at the end.

This is probably my last post as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Let me tell you, 18 months have gone by faster than I could have ever imagined. Well, looking back on it it's gone warp speed. I feel like two weeks ago I was waving good-bye to my mom at the airport. But if you'd asked me how fast it was going 16 months ago, I would have told you that this day would never come because it still felt impossibly far away.

These past 18 months have been full of a lifetime of experiences. The good kind, the bad kind, the laugh-til-you-cry kind, the learning kind, the heart-breaking kind, the tears-of-joy kind, the frustrating kind, the friendship making kind, the spirit-filled kind, the tender mercies kind, the hidden blessings kind. But at the end, they've all been blessings.

If there is one over arching theme to what I've learned in the last year and a half, it's that

we have a Heavenly Father who loves each and every single one of His children.

No matter who we think we are or what we may have done, we are never too far away from the love of God. No one can take that love away from us. We can try to say that it doesn't exist, but we're only kidding ourselves. He loves us. And I'm living proof. 

I'm proof that he gives us infinite second chances through the Atonement of His son--our Savior, Jesus Christ.

He wants us to return to live with Him. So he has a perfect plan for all of us. It's individual. And it's prefect. We don't have to doubt. We just have to have faith. And trust. Because He knows us perfectly. He knows our weaknesses and faults, our triumphs and successes, our talents and abilities.

And as we keep His commandments, He has so many more blessings in store for us than we can even imagine.

I love the Lord. And I've fallen in love with His work.

I'm eternally indebted to Him for this opportunity I've had to serve him.

oh the south.

"...Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."

[2 Nephi 32:2] 

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

[2 Nephi 31:20]

change.

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have to life that is waiting for us.
-Joseph Campell

Change.
Sometimes it's a pretty scary word.

But you know what word makes all of the change in the world not scary?
Atonement.
[the reconciliation of man with God though Christ.]

President Boyd K. Packer taught,

“There is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ”

Through our Savior, Jesus Christ, all change is possible.

"The Atonement of Jesus Christ is available to each of us. His Atonement is infinite. It applies to everyone, even you. It can clean, reclaim, and sanctify even you. That is what infinite means—total, complete, all, forever."  -Elder Shane M. Bowen

He has faith in us. He will help us do the things that we think we can't do. He will guide us by the hand if we but follow Him.
He enabled the way for us to change from our "lost and fallen state" [Mosiah 16:4] and it's only though Him and His teachings that we can change and become the person that our loving Heavenly Father wants and needs us to be.
I know that we don't have to go back to who we were or what we did. With the help of our Savior, we can change.

today's thought.

"Sometimes we let our thoughts of tomorrow take up too much of today. 

Daydreaming of the past and longing for the future may provide comfort but will not take the place of living in the present. 

This is the day of our opportunity, 

and we must grasp it."

-President Thomas S. Monson

Oh how I love our wonderful prophet and his words of pure wisdom.
Last week I was thinking a lot about the future. and my particular, very near future consisted of a place that I wasn't really sure that I needed to be.
So I worried about it.
a lot.
And quite frankly, I wasted a lot of time.
and energy.
on something that didn't need to even be worried about.
Because I love it here.
And because I wouldn't be here if Heavenly Father didn't need me to be.
Isn't it great how he just knows so much more than we do?

If there's something I've learned these last 16 months, it's that Heavenly Father's will is always greater than mine. and it's always smarter than mine. and it's always easier and happier than mine in the long run and in the immediate future.
Because He loves us.
more than we'll ever know.
and I love Him.

So take it from me.
If we don't take what our loving Father in Heaven gives us now, and just keep on daydreaming or wishing or waiting for our perfect moment, we miss the best things that life has to offer us. The best things that our Heavenly Father has to offer us.
And those aren't things that I want to miss.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"A veces permitimos que los pensamientos de mañana ocupen mucho del presente. 

El soñar en el pasado y el anhelo por el futuro quizás brinde consuelo, pero no tomará el lugar de vivir en el presente. 

Este es el día de nuestra oportunidad, 

y debemos aprovecharla."

-Presidente Thomas S. Monson

¡Oh, cómo me encanta nuestro profeta maravillosa y sus palabras de sabiduría pura!
La semana pasada estuve pensando mucho en el futuro. y mi futuro inmediato consistió de un lugar que no estaba seguro de que necesitaba estar.
Entonces me preocupaba.
mucho.
Y francamente, perdí mucho tiempo!
y energía.
en algo que no tenía por qué preocuparme.
Porque me encanta estar aquí!
Y porque yo no estaría aquí si nuestro Padre Celestial no necesita que yo este aqui.
¿No es maravilloso cómo El sabe mucho más que nosotros?


Si hay algo que he aprendido en estos últimos 16 meses, es que la voluntad de nuestro Padre Celestial siempre es mayor que la mía. más inteligente que la mía. más fácil y más feliz que la mía en el distante y en el futuro inmediato.
Porque Él nos ama!
más de lo que se sabe!
y yo lo amo!


Entonces creame!
Si no tomamos lo que nuestro amoroso Padre Celestial nos da ahora, y sólo seguimos soñando o deseando o esperando nuestro momento perfecto, perdemos las mejores cosas que la vida tiene para ofrecernos. Las mejores cosas que nuestro Padre Celestial tiene para ofrecernos.
Y esas no son cosas que quiero perder.

Creo en Cristo.

 Un devocional musical titulada "Creo en Cristo" se presentara en

La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias.

Encuentra en 902 East Clark, Murfreesboro, TN. 37130

domingo, el 29 de abril a las 6:30 p.m.

Esta presentacion incluira los misioneros de la Mision de Tennessee Nashville que vienen de todas partes del mundo, ofreciendo su tiempo y recursos, para ensenar un mensaje muy especial acerca de Jesucristo.

Invitamos a vecinos y amigos de todas las creencias para asistir a esta noche llena del espiritu, de la musica y la palabra, centrada en nuestro Salvador, Jesucristo. No se lo pierda!

A musical devotional entitled “I Believe in Christ” will be presented at

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Located at 902 East Clark, Murfreesboro, TN. 37130

Sunday, April 29th at 6:30 p.m.

This presentation will feature missionaries from the Tennessee Nashville Mission who come from all over the world, volunteering their time and resources, to teach a very special message about Jesus Christ.

We invite neighbors and friends from all faiths to attend this spirit filled evening of music and the spoken word centered on our Savior, Jesus Christ. Don't miss out!

I believe in Christ. and I'm not the only one.

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is launching a 3 day advertising campaign to help everyone out there know that we are Christians! 

We believe in Jesus Christ.

He is our brother,

our Savior,

our friend,

our Redeemer,

our Master,

and He lives.

I know it. 

And so do others.

Visit mormon.org/easter

or

facebook.com/mormon

Un desafío a ser agradecidos. Dia 10.

Escriban 10 cosas acerca del Evangelio por las cuales esté agradecida.

1. Las familias pueden ser enternas.
2. Tenemos un Salvador.
3. Es por medio de El que podemos arrepentirnos y ser limpios de pecados.
4. Tenemos el plentitud del Evangelio de Jesucristo restorado en la tierra otra vez.
5. Tenemos el Sacerdocio--o sea, la autoridad para actuar en el nombre de Dios.
6. El Libro de Mormon.
7. el templo.
8. La revelacion moderna.
9. Un profeta viviente.
10. Podemos regresar a Dios y vivir con El para siempre si vivimos el Evangelio de Jesucristo aqui en la tierra.

Estoy aqui para testificar.
Primeramente de nuestro Salvador, Jesucristo. De Su vida, Su Expiacion, y que El vive.
Tambien, estoy aqui para compartir con usted que se que este iglesia, la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias, es Su iglesia verdadera que fue restaurado en la tierra otra vez.
Y que ser miembro de la unica verdadera iglesia de Jesucristo es una forma de vivir. Una forma de vivir que si lo vive, le traera mas gozo que pueda imaginar.

___________________________________________________________________________


Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for.

1. Families can be together forever.
2. We have a Savior.
3. It's through Him that we can repent and be cleansed from sin.
4. We have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored on the Earth again.
5. That includes the Priesthood. [The authority to act in the name of God.]
6. The Book of Mormon.
7. The temple.
8. Modern revelation.
9. a living prophet.
10. We can return to live with God again if we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ here on Earth.

I'm here to testify.
First of our Savior, Jesus Christ. His life, His Atonement, and that He lives again.
I'm also here to share with you that I know that this, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints, is His true church restored to the Earth again.
And that being a member of the true church of our Savior is a way of life. A way of life that if lived will bring you more happiness than you could ever before imagine.

feliz diciembre.

En caso de que no escucho la noticia,

Es diciembre.

Eso significa muchas cosas.

-el frio.

-9 meses en la mision.

-el frio.

-el frio.

-ya he mencionado el frio?

 Y lo mas importante...

-La Navidad.

Esto probablemente se inicia el primero de una serie de mensajes acerca de nuestro Senor y Salvador Jesucristo. Pero primero yo solo quiero que todos ustedes sepan que yo se, sin duda que Cristo vive. Que El es el Mesias y el Principe de Paz. Que en realidad nacio en un humilde establo de Maria y Jose. Yo se que El nacio para darnos un ejemplo y que si miramos a El, no solo en esta epoca del ano, pero siempre, podemos encontrar la paz que trae la fe en El.

"La verdadera felicidad viene solo por hacer felices a los demás--la aplicación práctica de la doctrina del Salvador de perder la vida para ganarla. En resumen, el espíritu de la Navidad es el espíritu de Cristo, que hace que nuestros corazones brillan en el amor fraterno y la amistad y nos impulsa a acciones  de servicio.
"Es el espíritu del Evangelio de Jesucristo, la obediencia a la que traerá la 'paz en la tierra,' porque significa-buena voluntad hacia todos los hombres."

-Presidente David O. McKay

___________________________________________________________________________

In case you haven't heard the news,
It's December.

That means a lot of things.
-cold.
-9 months in the mission.
-cold.
-cold.
-Did I mention cold?
And most importantly..
-Christmas.

This probably initiates the first of a month long series of posts about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
But first I just want you all to know that I know, without a shadow of a doubt that Christ lives. That He is the Messiah and the Prince of Peace. That he really was born in a humble stable to Mary and Joseph. I know that He was born to give us an example and that if we look to Him, not only at this time of year, but always, we can find that peace that faith in Him brings.

“True happiness comes only by making others happy—the practical application of the Savior’s doctrine of losing one’s life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service.

“It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring ‘peace on earth,’ because it means—good will toward all men.”

-President David O. McKay

"no temas." ["fear thou not."]

No se pierda la oportunidad de la vida porque no aprovecharla en la vida de la oportunidad.

Mire a la ejemplo de Oliverio Cowdry.

"Ten paciencia, hijo mío, porque es según mi sabiduría, y no es oportuno que traduzcas por ahora.
Y he aquí, es por motivo de que no continuaste como al comienzo, cuando empezaste a traducir, que te he quitado este privilegio.
Ahora, si hubieses sabido esto, habrías podido traducir; sin embargo, no es oportuno que traduzcas ahora.
He aquí, cuando comenzaste fue oportuno; mas tuviste miedo, y ha pasado el momento, y ahora ya no conviene;"

[Doctrina y Convenios 9:3, 5, 10-11]

Dios le dio una responsibilidad grandisimo de ayudar a traducir el Libro de Mormon. Oliverio Cowdry empezo y el tenia confianza y fe en su Padre Celestial. Y El le dio tantas bendiciones y abilidades para que el pueda cumplir el mandamiento y la responsibilidad que el recibio.
Pero con el tiempo, el empezo a dudar. Perder su confianza. Que temer. Y el temor es lo contrario de la fe. Son como la luz y la oscuridad--los dos no pueden ocupar el mismo espacio al mismo tiempo.

Cuantas veces caemos en este categoria? Cuando permitimos que nuestros meidos revocar nuestra fe.
Por mi parte, demasiado.
Pero eso es exactamente lo que Satanas quiere.
El quiere que renunciemos. Que demos la vuelta. Que dudemos en nosotros mismos y en el Senor. Que olvidemos nuestra fe y fundacion en Cristo. Que olvidemos las bendiciones y oportunidades que ya hemos recibido. Que permitamos que nuestros miedos tiene mas fuerza que nuestra fe.

Pero no necisitamos preocuparnos. Porque el Senor mismo dijo, "No temas, porque yo estoy contigo; no desmayes, porque yo soy tu Dios que te fortalezco; siempre te ayudaré; siempre te sustentaré con la diestra de mi justicia." [Isaias 41:10]

El quedara con nosotros. El no va a dejarnor caer. Solo tenemos que recordar la fe que tenemos y en El debe ser.

 ________________________________________________________________________

Don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime because you didn't seize it in the lifetime of the opportunity.

Take the example of Oliver Cowdry.

"Be patient, my son, for it is wisdom  in me, and it is not expedient that you should translate at this present time.
And, behold, it is because that you did not continue as you have commenced, when you began to translate, that I have taken away this privilege from you.
Now, if you had known this you could have translated; nevertheless, it is not expedient that you should translate now.
Behold, it was expedient when you commenced; but you feared, and the time is past, and it is not expedient now."

[Doctrine and Covenants 9:3, 5, 10-11]

He was given this huge responsibility by God to help translate the Book of Mormon. He started out trusting in his Heavenly Father and having faith in Him. And he was given many blessings and abilities from God so that he was able to fulfil this commandment he had been given.
But as time went on, he started to doubt. To lose his trust. To fear. And fear is the opposite of faith. They're like light and dark--the two cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

How often do we fall into this category? Where we let our fears overrule our faith.
On my part, way too often.
But that's exactly what Satan wants.
He wants us to give up. To turn back. To doubt in ourselves and in the Lord. To forget our faith and our foundation in Christ. To forget the blessings and opportunities we have already been given. To let our fears become stronger than our faith.

But we shouldn't worry. Because the Lord himself said, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." [Isaiah 41:10]

He'll stand by us. He won't let us fall. We just have to remember the faith we have and in whom it should be.

courage to conquer.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
-Philippians 4:13

I've got a secret. Life is hard.
But much more importantly, is that life is happy.
Why?
Because we have our older brother, Jesus Christ, and His example, His atonement and hope that through Him, we can return to live with our Heavenly Father.

I've spent my whole life being afraid of, well, all sorts of things really. People who really know me will think that I'm lying. Or just being pretty ridiculous. But if we've just met, you'll probably agree with me because I've probably been too afraid to really talk to you... A little ironic for a missionary right?

But today I discovered this wonderful nugget of knowledge [or rather, re-discovered what I already knew] from our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson:

“Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but also as a determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well.”

No matter what fears we may have, they can be conquered with courage, because Christ conquered all.

the Prince of Peace.

So I'm reading "Our Search for Happiness" by Elder M. Russell Ballard, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
This morning I read this:

"It's hard to have a negative attitude about things if and when your life is focused on the Prince of Peace."

So as I was thinking about this, it hit me that no matter what is going on in our lives that seems to be bogging us down, it ultimately doesn't matter. What matters is that we have our "life focused on the Prince of Peace" then everything else falls into place.

for example:

Right now [or possibly ever] it doesn't really matter that I can't really speak Spanish very well.
[Or that every time the phone rings I sort of dread it..]

What matters is that I try.
That I do all that I can to show the Lord that I am doing everything I can with everything He has already blessed me with.
I'm showing him that I'm trying to magnify what He has given me and I'm proving myself so I can better help those people who I have been called to serve.



It doesn't matter that sometimes cicadas attack when you try and take a picture of them...

Because under the direction of our Heavenly Father, Christ created the Earth in all it's beauty. And I guess even the gross things are here for a reason. ;)



It doesn't matter that sometimes people don't like us here because they have their "own beliefs".

But it doesn't matter because we know the truth about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of God's Plan of Salvation.

We know

where we came from.

why we're here.

where we go after this life.

And because of that, we know that God loves us, that we are His children, and that he knows each of us individually.

He has always known that because He gave us mortal bodies, we would make mistakes and we would sin.

And, once again, because He loves us more than we can comprehend, He blessed us with the greatest gift He could ever give: the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. We know that through Christ we can overcome whatever challenges we are presented with in this life as we use His Atonement.



And as we focus our lives on Him and make choices that help us follow Him and lead us one step closer to our Heavenly Father, we really don't have any reason to be negative about anything in our lives.

Our life is a gift.

Good, bad, ugly, or more beautiful that you could possibly imagine.

And as we focus on our Savior, ultimately, everything is positive.

disciple.

"He aqui, soy discipulo do Jesucristo, el Hijo de dios. He sido llamado por el para declarar su palabra entre los de su pueblo, a fin de que alcancen la vida eterna."

-3 Nefi 5:13

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life."

-3 Nephi 5:13

Last night we set our second baptismal date of the week.

It was basically amazing.

Diana is amazing.

I wish that I had as much trust and faith at 16 as she does.
It's been a long road, but she got there.
Her and her little sister are getting baptized in a month.
And a week later her family is getting sealed in the temple.

That's what this is all about.

Eternity.

Families.

Covenants with God.

Happiness.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.
And how great is my calling.

why we do what we do.

It's simple.

As missionaries, we do what we do [teach the restored gospel, pray, study, ride some bikes, have some fun, bring people unto Christ] because we know the truth. It makes us happy.We want other people to be happy like we are. We want them to have the same opportunity to return to our Heavenly Father that we have. And the more of our brothers and sisters have that, the happier we'll all be.

It's that simple.

Everything worth it in life has to be worked for. Trust me when I say that there is no harder work than this, but also, that there is no more important work than this.
Joseph Smith was just a man, but he was called to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And I'm just a girl, but i've been called to preach it.

Christ lived a perfect life, he died for us, and he lives again.
That is why our message matters.

The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ is a special book. A book truer than anything else. A book that can change more lives than any other single thing. That is why we share it.

My testimony is simple. But,
I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that he suffered and died for the trials, sadnesses, illnesses and sins for everyone that has lived, lives and will ever live. And I know that also rings true for me personally.
I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet called of God and I know that he translated the Book of Mormon by power from Him.
I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know it because I've read it. And I know it because I've prayed and asked. I know it's true and I love it.

That is why we're missionaries.

we will follow Christ.

This morning I was reading some notes from a talk I heard in the MTC.

"The most fundamental issue in our life is if we will follow Christ. It was the issue before we came here, and the fight is still going on. The arena has changed, but it is still the most important thing we will ever decide."

-Elder Jeffery R. Holland

Our loving Heavenly Father has created a plan. A plan for each of us. One that is designed to each of us individually. To each of our strengths, talents, and abilities. One that lets us use those gifts that He has given us to enrich the lives of others and bring them closer to Him. It is our great privilege and responsibility to testify of Christ and to follow Him.

He also takes into account our weaknesses and He makes it possible that we turn them into strengths. He gives us challenges and trials in life that will make us humble, that will stretch us, that will make us pliable so he can mold us into who he needs us to be and fulfill our potential.

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then i will make weak things become strong unto them."

Ether 12:27

The Book of Mormon:

Another Testament of Jesus Christ



Central to this plan--and to everything we believe--is Christ. The Son of God. Our Savior, Redeemer and friend.

We chose a long time ago [before we came to this earth] to follow him. And when we were sent here, we forgot all of that. But it's still a choice we have already made. We have already chosen to follow Christ. Most of us have forgotten that promise, but we all still have to make the choices every day that we will continue to follow Him.

It continues to, and always will be "the most important thing we will every decide."