{the HALF of it} 9/11/14

 

"As we have prayerfully pondered the age at which young men may begin
their missionary service, we have also given consideration to the age
at which a young woman might serve. Today I am pleased to announce
that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be
recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age
21."
General conference October 2012

Just over a year ago I decided to serve a mission. I have now been
here 9 months today! I can't believe it. There was a quote I used a
lot before my mission, "you've had eternity to prepare for your
mission and you'll have eternity to reflect on it but you only have
eighteen months to live it." My mission has changed my life. Being
able to serve others. I have made so many friends. Family. Memories.
The last nine months have gone a little something like this. Getting
trained by a Spanish sister who learned Chinese with me. Making cakes
out of cornbread. Free English class. Street sweeps. Service. Lessons.
Walking. Knocking. New people. Old people. Companions. Training.
Heartbreak. Happiness. Joy. Excitement. Baptisms. Knowledge.
Airplanes. Trains. Buses. Smells. Growth. Prayer. Learning. Listening.
Not understanding. Feeling the Holy Ghost. Transfer meetings. Trio. I
am a new person. My journey is only beginning. I want to also talk
about the Book of Mormon. This book has changed my life the last nine
months. I get an hour everyday to read it on my own. Before my mission
I didn't fully understand it. But now I can say I do. A book of only
530 pages has changed my life. Every time I read it the same
scriptures mean different things because I am changing. When I have
questions I read it and they are answered. When I am sad I read it and
I am happy.

I want to know how the Book of Mormon has changed your life! So tell me below:)

{Three Peas in a Pod} 8/19/2014

On missions you usually have one companion at a time. But sometimes
you get lucky enough to have two.

 

 Meet Sister Johnson and Sister Wang. Two of the very best friends I
have ever had. When I say The Lord knows what you need when you need
it. This is one of those instances. We are all so similar.

 

Our days consist of hard work. Constantly out doing something.
Laughter. So much laughter. Oreos. Brownies. Using a hair dryer on
rice. Massaging each others feet at night. Learning. Having story
time.

 I am so grateful The Lord gave me an opportunity to serve with these
two sisters. I learn and grow with them everyday. They are so much
more then companions to me they are my sisters.

{Transfer Meeting} 8/19/14

Every Six weeks we have transfer meeting. Everyone who has ever served a mission knows what I am talking about. But for those of you who haven't I will explain. Five weeks go by. Everyone starts whispering. Am I staying? Am I leaving? Am I getting a new companion? Am I training? Saturday night comes. Three days before the transfer. We do a conference call with our Zone. They go through each District. Staying. Going. You don't know where you are going. You just know you are leaving. Monday you pack your bags. Tuesday you go to the office. New missionaries coming. Old missionaries Departing. Others going to new areas. Getting new companions. We all sit in the Chapel. We listen to President and his wife talk. We listen to departing missionaries sing. We cry. We say a closing prayer. This is when everyone gets on the edge of their seats. The Zone Leaders in each Zone stand up and annouce who's in their Zone. This is when you find out where you are going and who your companion is. It is truly our of inspiration. Every companion you serve with. Every are you go to. Is meant for a reason. The lords hand is in this work.

 

{Now&Then} 7/27/14

I sit and listen to the speakers. One member crying because her son left home today. I think of my mom. One is laughing playing with a baby. I think of my nephews.

The speakers talk about when they got taught by the missionaries. I think of my Investigators. Some of them here. right now. listening. Will this push them closer to baptism? I think of my baptism. I see the missionaries all focused on everyone else. Old missionaries back to visit. A member who just got engaged here with his fiancé. who isn't a member. I think of my sisters wedding.

The single parents here with their kids. Very few families. I remember my Family. My blessings. I'm grateful for this church. So many different backgrounds. So many different emotions. The same belief. The same hope. I think of our savior Jesus Christ. He has felt every emotion in this room. My testimony grows. Being here, in this situation. Brings back old memories. I now know god has a perfect plan for me. everything leading up to this point in my life happened for a reason. I know I am exactly where I need to be right now.

{anchor} ⚓️ July 2014

 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better
world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh
of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them
sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to
glorify God." (Ether 12:4)

I've never seen an anchor. I imagine they are pretty big. Pretty
heavy. They keep ships in place. Big ships. But even when the anchor
is down, the ship can still sway. The gospel is my anchor. The gospel
is the anchor to millions of people around the world. But I still
sway. I still see people sway. If god wants us to return to him why
does he allow us to sway? God has given us the greatest gift of all
and that gift is his son Jesus Christ. Our older brother. Jesus Christ
came to the earth and died for us. He died for us so we could return
to our Heavenly Fathers presence. How? Through the gift of repentance,
and through Jesus Christ atonement. God didn't send us to this earth
to be perfect. He sent us to this earth to gain a body. To learn good
and bad. To experience happiness and hardship. Many people ask why me?
Why does god give me hard trials? Why are my trials harder then my
neighbors? I will tell you why I think. I think it's because he trusts
you. He doesn't expect us to be perfect. He wants us to hope. Believe
in him and hope. Hope for a better future. Have faith. Be steadfast
and immovable. Stick your anchor in the ground and don't let it sway.
And if you sway repent. Turn to The Lord. He is our father. He wants
to hear from us. When we don't talk to him he misses us. Pray to him
daily. No matter where you are from. No matter what religion you are.
I know with my whole heart he loves each one of us. He wants to help.
Just pray. Let him be your anchor. My challenge to you is to thank
Heavenly Father for your trials. Instead of complaining. Thank him for
making you stronger. It took me along time to figure that out.
Remember everybody makes mistakes. You don't have to repent for the
same mistake you made five years ago over and over. Even the very best
people make mistakes. We are human. A quote that relates to me goes
like this, "the moment you are ready to quit is usually the moment
when a miracle happens, don't give up." I am so grateful I didn't give
up. I am grateful I turned to The Lord in my most difficult time and
that decision got me on a mission. I'm not where I need to be but I
thank Heavenly Father I'm not where I used to be.

{reasons|seasons} Summer 2014

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under
the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and
a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time
to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep,
and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to
cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to
embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a
time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend,
and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time
to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I have always had a strong belief that everything happens for a
reason. I believe everyone we meet we needed or they needed us. I
believe every place we go isn't by accident. Being a missionary
sometimes you ask yourself why? I will tell you why, because it's gods
plan. I got a phone call from president: Sister Lee The Lord has
called you to train. I hang up. My heart pounds. I'm not prepared. Why
me? I am weak. I pray. Transfers come. We are sitting in a room. They
walk in. I see her. I am terrified. She is from china. "Sister Lee
with Sister Wang" we stand up. We hug. My heart is full of love. We
eat. I take her home. We get to flushing, she says it's like china.
She loves it. I teach her English. She teaches me Chinese. We lack
communication. We laugh. We cry. She loves me. I love her. She is
training me. I pray. I thank The Lord. Sister Wang didn't need me, I
needed her. We grow together. Companions are sent to us for a divine
purpose. Some we get along with better than others. But in some way
they are all the same. The Lord knows what you need when you need it.
I needed Sister Wang. She teaches me obedience, faith, love, patience.
She helps me be a better missionary.

{concrete jungle} 2014|2015

 

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." -3 Nephi 13:21

Buildings everywhere. Tall buildings. No mountains. I miss the
mountains, the snow, hiking, fresh air, the stars. So many noises,
planes, trains, buses, and honking. Views. Beautiful views. Flushing,
New York isn't the same as Kamas, Utah. I miss my home, my family. I
walk outside and look around. I watch people. So many different types
of people, but we all came from the same place. I love New York. Six
months in flushing and it is my home. My treasure is in Utah. So my
heart is in Utah. My treasure is also in New York. My treasure with
always be in New York. A part of my heart will forever be in New York.
I look through the fence at the train track. Trash, graffiti. It's my
favorite view of flushing. So many different cultures. Chinese,
Korean, Russian, Spanish, Americans. All in the same place. I realize
how diverse flushing is. I talk to people on the street and they say,
"you aren't from around here are you?" They assume New Yorkers aren't
friendly. I talk to them. They seem friendly. I've never been to a big
city. It's different, exciting, new. I don't feel like a stranger
anymore. To me this is my home. It's the home of so many others
wanting to know what's next. Some happy, sad, angry, confused, lonely,
but all want the same thing. Somebody to love them. I love them. The
buildings replace the mountains, the buses replace the crickets. I am
home.