Submitting to the Will of God

This past week, I learned a lot about the importance of submitting to Heavenly Father's plan and timing and just enjoying what He has in store for you. I have been waiting for a visa to Brazil for over 10 months now, and transfers are coming up. We received a phone call letting us know that my companion would be getting transferred and I would be training a new sister missionary. The mission president told me that I should really ponder and consider if I still wanted to wait for my visa at this point in my mission (since sisters serve for 18 months) or if I wanted to just permanently stay here in North Carolina. It was a lot of news all at once. The idea of never getting to teach the gospel in Portuguese like I had planned was disheartening, but I started to just accept that it must be for a reason that my visa wasn't coming and if God really just wanted me here, then I would be better off to just accept it and run with it! I decided to keep the option open of my visa still coming, but to mentally tell myself that I was going to be in North Carolina for the rest of my mission. After much prayer and pondering, I really felt good about it and started to get excited about serving here. For the record, I have loved the past 10 months here in North Carolina and know that Heavenly Father has needed me here for very specific reasons all this time. I do not regret any of it. But, it wasn't until just recently that I could honestly say that I was happy to be here for the rest of my mission and that I would be completely alright if my visa never came. I felt at peace finally with the idea of it, trusting that God had a reason for it all that I would be shown someday.

Fast forward to four days later, when I received another phone call from the mission president. Can you believe it? My visa had gone through and I would be leaving in 3 weeks for Brazil! I could not, and honestly still don't, quite believe it. All those times that God had told me that He had a time and a season for everything turned out to be true! Well, of course they did. But the miracle to me was that He prepared me, taught me, and lead me to reach the point where I not only accepted His will for me, but I was excited for it and happy with it. I know that as we truly turn our desires over to the Lord and allow Him to work in our lives, we will be lead to where we need to be when we need to go there. I would never have planned things to work out the way that they have, but I also would never change the past 10 months either. Though it is hard to see why certain things happen to us, I know that everything has a purpose. We are meant to learn from our trials and struggles. As we are patient and have faith in Jesus Christ, He will magnify our futures to be more than we could have dreamed.

Power and Authority from God

Recently, we have been working with someone who is preparing to be baptized next month. She is working on quitting smoking and drinking first in order to prepare for that baptism and requested help. I was so grateful that we could offer to have someone come and give her a priesthood blessing of healing and comfort. Two men from the Church who have been given that proper priesthood authority from God were able to come to her home and pronounce a blessing upon her from God. The Spirit filled the room and she felt an even stronger resolve to quit. I have also received many priesthood blessings in the past, mostly for comfort and counsel, but also for healing from illness. These blessings are so special because they are not just a nice prayer or thought from someone -- they are filled with promises and encouragement directly from God. These men who hold the authority of the priesthood to give blessings act in the name of Christ as a mouthpiece for God. They are guided by His Spirit to know what He would have them say. The priesthood is so important because it is the power and authority from God to act in His name. This power is used to baptize, give blessings, run Christ's church, and many other things. I am so grateful that God has made it possible for His children to have access to that power and the blessings of it. It gives me comfort to know that He loves us so much that He has restored that power to the Earth. Read more about the Restoration of the priesthood and Christ's church here: http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration

Finding Joy in the Journey

This morning, we had a great meeting together as a zone, or group of missionaries in this area. We discussed a lot of different principles and how we can be better teachers and love people more. I learned a lot, but the overall message that came across to me was not one that was said. Instead, I was impressed with the enthusiasm, happiness, joy, and peace of those who were instructing us and sharing. They were confident in their purpose and that through Jesus Christ, they would be able to help those in need. They truly rejoiced in the opportunity that they have to be able to lift and serve those around them and share the knowledge of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Something someone said really stuck out to me; he told us that it is not enough just to believe in Christ, but that we have to believe Christ. We have to believe that He truly has sacrificed for us individually and that because of Him, change is possible and even desirable. Through the power of Jesus Christ, miracles happen. You can overcome your weakness, endure your hardships, and become a better person. You can find happiness that will last for eternity, instead of just the fleeting highs that the world offers. True joy and peace is found when you know that you are doing what God wants you to do and that He is helping you. As we follow His counsel and commandments, we can be confident in doing what He has asked of us and that it will work out for the best. Life will not be easy, but there is always something to look forward to! We can be happy forever and in the present as we learn to do what the Lord asks of us better and better each day. I know that as we develop strong faith in Christ, life is so much better. Do what is right even when it is not easy or popular.

He Will Teach You

One of the people we have been teaching is such a great example to me of how Heavenly Father really does teach and prepare us to understand and receive the knowledge He wants us to have. She has been slowly increasing in her faith over the past few years as she has experienced the loss of her mother and trials of health. Though she grew up not really being very religious, she has learned to turn to God through prayer and has such immense trust that He will take care of her. She has been feeling the Spirit tell her that she needs to learn about the gospel and be a part of it. Yesterday, we taught her about the Word of Wisdom. This commandment was revealed to us through another prophet, Joseph Smith, and it details how God wants us to take care of our bodies and our spirits (See http://www.mormon.org/faq/word-of-wisdom). This commandment teaches us to abstain from alcohol, coffee, tobacco, tea, and illegal drugs in order to protect ourselves spiritually and physically and have the most happiness. We knew that she struggles with some of these substances, especially smoking, and so we invited her to pray about this commandment and ask God herself if it is something that she should do. To our surprise, she told us, "You won't believe this, but I already have been praying about this! For the past 2 weeks, I have been asking God to help me quit smoking. And I didn't even know it was a commandment!" This is such a testament to me that God is in control and that He is preparing and guiding all of us to learn what He needs us to. He was already teaching this woman how to better care for her body and spirit before we even talked to her about it. I know that there are forces at work in our lives preparing us for the future. Every experience and trial we have can be an opportunity to grow if we will take advantage of it.

Patterns of Light

This past weekend at church, we had a lesson about how to receive answers, guidance and direction from God. In other words, how to recognize and interpret revelation for ourselves. We talked about how the Lord has given us the opportunity to feel His Spirit from day to day and act on those feelings. We watched these 3 videos, which explain more about the Spirit of God and how to find answers:

1: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-010-patterns-of-light-the-light-of-christ?lang=eng
2: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-011-patterns-of-light-discerning-light?lang=eng
3: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-012-patterns-of-light-spirit-of-revelation?lang=eng

I especially realized how much God really is in our lives and that He is always there to guide us. But, He is not forceful and He trusts us to act and to make decisions for ourselves. Sometimes we receive "yes", "no", or "not yet" answers to our prayers. Other times, it may feel as though Heavenly Father is being silent. We don't seem to receive any sort of direction or specific instruction. It is in these times that we know that He is trusting us to act and to move forward. He will not let us go too far in the wrong direction without guiding us to what we need to do. More often than not, God allows us to make our own decisions and then come to Him for confirmation of the choice we have made. He has sent us here to learn, grow, and make decisions. He wants to help us, and we can receive that help as we have a real desire and determination to act. I loved how Elder Bednar described in these videos the three different patterns of light that personal revelation often resemble. As he described, I often feel like mine is more the "foggy day effect". There is just enough light out that you can see your next few steps, but it is clouded enough that you aren't quite sure where you are headed. This is where trust and faith come in. I know that as we focus more on being grateful for the few "steps" that God has shown us, instead of wishing and waiting for Him to give us the whole picture all at once, we will be more satisfied and hopeful about life.

Bear One Another's Burdens

Recently, we had an activity for the women at our church that was centered on sisterhood and love. We discussed how we can love and support one another better as sisters in the gospel. One woman brought up the idea that church is like a doctor's office. We all come there with problems, concerns, and trials that affect our spirits. We all have doubts, questions, insecurities, and weaknesses that, in effect, make us spiritually sick at times. She talked about how easy and logical it is for us to seek help, advice, and guidance when we are facing an illness or health problem. If you were to find out that you had diabetes, for example, you might very well look online or talk to someone else with diabetes in order to learn how they have managed it, what works for them, and what to expect from the condition. She then asked, "Why don't we seek that kind of help for our spiritual sicknesses?" In other words, why don't we confide in others more and seek their support and love? Why do we so often try to carry the load on our own, when we have friends and family who are so willing to share it? Just like there is no shame in asking a doctor for help when you're sick, there is no problem with asking someone else for help with an emotional or spiritual need. As people, many of us have a natural instinct to help and serve others. She talked about how we can help others to fulfill that desire by allowing them into our lives. Knowing that it takes courage and risk, she decided to be the first to do so. She shared with us that she had just recently found out she had cancer and would be getting surgery soon. Her boldness and willingness to share that burden was so touching, and helped me to better understand how we as people really can bear the burdens of those around us. All it takes is slowing down for a moment to notice the needs of others, sincerely caring to know how they are doing when we ask, and being lovingly bold in offering to serve and help them. God most often uses other people in order to answer our prayers and show us that He loves us.

Don't You Quit!

"You have not failed until you quit trying." -Gordon B. Hinckley

Just watch :)

Follow the Spirit

One of the people we are teaching shows to me such a great example of following the direction that she receives from God. She has been feeling God working on her heart for the past year or so, ever since her mother passed away. She knows that He wants her to come closer to Him and develop stronger faith. After attending the Gladys Knight fireside and feeling the Spirit present there, she decided that she needed to look into the church more for herself. Ever since we have started teaching her, she has told us how she feels so much happier. She was in a deep depression before with the loss of her mother, and has felt that dark cloud dissipating as she learns more about the Book of Mormon and the gospel of Jesus Christ. She just had hip surgery and has to take a lot of pain medication which makes it hard for her to retain anything that she reads or learns right now. Though this has been frustrating to her, she still recognizes the good feelings that she has and knows that that is enough right now until she can further comprehend. When we met with her the other day, she told us of the frustration she had been experiencing with herself and how was going to cancel our appointment that day, with the medication making her so foggy. But, she went on to say that she had a feeling and a voice tell her, "No, don't do that. You let them come over and see what they have to say. Just let them come over." She decided to heed that message and discovered that as she met with us, her spirits were lifted. She recognized why God had wanted her to meet with us that day, and was grateful for His direction. I am so grateful to know that as we listen to the Spirit, it will guide us to do what is right.

"Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:4-5).

Instruments in the Hands of God

Yesterday, we experienced so many crazy circumstances that prove to me that God is aware of us and guides us as we are willing to listen to Him! First, my companion found a random name and address in her planner that we had no idea who she was or where that information came from! We decided that we needed to stop by and see if we could get to know her. We went to the address only to find that no one was home. We decided to knock on one of the neighbor's doors before we left. To our surprise, a kind old woman opened up to us, said hello and let us right in. We had no idea who she was, but she seemed to know us. Come to find out, she was actually the woman who we were looking for! She had just moved to the apartment next door. We had a good talk and found out that she had looked into the church previously and even came to church a few times. Though she wasn't interested right then, I know that God wanted us to see her yesterday and He made it possible for us to find her. After that, we headed off to our next appointment. She wasn't home, so we decided to go knock on the neighbor's doors in the apartments upstairs. The very first door we knocked on ended up being someone we had met before! We had talked with her at a bus stop almost 2 months ago but weren't able to meet with her because she was in between housing at that point in time. Apparently, she had just moved into that apartment, which we had absolutely no clue about! It was amazing to see that. I just had this overwhelming feeling that God loves her so much that He was willing to give her multiple opportunities to learn more about His gospel. We then went back to see if our previous appointment was home yet, and she was! I know that as we follow the guidance that God gives us and do our best to help others, He will provide a way. The Lord has said, "Go forth...and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls" (Alma 17:11). Though we may not always see the fruits of our labors immediately, no effort is wasted in serving others and helping them develop a closer relationship with God.

You Don't Always Get What You Want...

Yesterday, we had a member of the church come out with us to go to a few lessons that we were teaching. She was so excited to come and to help teach and share her experiences! We initially had two lessons lined up, but one of them ended up having to be rescheduled before we even went out. We informed the member of the change of plans, but we were still excited to go and visit the other person. This loving sister was so optimistic, positive, and excited to serve. She told us how she had prayed before she left her house that she would be able to say the words that God needed her to say to help the people we would be visiting. Even when plans changed again and our lesson had to be pushed back an hour, she did not even blink at it. Her optimism and positive attitude were contagious and she helped to lift our spirits as well as the person we visited. She is such a great example to me of patience, long-suffering, and trust in the Lord. I sometimes feel as though I have to take care of everything and that I am responsible to make sure we are successful. But this wonderful sister reminded me that as disciples of Christ, we have the Lord's help on our side. He has a plan for us. As we let go of what we can't control and just trust that He will provide a way, we will be directed to the places and people we need to go to. Opportunities will arise that we could never have planned for, and we will experience things that are beyond our imagination. I know from a lot of experience how frustrating it can be to feel like things aren't going your way. You have plans for how you expect your life to go, and they usually are righteous desires for good things. But, Heavenly Father knows what we need and as we trust in Him, He will bless us with the best things that will help us to fulfill our complete potential.