Mission President Fireside.

On Sunday July 8, 2012 I had the amazing privilege to speak at the Mission President Fireside. Honestly, that night was one of the best nights of my life, and what made it even better is that it took me completely by surprise! Which is always a good thing, I love surprises.

But anyways, for those of you who have no clue what a M.P Fireside is, it's when all the missionaries within the mission come together in one of the stake centers, along with the Mission President and his wife, members ranging from lifetime members to recent converts to investigators. And during the fireside, certain missionaries perform musical pieces and recent converts go up on stage to share their testimony with the congregation. 

So ideally, for somebody like me who is ALWAYS looking for opportunities to have missionary moments and who is DYING to go on her mission; this was the most perfect thing I could have done at this time in my life and I will always remember the spirit that took place that night while listening to the other people sharing their testimonies, then how it felt as I shared mine.Unfortunately though, none of my close friends were able to go and listen due to last minute scheduling and unfortunate circumstances. So I promised that I'd post on my blog what I spoke about. 

Yeah, I know. Weird that I had everything written out when I just previously stated that this whole things was a surprise. But in all reality, it had been the plan for me to speak for several months, then that suddenly changed, and then it suddenly changed again and I ended up speaking after all! Meaning that I've had several months to come up with what I wanted to say and type it out. I wanted it to be perfect and there was so much that I wanted to say, I really wanted to make sure that everything came out right.

So here it is!!
[Up until this point, I just spoke from the heart. I introduced myself, stated I was baptized March 26, 2011 and that I was confirmed a member March 27, 2011 by Allen Read and Elder Saager. I told them about my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa and how funny they were and how they practically hunted me down just to sit and talk with me. I talked about how I came to church the first time with Savannah Read and her family and how I've gotten really close to that whole family. Also about how weird I felt being at church in jeans and a t-shirt! So right before where I started reading off what I wrote, I talked about how I had been shopping with Savannah the day after I met Elder Malietoa with Elder Saager right after transfers and how they had been hunting me down. I felt worried that I had gotten myself in trouble and that lead immediately to my first meeting EVER with them. But MOST of you know this story and if you don't then everything is in previous posts on this blog if you're interested! FYI, this all flowed together pretty nicely if I do say so myself.]

*officially starts*

But when I came downstairs and saw how happy they looked, I crossed that off the list immediately.  Then we sat down in Savannah’s living room and we began what was my first lesson with them. That day was also the day that I received my Book of Mormon and that’s when my life officially began. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was feeling the spirit. I felt our Father in Heaven’s presence through those two young men. The moment Elder Saager placed the book in my hands; I knew that it was true. But I decided to take on the challenge that they presented to me anyways, by reading and praying to ask our Heavenly Father if this was true. The next morning, I woke up before my dad, and I sat at the dining room table then began to read. As I was reading throughout the introduction I began to pray and ask, if I had finally found the truth. If that the feelings to keep testing the waters of this church were a good thing. Then halfway reading through the introduction, it felt as if Heavenly Father was saying to me “Stop asking. You know this is true. So just start reading”

I was filled with joy. I was filled with the spirit and I couldn’t wait to meet with the Elders again.

Within two weeks of meeting with the Elders twice, sometimes even three times a week I had decided that I wanted to get baptized when Elder Malietoa told me that there was going to be a baptism in a week from then and asked me if I wanted to get baptized too. Looking back it seems like a dream, it all went so well and so quickly. But I know that the decision to be baptized was, is and always will be the best decision I’ve ever made in my entire life. And even though my life’s not even half over, nothing but good can come from this decision as long as I keep the commandments and covenants that I made the day I was baptized.

This last year, I’ve been able to accomplish more than I’ve ever even expected to. I’ve learned of the love that Heavenly Father and His son, my savior, Jesus Christ have for me. I’ve learned of the atonement and how it was formed, not only for every one of you, but for me too. Before this year, I never knew how it was possible to love God. Everybody around me would talk about how much they loved Him, and that just didn’t make sense to me. I wanted to be able to love Him, I really did. But it never made sense until coming to this church and learning of how strong His love is for us, for me.

Through this decision, I’ve met my family. They may not be of blood; they may not be perfect, or related to me in any way. But they share the same beliefs as I do, they love Heavenly Father as I do, and they love me as I love them. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many of the wonderful missionaries that are here right now and have grown to call them my brothers, my sisters and best of all, my friends. And that is a blessing all in its own, considering my love for missionary work just as a regular member.

This journey definitely has brought its ups and downs. I have had my down in the dump moments and had the opportunity to uplift myself with the spirit by praying, reading the scriptures, meeting with these wonderful missionaries and talking with our Father in Heaven. Then I’ve had the uplifting experience of being a part of my mom, my dad, and my younger brother receiving lessons from the missionaries as well. Every day is filled with new experiences that are helping me grow and develop into the person that I am supposed to be while here.

This April, I had the opportunity to go to Salt Lake for conference with Savannah and her family. It seriously was the most amazing experience ever and I came away with a lot more knowledge, not only of myself, but of the church, the gospel and of things that I never even thought of before. Elder Russell M. Nelson gave a talk called Thanks Be to God on the Sunday morning session and he said “How much better it would be if all could be more aware of God’s providence and love and express that gratitude to Him. Ammon taught, “Let us give thanks to [God], for he doth work righteousness forever.” Our degree of gratitude is a measure of our love for Him.”

This quote really helped me define my love for Heavenly Father, and everything He has done for us. It truly added to the spirit that had taken place that day immensely and that leads me to what I would like to close with.

The missionaries met me in a very weird time of my life. My world was being turned upside down, and I felt as if I had fallen below rock bottom.

It all started with a prayer. One prayer, one last desperate attempt of trying to make things right once and for all; and even though I didn’t think He was listening to me, and I didn’t even know if He was real at that time. He listened to me and humbled me enough to the point where I was ready to receive the Gospel and meet Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa.

Everything that they taught and shared with me has with me throughout the year. But one thing, that I remember making the initial change in my heart was something that Elder Saager shared with me regarding living the commandments and following Jesus Christ.

He said this was something that he liked to think of, and said something along the lines of: “Mary-Kate, how would you feel if Jesus Christ walked into this room, this very moment?
 [and as he said this, I pictures Him walking into the room, and standing behind the couch that Saager and Malietoa were seated in]. “Would you be embarrassed with whom you were with? What you were wearing? What you were doing, talking about and even thinking? Would you feel ashamed to be in the presence of our Savior? Or express complete joy and embrace him?”

As he was telling me this, and sharing that he would sometimes ask himself these questions as somewhat of a self-evaluation, it was as if I was in the presence of Christ. Elder Saager was so new on his mission at that point, yet so ready to share these things with me and for me, and I was more than ready to receive. I’m eternally grateful. For everything Heavenly Father has allowed to happen in my life; whether they came from the missionaries, my friends in the church or even my own actions. 

My mission in life is to testify of Christ, and testify of Him I shall do. I cannot deny his grace. And I cannot deny the truth that lies in this Gospel. Or of the love that He has for us.

I know that this church is true, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The love that I felt from my Heavenly Father that night was one of the times I've felt it the best. The love I felt from the wonderful missionaries that were there that night and the brothers and sisters of mine that I hadn't even met before confirmed in my heart that I helped change somebodies life that night. I pray every day for the opportunity to help bring others unto Christ, and that has turned out to be a very big goal of mine. Until the day I leave for my mission, I think opportunities like this will continue to help train me and prepare me.

 Elder Saager and I after the Fireside. 

A Special Spirit About

There's a certain spirit about this morning, I woke up to an empty house and for the first time in a very long time I've felt comfortable enough to pray and read my scriptures in my own house. So I definitely took advantage of that, and I've been pondering the things that I've been learning and encountering these last couple of weeks since I last posted in here.

The summer semester of Institute classes has finally started up again, and I am taking a class with brother Miller on the Gospel of John. Now, out of all four of the Gospels, John is the one that focuses mostly on Jesus and who he was as a person while he was taking on the flesh of the world during his time here. I chose to sign up for this class because during my entire time being a Christian and during my entire time being a member of this church, I've not learned much about the Bible. Which is sad to say considering my past experiences, but that's beside the point. I now feel as if I am ready to embark on the wonderful spirit and blessings that can be brought forth from reading outside of just the Book or Mormon of the Doctrine and Covenants. NOT that those aren't great themselves, I just feel ready to expand my knowledge; I feel like I'm spiritually strong enough to truly understand and remember what I read and learn about in the Bible. Which is a very good thing because I've never felt that confident in my readings of the scriptures ever before!

So in the class with brother Miller, it can be very hard to follow along with what he is talking about. But that is just simply because of the spirit that he is bringing into the classroom. I don't know much about either testaments, and I really don't know anything about the Gospels or even why they are called the Gospels. I didn't even realize that was where I stood until Wednesday night when brother Miller asked me to give the purpose behind this class and what we are meant to learn. I didn't have an answer, so I told him where I stood and how I lack an understanding of things. Even though I felt as if my answer were inappropriate and that I should have had a better answer, I realize that was perfect! We were placed on this earth because we are not perfect, and we don't know everything. We came here so we can work towards perfection, so of course nobody is going to know everything. Even people who have a complete and full understanding of the Gospels can always learn something new from the scriptures if they allow themselves to.

I guess that is one of my proudest little self accomplishments this week, oddly enough. I feel like I've come to ease with the fact that I don't know as much as I feel like I should. But as long as I continue on with my willingness to learn and gain more to my testimony, then I am in the right place!

What I love the most about learning and reading from the Gospel of John, is that it get's more intimate and personal with who Jesus Christ was. I love learning about Christ, because I have a very special relationship with Him that even I'm still learning about.

But on the first day of class, brother Miller asked a few of us how we see Heavenly Father when we pray. He asked us in a very soft and comforting tone to explain what we see and feel. I honestly never really thought of what I saw and felt, I've just always known and understood. So to explain it was a little weird. But I'm glad that he asked us that, because if it weren't for that questions then I don't think I would have started this deeply personal relationship that I have with both Heavenly Father and Jesus.

I feel like my thoughts have just been splattered all over the place with this post, but I guess splatters isn't exactly a bad thing! It just helps me realize how thankful I am to be a member of this church. I hope that everybody can come to have that personal relationship with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ, it's much more amazing when you can actually picture yourself with them. So I hope you can figure that out for yourself. It's an amazing blessing.

All of this has come to help me realize that if it weren't for me being a convert to this church then I would have never been able to gain as strong of a testimony of this Gospel and church that I have. I love that I had to work for it, and I love that I am still working for it! I love that I had to go through phases in order to be ready to meet my missionaries and receive the Gospel. That journey is what made me who I am today, and I am a very very happy person. I am happy because I know of God's love and I will never forget that. Never.

Sister Missionary To Be!

For the last few months, I've had the opportunity to teach several Gospel Principle classes. And may I just say, I LOVE IT! I love seeing the faces of my friends, and of people that are investigating the church and I share with them the lesson of the week and sharing my testimony of them. Throughout these last few months, I've had several opportunities to teach several classes, whether it was my Pathway class or Gospel Principles, and I've been told that I have a knack for teaching. So whenever I get the opportunity to, I take advantage of it with nothing but positive intent.

The joy that I feel, knowing that I am helping strengthen somebody's testimony and helping lead them closer to our Father in Heaven is one of the sweetest gifts I think I've ever received. I honestly love knowing that I am doing what I am suppose to do while here, and that's serving and loving others. Which leads to the topic of MY MISSION!!! I honestly can not wait, I have two years to go until I am old enough and this is the time that I am going to need to exercise patience like a mad woman! Which is a battle I definitely will be battling for years to come, and I know that for a fact. My age has always been a struggle for me, my entire life that's what I've been the most self conscious about surprisingly! I've always been the youngest, and now that I am a member of the church and everything has gone so well, smoothly and quickly; I feel like the next step is to go through the temple and go on a mission. But of course, I'm too young. And that is probably going to be the most excruciating thing I'm going to have to deal with for the rest of this time. But I definitely have some pretty exciting things to help occupy myself until then! Like UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY! I'm EXTREMELY stoked about that, I get to go to college finally, I am going to be closer to my best friends Savannah and Emily AND several of the great missionaries that I've gotten close with since their on their mission down here [including Elder Saager] will be up in that area shortly after their missions. So it's not all that bad!

Now, back to the mission thing. Something that my lovely Relief Society President Jeni Perez told me one day really touched my heart and I feel will honestly help me through these next two years. ALONG with a story she shared with me when she heard about my relationships with my missionaries.

So, when I was expressing my frustration in not being old enough to go on a mission and she told me that there is a reason for that. Out there somewhere are people that are preparing to be ready to receive the Gospel and they are being prepared for me. Me, Mary-Kate, I am going to be the one that will be ready to share the Gospel with them and help lead them properly into the waters of baptism. There's always a reason for everything and I am very thankful for her sharing that with me.

THEN, there's the story. Which I've heard several times before she shared it with me. I am so thankful for this story, because I truly believe that my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa were my close friends in the preexistence and this story is very applicable to my conversion story, my life now and my friendships with my missionaries.

The following event took place in a ward in Salt Lake City in 1974. It ocurred during the sacrament meeting and was told to me by a regional representative of the Twelve who was in the meeting. A young man, just before leaving on his mission stood in sacrament meeting and bore in essence the following:

Brothers and sisters, as you know, the past two weeks I have been waiting for my mission call. During the time I was waiting I had a dream. I knew it was not an ordinary dream. I dreamed I was in the pre-existence and awaiting my call to come to earth. I was filled with the same anticipation and excitement that I had before I received my mission call. In my dream I was talking to a friend, and I felt a special closeness to him, even though I have never met him in this life. As we talked a messenger came and gave me a letter. I knew it was my call to go to earth. In great excitement my friend and I opened the letter. I gave it to him and asked him to read it aloud. It said:

“You’ve been called to go to earth in a special time and to a special land. You will be born to the true church and you will have the priesthood of God in your home. You will be born into a land of plenty, and a land of frreedom. You will go to earth in the United States of America.”

My friend and I rejoiced as we read my call, and while we were rejoicing the messenger r eturned. This time he had a letter for my friend. We knew it was his call to earth. My friend gave me the letter to read out loud. His letter said:

“You’ve been called to go to earth in circumstances of poverty and strife. You will not be raised in the true church. Many hardships will attend your life. Your land will be fraught with political and social difficulties which will hinder the work of the Lord. You will be born in Costa Rica.”

We wept, my friend and I, as we read his call. And my friend looked at me with tears in his eyes, and said, “When we are down on earth, you in your choice land and me in Costa rica, my friend, please come and find me.”

Then this young missionary, with tears in his eyes, said. “Brothers and sisters, I have received my mission call, I ‘m going to Costa Rica.”

There is a sequel to this story. About a year after the sacrament meeting, the bishop received a letter from the missionary in Costa Rica. The letter had one sheet of paper in it and on that sheet written in capital letters were four words:

I FOUND MY FRIEND

My testimony continues to grow and strengthen with every day that I choose to live a Christ like life and follow the commandments. I also can not wait to go forth and spread Heavenly Father's word with the rest of the world! But until then, I'll prepare myself for that time, so then things will go just the way they need to be. 

How Did Something So Good, Happen To Me?

In this month's General Conference, on the Sunday Morning session discussed Elder Russell M. Nelson said:

"Anybody who studies the workings of the human body has surely "seen God moving in majesty and power." Because the body is governed by divine law, any healing comes by obedience to the law upon which that blessing is predicated. 

Yet some people erroneously think that these marvelous physical attributes happened by chance or resulted by a big bang somewhere. Ask yourself, "Could an explosion in a print shop produce a dictionary?" The likelihood is MOST remote. But if so, it could never heal it's own torn pages or reproduce it's own newer editions!"

Even though this statement by the surely entertaining Elder made the crowd laugh, there really was sincere meaning behind what he was saying that not only was relative to what he was speaking of. But it came across as a personal revelation to myself. The thought of "How could something so good, happen to me" has been running through my mind a lot these last few weeks. Every time I step foot into institute, meet with the missionaries, spend time with my friends from church, kneel down and pray, open my scriptures or simply just take the time to sit back and really look at how wonderful this life can be and embrace the beauty that is our bodies and the complexity that we have; like Elder Nelson mentioned in his talk at Conference. There is a lot to take in and if you don't take the time to sit back and really sit still, listen to what God is trying to tell you and appreciate everything in life that you do have. Then it all goes to waste and what was the point anyways? 

This General Conference really was a superb experience. Getting to be in the same room as the Prophet and Apostles, and knowing that the Spirit was there and every person in that Conference Center with me, came to listen to the Word of God was one of the most calming feelings I've ever felt in my entire life. Knowing that there is a God, our Father in Heaven and Christ our Savior who loves us with every fiber of their being and even if I, or you , or anybody else were the ONLY one who came to this earth to live this mortal life, Christ would still come to atone for you. Knowing that the love that they have for us is so infinite is enough for me to keep going. So what I want to say that made me feel like our Father in Heaven was speaking directly to me through Elder Nelson, is when he said "Could an explosion in a print shop produce a dictionary?" Well to me it seems like my life has! Not so literal and extreme, but that leads back to "How did something so GOOD happen to me??" 

Looking back on how my life was before I was a member, then how life was the month I was taking the lessons from Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa. THEN to see how my baptism was and life therefore after. It still shocks the crud out of me and I still can't believe that something so amazing, so wonderful and so full of grace and love could have happened to me. It feels like my print shop did explode and create a dictionary. But that explosion was my faith finally breaking through and the dictionary.. well I have no way of comparing that to anything but I do know that even though it feels like everything happened so suddenly like that, it still happened for a reason from God. I love it. 

I'm thankful for this every day, I'm thankful for the restored Gospel and the opportunity I had to go to Conference with one of my most best of friends, Savannah. The opportunity to sustain our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, along with all the apostles. Then getting to see Temple Square and talking to sister missionaries while doing so. Heavenly Father loves us, and even though life gets hard and we feel lonely from time to time, everything in the end will be worth it. And that I can testify of with everything that I am, love and believe. 

On This Day In History

I feel like a broken record player, talking about this as much as I do. But I think my enthusiasm will someday take me somewhere! So that's why I don't bother to change my ways. But on this day in history, one year to be exact; I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! My love for our Lord and Savior has never been as strong as it has been in this last year. I honestly think it's even safe to say that I don't think that love ever even existed before this year. Which is definitely a huge step for me, since I've changed so much throughout the last year, I'm still me. But, just a better, more positive version of me.

This week doesn't only mark my one year anniversary of being a member of this wonderful church. But this week, I will also be attending the April 2012 General Conference up in Salt Lake Utah City with Savannah and her family. Along with going out to dinner with Elder Saager and his new companion, Elder Lloyd! There is just a ton that will be filling this week up and honestly, I really can't wait. It's been six months since he has been transferred out of the Del Cerro ward, and I've progressed a lot since both him and Elder Malietoa have moved on in their life's journey. Which to say, is really good and I'm looking forward to getting the opportunity to catch up with him and to get to know his new companion. Who I got to meet a few weeks ago at the latest Mission President Fireside.

My testimony is strengthened every day. Every time I kneel down and pray, every time I meet with my home teachers, every time I step foot into institute and church, every time I read the scriptures and every time I get the chance to meet with the missionaries. Beauty is all around us, because Heavenly Father has allowed it to. Jesus Christ formed the atonement so we could be happy, so we could live to serve Him and so we could prove ourselves ready and worthy to come back to our Father in Heaven and I intend on taking advantage of that as much as I positively and possibly can. I know that He live, I know that my redeemer lives and I know that they both love us dearly.

My mission in life is to testify of Christ and of all the many blessings that He will allow to be in our lives if we decide to follow His commandments, be baptized in Christ's name and do whatever we can to Serve Him. I must be doing something right, because Heavenly Father has worked some really extreme miracles into my life. Meeting my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa was definitely a life changing experience, and I hope that they know that I'll always love them for everything that they've done for me and I hope to always have them in my life. I know that everything that they did was done by Heavenly Father. I know that through them He was able to work great joy into my life, but like I've expressed before; even though we have agency, everything still happens for a reason. I was in that church building that first time for a reason. I met Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa for a reason, I became friends with Savannah for a reason. And I just have to say, I love that. I feel, incredible. I feel the hand of the Lord in my life and I know He listens to me. He listens to all of us and he is incredibly mindful of us, whether we realize it or not.

Which is why I'm really looking forward to going to G.C and hearing what the Lord has in store for us to hear this time around. I'm excited to be able to experience that journey and to visit Temple square. Which means that I'll be able to cross off another Temple that I've visited.

I hope that the year to come will bring as many great opportunities as this year has, and I hope that I will receive the opportunity to help others and serve like I have this year. I love this church, I love our Father in Heaven, our Savior Jesus Christ, and everybody that I've come close to through the church. This path, will someday take me home!

I Feel The Spirit! No Seriously, My Face Is Tingling!

So as we are nearing the end of March, which means we are approaching the first General Conference of the year and I am really really excited! It's also less then a week until I've reached the year mark of my baptism into the church, and I have to say WOW. Seriously, what an AMAZING journey this has become. I've never experienced something so wonderful in my entire life and I just have to say, I am extremely blessed. I am beyond blessed, I seriously wish that I knew of another word that could describe how loved and lucky I feel. But alas, my vocabulary isn't as great as I wish it could be, also I don't think that there is a word out there that could even begin to explain how I feel.

But seriously, I've loved every minute of the way, even during the sad times. My relationship with Heavenly Father, Christ our Savior, the friends I've made in this church and the missionaries that I've become friends with along the way are what have built me up from being just this rifraf hoodelum to a productive young women and I have a lot to be thankful for. I've come to notice that some of the most important people in my life are people who are currently serving missions, which is what leads to the title of this post. I just couldn't help myself. Elder Geier, who has come to be one of the goofier elders I've gotten to know, said that in a lesson that I had with them last week and I just HAD to have it be the title of this post. As funny as it is, it's true what he said. The spirit affects us in different ways, whether we start to cry, we feel a little hazy, there is a burning within us, or we start to tingle. Every one of those is an affect that I've felt while feeling the spirit, and I just loved how he came right out with it!

But in all seriousness, life is good. I'm excited to say that I an 95% sure that I will be going to General Conference with Savannah and her family. I've asked my Bishop for tickets and all that we have to work out is the ride situation with Savannah's family and how things are going to work. Along the trip they wanted to go camping and I wouldn't mind going with, but there are still some kinks in the plan that need to be worked out, but I have faith that things will work out right, or at least the way that they are suppose to. Going to General conference is definitely going to be another huge step in my life. Especially since just recently, I've grown to understand just how serious and important G.C really is! Along this trip, I'll not only be experiencing the wonders that is conference, I'll be able to cross another temple off of my list of temples I've visited. Temple square is one that I wanted to visit before I went on my road trip last November and got to visit both the Mesa Arizona Temple and the St. George Utah Temple, so you can bet that I am super excited to get to see Temple Square now.

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita from the Quorum of the Seventy, spoke in the October 2011 Conference on the Sunday afternoon session and it really meant a lot to me when he spoke of his conversion story and how he gained such a strong love for the missionaries, the church and everything they taught him. Even if it did take him a while to really fully understand what they were sharing with him, I was able to really feel the spirit as he spoke and how I was able to relate with him. Which also came into my realization of the true importance with General Conference and it helped grow my testimony of the Prophets and General Authorities of today. Elder Yamashita went on to say
"When I was 17, I didn't really have a good understanding of the messages that the missionaries had been teaching me. However, I had a very special feeling about the missionaries and wanted to become like them. And I felt their deep and abiding love."

I've felt the same way as elder Yamashita, I was also 17 when I was baptized. So for someone as fresh and new to the gospel to hear a talk like the one that he gave really helped lift my spirits and I loved it. Especially since while I was taking the lessons with my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa, there were a lot of things that needed to be covered before my baptism and I didn't have all the time in the world to gain a full testimony in everything that they taught me. All I knew was that I needed to be baptized as soon as possible and as long as I believed this church was true, and wanted to proceed, I would be able to continue my learning and growth after my baptism. Which is exactly what I did and I am so excited to have a great understanding of things now.

I'm so excited for this new journey. I can't wait to go to Conference and go to Temple square. I'm always looking for new adventures to go on, whether physical or spiritual OR BOTH! And this definitely will be something to remember forever!

Nearer My God To Thee

This month on the 26th, it will be an entire year since I've joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This time last year, I was taking the steps towards the path that would someday take me home to be with our Father in Heaven and Christ our Savior. But looking back at this time, I would have never guessed where I would have made it to and how much I would grow during the year to come. So looking back and reflecting on how much I've been able to grow and how much I've accomplished is simply astounding. I've met my best friends, my family and my brothers and sisters during my time in the church and I've also formed the most important relationship of all. A true, deep and loving relationship with my Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ. Which is above everything else I've established during this year, every bit of my life now is exactly how it's suppose to be and I am extremely pleased with the outcome.

In March of 2011 I was being taught the lessons by my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa. Two of the most inspiring men I've ever met in my entire life. Through them, I was brought the one true restored Gospel that is on this earth today. Through them, Heavenly Father answered my prayers and lead me to Him, his only Begotten Son Jesus Christ and the opportunity for true, eternal happiness in His Kingdom. A favor such as what Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa did for me will never go unrecognized, so I have a lot to be thankful to them for. Especially during this year, I've remained very close friends to them even though Malietoa has finished his mission and is now in College. And Elder Saager was transferred up to the Penasquitos 3rd Ward, our friendship and respect for each other continues to grow. They are two of my absolute best friends in the world, which leads to the main point in which I am trying to make in this post. Heavenly Father works in very mysterious ways, in which he works in our lives miracles that we never even imagined possible. But it takes a lot of work on our part to make sure that we are spiritually prepared and well feasted upon the scriptures and pray every day so we are prepared to receive whatever blessings Heavenly Father has in store for us. These blessings come in all shapes, sizes and forms, and we have to be spiritually prepared to see what God is trying to tell us. I've learned that I receive a lot of my answers to what I pray for through the people I associate myself with and who I learn to love and become close to.

It's different for everybody though, since everything is learned line upon line and precept upon precept. Nothing is ever the same and what would work for one person, may not work for me. Revelation comes in tricky ways and at times, we allow ourselves to become so absorbed into what the world is bringing us and the noise from the world tends to cover all of what comes from the Spirit if we allow it to. And I've learned this lesson through Elder Jones, another missionary that I became really close friends with while he was in my current ward. He told me about a man that would put whatever spare change he had in his pocket from the end of the day in a jar. He did this every day for many years, until one day he decided to exchange the change in and when he did, he had a HUGE amount of money. I can't quite remember the amount the Elder Jones told me, but it was a couple thousand, maybe even more. He compared that to our daily scripture reading and prayers. If we continue to build ourselves up every day with the knowledge and strength we get from the scriptures then by the time our mortality is up, we will be significantly and eternally blessed. Which sounds great if you ask me!

Anyways, I hope that all made sense, i'm rambling and this post is getting really long. I'm just extremely happy that I got to see all my amazing Missionary buddies last night at the Mission President Fireside and I am just so excited for everything that is coming this month. Elder Saager and I talked a bit last night and decided that we want to get together on my year mark, which is the 26th, and we are going to have lunch and catch up. So this year has just been perfect. I am so happy and thankful for all the blessings that have been placed in my life, simply because of my decision to follow the Lord's commandments, pray, read my scriptures and form the relationships that I have formed. And I cant wait to see how the year to come will treat me!