1/5/15

OUT OF TIME! SO SO SORRY! IT'S BEEN CRAZY!

We went to Camp Liahona and camped for 3 days and 2 nights. that was weird. No one ever tells  you that while on a mission you will go camping. It was so much fun. I learned so much about myself and about who Heavenly Father expects me to be. I love President Alba and Sister Alba. They are such good examples. A comment made there has really stuck with me.... most often missionaries are assigned to a mission president and his wife, instead of being assigned to a mission. Pretty cool. I have learned so much about them.

While there, we did a big service project with all the zone leaders and STLs. We dug out some places in a hillside for tents. So sore, but so good. It was a lot of fun. We then had hours upon hours of leadership training. I have never had such a spiritual experience before. Really, probably only the temple was a greater spiritual time of learning. It was amazing. They told us when we got there that we weren't there because we deserved to be there, but rather, because we needed to be there to learn certain things. It was amazing. Main theme: redwood trees and how it applies to our spiritual growth. Consecration. Obedience. Humility. CHARITY. :) It should be the ultimate motivation for all that we do. I feel though that now my testimony is solid, and I have so much hope. I feel like good things are just around the corner and forgive me if my responses don't come as soon as I'd like. I haven't forgotten you all. I'm just trying to buckle down for this next 7 months.

I am going to write out a big long letter and attach it to my letter next week. I want to share a quick miracle from the exchange I went on. We did service for a couple instead of teaching them. We cleaned for them. They are detoxing from drugs and they just had their son taken away. We washed their kitchen and dishes, listening the whole time. Then we taught a short lesson and invited them to be baptized. They said yes, set a marriage date, and are completely committed. They hadn't shown that interest the past couple times the other sisters had gone over. It was pretty sweet.  Service opens hearts. Coolest experience. You'd have had to be there. For reals.

I know that we can become like Heavenly Father, and that is what He wants for us.
We just have to follow His Son. We have to ask Him what we should do with our lives. We have to be open to Him. We have to live the laws of Obedience, sacrifice, the gospel, chastity, and consecration. We have to offer up ourselves and give back our agency willingly to Him. We have to offer up our will to Him.

Love you!