Letter Excerpts from September 27

I LOVE hearing all about you and the boys! I am glad to know about your life right now as a babysitter! It sounds so positive! And I think we can both relate on the lessons of learning to let things go...sigh of relief :) Loved your blog post! Those are so important to learn! To really learn to apply, not just know. Alma 37:35 -- Learn wisdom and then he breaks it down for us: Learn..TO DO something! Wisdom is more that just knowing. Awesome things you are experiencing!

I too am going through those same things. Sister Nybo and I are getting along so much better. The atonement of Jesus Christ means something to me now like it never has before. I need it, I love it, and I hold is sacred. Christ is my refuge; He stands as such because He experienced my all and still gave and gives me His all. When I know that I've done wrong but also know that I have been wronged, the only thing I can think about that makes me bend and humble myself to be chastised is thinking of His perfect example of submitting himself to the Father. Sister Nybo did a great job at getting me into two of these situations. I truly felt like my soul was being torn, or at least about to. OAHH!! It is so hard to stay on His shores of safely and love by being Love myself. But it is something I can do! Praying everyday and continuing to partake of his sacrament to bring me closer to Him and his Spirit enable me to 'learn wisdom'  I hope these thoughts aren't too confusing...trying to relate how the atonement has been working on me is difficult. But I want you to know that I know of its reality and personal application for us all. I am grateful that I have come to know my Savior better. The verse that stuck out to me SO much was Mosiah 14:5. I felt terrible for what I'd done and even though I wanted to react in the natural man way-I opened my heart to the feelings of guilt and ugly and sin brings. When I had seen a bit of that, I knew what Christ had gone through for me and knew that it was a million times greater. What debt of gratitude is mine? I will always love my Jesus Christ!

Ahhh ahaha. Did I mention that I was laughing the whole time I was reading about Benjamin? How funny. I am loving the image I have of him in my brain. I did get the little video messages to work so keep trying to capture the singing! I love it! And I am so thrilled to hear Madeline likes music. It's so neat to me that they each are so unique. Such their own little person --there is no way anything but Divine started it all!

And speaking of unique little persons, I love you! I know you and love you! I know the last time I was over there we realized things were different. That was good. But it really doesn't change the way I love you. The older sister that I knew was the epitomy of what I wanted to become. You are such an example to me. I love that you are in my life still and ask you to never leave. What can I do to repay you? Whoa, yes that brings me to something else! I have so much to do! So many reasons I am the person I am in the state I am in and it's all thanks to other people. First my Savior, then of course my family and then their families and then my friends and the list will never end! I have much to do in this life. I know that Lord has blessed me this much because he doesn't expect me to just be normal or average. I will not be compared to the light that comes from others. I just have to do my best to be His best.

Sending a bit of love to our Missionary

Letter Excerpts from September 20

Life has its wonders, we just have to look for them. It reminds me of the story of the 10 lepers in Luke. 10 miracles happened and 9 went without thanks to God. Did they recognize the full wonder of what had happened or did they just go with the physical relief they got? How wonderful when we are able to look into the goodness of God and find therein our desires.

 

Thank you for the Bruce R McConkie sacrament excerpt. Our "status" is always dependant on US and how WE choose to feel. In church yesterday we did lesson 18 about Fath in Jesus Christ. I received personal revelation as I listened to the lesson that: Faith in Jesus Christ means to have no pride. When we truly trust him and know that He will clear up our mistakes and shortcomings and it is with Him that our failings are resolved and forgiven-we won't even worry about what other people think; we KNOW that Christ is our Healer and we are willing to give him our all. WOW!!! :) Such a new thing to realize that I don't always have to be putting up a wall between me and other people because I am afraid that they will hurt me. I don't have to be guarded and try to show my best side and none of my weaknesses.  My failings only matter to the Lord and He will fix them. Repentance requires accepting and recognizing my shortcomings-when I stop trying to hide them from other people I will be free to take them to my Savior and lay them at Him feet. I love Jesus Christ so much! My love for him has grown! I understand things about the atonement that I didn't before.. the words I have can't really describe it but now I KNOW that He has my love above anyone else. It isn't a perfect love but I want it to be.

 

OH!!! that reminds me. Did I tell you how much i loved the Neal A Maxwell talk "content with the things alloted unto us"? because I DO!! And I thank you for sending it to me:)

Letter Excerpts from Sept 13

So Sister Nybo and I are working out much better. We discussed a bunch of issues and I can see a beautiful thing on the horizon...which is good because I can't teach with out the spirit or plan with out the spirit or stay in sacred space if we are at odds or competing with each other.

 

It is quite a different thing about our church I think. We have so much revealed about the nature of god, SO many modern revealed scriptures that are packed with info on how God loves and knows us personally-we can really take KNOWING that he loves and cares for us. The Grandest Being in the universes is involved intimately with us. I know he loves the people here in Washington and I know that love is the power behind the work. Lately I have been getting distracted with the numbers of it all. That has been stressing me out because you know I am a bit of a people pleaser and a high acheiver (bahah or at least want to be) and so when I have to show terrible numbers that don't reflect my desires...I start to evaluate and tear down anything that stands! Which of course is not a good plan for success. But hopefully I have identified where I can plug into power for an improvement.

 

oh ps- Thanks for praying for me. I know your life is crazy but I know you must think of me and pray for me. The other night after things had gotten tons better with Sister Nybo the thought came to me out of nowhere- My family has been praying for me. I know that was the Spirit and so I wanted to let you KNOW!!!! IT WORKS!! Prayer is an amazing thing! The spirit is true and testifies of truth!!! I know you care about me and your care and faith in my behalf are doing wonders. Thank you so much.

 

WE live with this old woman named Doris Stagg. She is so sweet! She loves that we come down every morning to leave and that we come home every night. We maybe spend 5 min talking to her the whole day but she loves it so much. She is 96 and she still drives!! aaaaaaahahaha. She is cute.

 

We are going to be teaching a husband of a lady who is a member. The sister is so excited! It is great to see her faith rewarded. The church has been a source of contention in their marriage for years but now he has finally agreed to learn more and take the lessons. so wow! that's exciting.

 

Anyway, I have to learn how to support so many different people. Supporting people takes a lot out of you. But it is good. The Savior supported others his whole life and the ended it all with an ultimate act of support. I am grateful for his example and the fruits of his labor that I can partake of.

 

I love the scriptures and don't think that I have enough time to study them! I want to be able to get into them forever!!!!!!!!! well not literally. but hahah. I love you!

Her old place--

Even though she is now transfered... I finally got pictures of her back yard-- at least that is what I am assuming- She has many pictures of her here!

So Missionaries must drive....

They obviously spend a LOT of time in the car.... Most of the pictures she sends are of them in the car--

I'm assuming this one has to do with the time she's been out.... I know that Eric did something similar, as a marker of time passing-- I am guessing this is her Three Month day!