Reach the top!

Waterton National Park in the day!

So today I was thinking about how sometimes life just isn't what we expect it to be. At the start of my mission I was so overwhelmed, confused and unsure of what to do and how to be a powerful missionary. I got this amazing letter from a friend of mine that had this great encouraging analogy!

When I first came to Tennessee I didn't think I was making a difference and my experience wasn't living up to the picture I'd had in my mind.  I just wanted to throw in the towel and return to the wonderful easy fun filled life I had left behind, but little did I know the joy I could feel out here in good old Tennessee! 

So on one of those particularly hard days I got this epic letter from my friend and he reminded me of this great night in Waterton National Park in Alberta (that's in the beautiful country north of this one...CANADA!).  We had set out to climb a mountain called 'Bear's Hump' in the dark!  I remember starting off the adventure with a big group of us all together ascending the mountain by the light of the moon.  It started off fun and exciting and then it got hard.  It was a steep incline and even though I thought I was in shape I soon found myself at the back of the group struggling to catch my breath.

That's how it was at the start of my mission, I had a strong testimony of the things that I was going to teach to people but then all of a sudden when I had to actually do it, I felt like a fish out of water. I didn't know what I was doing and didn't think I would ever figure it out. 

Happy Hikers!!

But just as I did when I climbed 'Bear's hump' I continued on.  I had this great friend who stayed with me all of the way up!  He waited with me when I needed to take a break and he offered just the right amount of encouraging words as we climbed together. 

As I found myself struggling on my mission one day I got this great letter from this same friend, in it he said
"It won't be easy, but it is more than worth it.  Remember when we were in Waterton climbing Bears Hump?  It was hard and there were times when you wanted to turn back but when you reached the top and saw the moon reflected on the lake and felt the wind on your face, I know that made it all worthwhile!"

He was so right! In that moment I was struggling but I just needed to keep on going and now as I'm getting close to the end of my mission I can look back and see all these amazing moments where I grew stronger in my testimony of Jesus Christ and his restored gospel.  There have been some hard times on my mission but they are outnumbered by the amazing moments where I was able to be an instrument in the hands of God to help others grow in their faith.  Nothing beats that feeling of knowing that you were in the right place at the right time and God was able to use you move his work forward. I have reached the top of many mountains on my mission and seen the beautiful view and felt the peace and love of my Father in Heaven!

As we came to the top of the mountain and I saw the beautiful view with the mountains surrounding the  lights of the town below I felt so much peace and accomplishment! I remember going off by myself and sitting there marveling in the beauty and the peace. Just remember that the trial will one day be over and you will find the peace and the comfort and you will know that God loves you.  Be patient!


Ill end with another quote from the letter..."Not everyday is going to be super fun or full of joy, but a lot of them will be! And the blessings you get are beyond compare! Just remember that I am rooting for you and praying for you, so when you get discourages, put that finger in the air and say "Shove it Satan!" I know you can do it!"

The view from the top of Bear's Hump, the picture doesn't do it justice!

Personal Prophetic Epistle

Its General Conference this weekend!!! I'm so excited to hear our beloved Prophet speak! What an amazing opportunity we have to go and listen to the Prophet and other inspired men and women speak to us about the gospel.  Last General Conference Elder Holland of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles said this,



"If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you."

My friends and I waiting to watch conference live!

I love that quote! When I heard that last conference it was such an inspiration to me. So I decided to test it out.  As I sat there at conference I focused on questions I had and inspiration that I needed to better fill my role as a missionary. I know that my Father in Heaven loves me so much and wants to communicate to me, he's just waiting for me to ask. So all throughout the conference I wrote down all the inspiration I was given, the feelings that I had and the great quotes I wanted to remember. I looked for answers to my questions and concerns in the things that people said and in the thoughts that the spirit brought to my mind. The result was revelation specific to me and my concerns. I compiled all the moments where God answered my questions and the times I felt inspired to act or change and now I have my own Personal Prophetic Epistle!  It was another witness to me that God loves me personally and will answer my questions!



Our Prophet! Can't wait to hear from him!



So it's that time of year again!! Its conference this Saturday and Sunday.  I'm excited to get another Personal Prophetic Epistle and I hope you are too!  So get your pen and paper ready and bask in the love you will feel from our loving Heavenly Father.  Let me know your experiences!! I can't wait to hear from you all!

Check out this website to watch it online or tune in on BYU channel or go to your local meeting house to watch 10am and 2pm Mountain Standard Time October 5th and 6th. Or come watch it with me in Nashville at 11am and 3pm at 3600 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville Tennessee!

http://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng

Check out this link of how to prepare yourself for General Conference!

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/prepare-for?lang=eng

Check out this video about preparing for General Conference!!!

Rejoice in Christ!!

One of the best things about being a missionary is that I get to talk about Jesus all the time!! Its the best!  There is a scripture in The Book of Mormon that I love..

 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies" -2 Nephi 25:26

That Scripture truly does describe what we do as missionaries.  We spend our days TALKING to people about Christ.  We have the awesome job of teaching people about how a relationship with Jesus Christ WILL bless their lives.  Then we get to REJOICE  in Christ.  We get to see people grow and change through repenting of their sins and accepting the atonement of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ.  It has been an amazing experience to see the light of Christ in people, to see how people's lives improve because of their knowledge of Jesus Christ. We spend our time PREACHING and PROPHESYING of how the restored gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed our lives and we get to share the promise in the scriptures of how it will bless the lives of all who will receive it!  And in our mission we get to write according to the prophecies in our blogs!  How great is that?

The most important thing that we teach people is that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  It reminds me of that famous verse the New Testament, John 3:16

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Our Father in Heaven loves us so much that he created a means by which we could return to him.  He knew that we would sin when we came to this earth so he created a means by which we can be forgiven and become like him.  He allowed his beloved Son, Jesus Christ to suffer for our sins in the garden of Gethsemane and to suffer and die on the cross for us so that we could be cleansed from all our sins and have everlasting eternal life! The best gift we could ever get.

As missionaries we get to talk to people about this beautiful message.  We love the Bible and teach from it often and God has given us more scripture, The Book of Mormon that compliments and clarifies the teachings in the Bible.  Check out http://mormon.org/ and find out more or meet with a missionary just like me! http://mormon.org/missionaries/