61
Hey before I forget, did you all buy my ticket to come home from Latvia yet? I love you guys and I'm stoked to see you and all, but I know that if I'm there for more than 3 weeks I'm going to go crazy without being able to figure out classes, scholarships, work, housing contracts, blah blah blah. ahhh!! So could you buy my ticket porfis? Thanks, love you!
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