Homemade Valentine

These are homemade Valentine cards that Sister Stucki and I made. 

Giving positive affirmations is not one of my specialties, but I can make a cheesy/tacky homemade card. and I think that is okay.

If we are going to show love it should be personal and genuine. 

 Even if its a little bit cheesy. 

This valentines day....SHARE GOD'S LOVE WITH EVERYONE!

Rules are Lame

Dearly beloved....

Good week in Fort Belvoir.
Right now our missions theme is "Be all In"..... I think it's similar
to themes we have had in the past, themes of consecration, and
sacrifice and such. I've learned through all of these themes that we
each have different levels of "being all in". Sometimes I'll recognize
that I am not "all in" for a specific principle and so I strive to
change and then I feel great! Like woooohoo! I'm "being all in" and
then I settle down and realize there is even MORE I can give to the
Lord. So basically every time I think I have reach the "all in"
level....I see the next step and have to push for it.

Something I struggle with in life and on my mission are the little
rules.... (Rules that the consequences or blessings for following or
not following are not seen right away or maybe at all.)
For examples BYU-Idaho's curfew, not eating in mission cars, backing
up your companion, texting in class, drinking green tea, etc.
I could follow the rule of not getting out of the car to back my
companion up with no problem but the moment I choose not to do it
once, then every time after that I struggle following the rule.
Thoughts run through your mind like, "Well I didn't do it that time
and nothing happened" or "I've been follow that rule my whole mission
and it doesn't seem to make a difference."
The thing I have learned the most is that once you break a "little
rule" once it's that much harder to not break it over and over again.
And maybe it's not always breaking a rule or commandment, but instead
refraining from acting on a prompting.
Just as "by small and simple things, great things are brought to
pass", by small and simple things, dangerous (or bad, terrible, etc)
things are brought to pass. It all starts with something little.
Missing church because you're tired, not reading your scriptures
because you don't have time, the list goes on and on.
The point is----little things matter.
So I guess a lesson I am learning on my mission is that it is not
necessarily the big choices that shapes our lives and testimonies but it's the simple daily choices that shape us into who we will be when
we stand in front of our Heavenly Father at the last day.

If only I could remember that lesson every second of everyday. Then I
would make better choices. #sinner #confession #roughlife

Hashtags make it easier to say stupid things.

Yesterday we were tracting and sister stucki was teaching the man
behind the door about temple and eternal marriage because he had
mentioned he has been married for three years. While she was
explaining it she says, "in the temple i can be sealed for time and
all eternity to my family and my spouse.." And she motions to me as
she says spouse. He just kind of giggled at us.

Taking Care of Your Feet.

If you can't tell my socks say "Come unto Christ"

Yesterday I spent the night at another sister missionary's apartment and I forgot to bring my running shoes for my morning run. 

This morning I decided I would just run barefoot .No big deal right?

(Sister Stucki says I need to add that I was indeed running on a treadmill and not just pavement.)  

Two miles and six blisters later.....it's a pretty big deal. 

Every step I take is a reminder of my terrible mistake.

WHHHHYYY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME????????? 

I put some moleskin around the blisters to make them feel better, and I put on an extra pair of socks to give my feet more padding. I'm not sure if either of these things will actually help, but I think I'm on the path toward healing. 

The point is...

All this talk about feet, and mistakes, and healing, makes me think of Jesus Christ. 

It makes me think of the path we need to walk in order to follow Christ.

It makes me think of all the mistakes we will make as we strive to follow the path. 

These mistake will bring pain and sorrow, but Christ will help and heal us along the way.  

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ."

-Moroni 10:32 

Embracing the Light

physical light and spiritual light. 

"Physical light, especially natural light, affects the moods of people. When summer’s light begins to fade, days grow shorter, and the winter season looms darkly ahead, natural light becomes a more precious commodity.....

Light does have a profound effect on human mood and behavior.....

I should like to consider a kind of light that has infinitely greater power and effect. I speak of spiritual light. It comes from God and his gospel."

-TED E. BREWERTON

The Light of Christ is the divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things. The Light of Christ influences people for good.

Physical light comes from the sun. 

Spiritual light comes from the Son. 

excerpts from a talk given in 1991 by Ted E. Brewerton >> click here for the full talk.

What is a missionary?

Is it a smiling girl, holding origami shirts, with only half painted nails? 

(A conversation I have had many times in the past 16 months.)

"Have you ever seen those guys with the white shirts and ties riding around on their bikes?"

"Yeah, the Mormons!"

"Yep! Well, we're the girl version."

On another occasion a woman asked me, "where are the guys on the bikes going?? and why are they always dressed up so nice?.....am I allowed to talk to them?" 

Maybe a universal question is what do missionaries do?

As a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints....

We leave our homes, social life, and schooling and spend 18 to 24 months serving God. We knock on doors, try to talk to everyone, we teach about God, we help people change, we serve our community, we strive to forget ourselves, we have awkward experiences everyday, we make fools of ourselves, we don't watch TV or go to movies, we are changed, we love strangers, wear skirts everyday, and we experience the highest highs and the lowest lows as we invest all of our time and energy into helping ourselves and helping others put God first. 

The list could go on and on, but if you really want to know more...contact me! 

Also this website has an even better explanation.

Taking God's Word for Granted

As of late I have been thinking a lot about how AWESOME the Book of Mormon is. I am in awe of the power that is found in holy scripture from God and the convincing evidence of our Savior, Jesus Christ that is found in the Book of Mormon.
For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints and Christians alike, do we realize how much we take both the Bible and the Book of Mormon for granted?

We have grown up with a knowledge and assurance of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. We easily accept the events told in scripture about His life. His birth, His ministry and miracles, and His incomprehensible suffering in Gethsemane, and on the cross. We believe that He was resurrected and that He lives now and forever.

But have we taken a moment to think of all of the people who don't have that same knowledge or belief?

Think how useful and meaningful TWO testaments, from TWO continents, would be to those who are searching for a Savior.



"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
2 Cor. 13:1



My advice?
if you have never read the Book of Mormon...read it!
if you have read the Book of Mormon...share it!
if you don't have one....contact me on my Facebook page or order a free copy from mormon.org

for a further explanation of he Book of Mormon click here.

Today

(Mid laugh, eyes mostly closed, but so very happy!) 

Something I have learned to do in life, is to laugh and try to love whatever comes my way.