GET EXCITED!!

  I didn't want to write to much today, but more or less just wanted to give some advice about the upcoming General Conference this weekend!

1.  have Pen and Paper ready so you can take notes on what the spirit prompts you to do.

2.  have some questions written on your paper that you need answers too.

3.  say a prayer before you start to watch. prepare yourself by listening to uplifting music.

4. EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST! so you can pay attention to the spirit and not your stomach!

  I know that this will help prepare you for this AMAZING  weekend we have ahead of us! so be prepared and enjoy! I hope that we all receive the answer's we need.
I'M SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!

the Small things that make us happy!

  Yesterday I came the the realization that it's the small things in life that truly make me happy!   this is how i came to this conclusion... every other Tuesday Sister Fulton and I drive down to Willit's to have your district meeting which composes of 4 missionaries.  It takes us about an hour + to drive 33 miles down the hill through a road that has NO straight parts in it.  So we are constantly turning.  So as we were driving yesterday morning it was really cold and of course RAINY, since that's all it has done since I've been here in the Beautiful town of Fort Bragg!  So as we were driving yesterday it started to SNOW!!! It was super exciting, we both looked at each other and instantly thought "SNOWMAN!" So we continued our journey down the hill ever so slowly because I'm always nervous about driving in snow...but we eventually made it down safely. We made it to the church and found a big patch of grass with lots and lots of snow on it.  so we jumped out of the car, and started to build a snowman, he didn't get to tall, but we were super excited.


We named him Will

    So i was thinking to myself, why does this make me so happy and excited? Is it because we are in California and we didn't expect snow? Is it because we are both from the desert and never spent much time in the snow?
  I'm not really sure why it brought us so much pleasure, In the scriptures the Lord tells us "Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;"
   I know that Heavenly Father gave us the snow yesterday to gladden our hearts! even though we froze the rest of the meeting, it was so worth it just to be able to play in the snow! I know that My Heavenly Father loves me, and want's me to be happy.  I know that he created all things for, not only to benefit us, but to gladden our hearts as well.  I love my Heavenly Father and know that he loves all of his children!

I've Been There Before

  What I wanted to share with everyone today was a Poem given to my by my dear companion Sister Fulton when we were companions in Santa Rosa a few months ago.  I has really touched my heart and I know that it will touch the hearts of all those who read it.

"I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE."
The alarm rings at 6:30, I stumble to my feet.
I grab my companions bedding and pull off his sheet
A groan fills the room, is it really time to arise?
It seems like just a second ago I was able to shut my eyes.

The Morning activites follow- study, prayer and such.
When it's time to elave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much
"We have a super day planned." My comp says with a grin.
I lowly utter a faithless breath. "yeah, if anyone lets us in."

With the Word of God and my faithful schwinn, we ride off in the street.
Prepared to face another day of humidity and heat.
It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through.
My companion and I riding home, not accomplishing what we thought to do.

We run up to the mailbox, hoping to receive a lot.
Only to look inside, and hear my echo reverberate, "air box"
We go up to our apartment, the day is now complete.
The only thing to show for your work is a case of blistered feet.

Its Past 10:30p.m. My companion is fast asleep.
Silence engulfs yet all about and I begin to weep.
In the midst of sadness I kneel down to pray.
I need to talk to father, but I'm not sure what to say.

"Oh Father" I begin, "What happened to us today?"
I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away
My hands, my aching hands-worn, hurt and beet.
If our area was any smaller we'd have knocked every street"

"Why on missions are the days so much alike?
The only difference about today was the flat on my bike.
Will you send me some cooler weather? The heat is killing me.
I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes, it's very hard to see."

Sister Gorder & Sister T.

Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?
People always laugh at me and call me stupid stuff.
Please send us investigators so I may tell them what they lack
I want to give them Book of Mormons, the weight of them hurts my back."

"And what about my family? They don't have much to say.
I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day after day.
Oh Father why am i here? Am I just wasting time?
Sometimes I just want to go home. I'm sorry but that's on my mind."

My Companion, Heavenly Father, What are you giving me?
The way he rides his bike, I don't think he can see.
Now you have it I can't go on, I don't know what to do.
That, my Father in heaven is the prayer i have for you."

My prayer was finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed.
I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead.
Sleep start to overcome me, I seem to drift away.
Taken it seems, a vision, takes me to another time, another day.

I'm standing alone on high, the view is very nice.
A man walks toward me, and Say's, "My name is Jesus Christ."
Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down at his feet.
"Arise," he states, "follow me to the shade, you and I need to speak."

My attention towards my Savior total and complete.
He says,"Your mission is similar of what happened to me,
I understand how you feel.  I know what you are going through.
In fact, It would be fair to say, I've felt the same as you."

"I even know how you felt when no one listened to you.
At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do.
I know you don't like to ride a bike; for you a car would be sweet.
Just remember the Donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds."

I understand you don't like sweating, In fact It's something you hate.
I remember when I sweat blood from every pore, oh the agony was great.
I see you don't like your companion-you'd rather have someone else.
I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth.

It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you."
I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me "king of the Jews"
So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack.
I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed in on my back."

Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day.
I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a similar way.
It's hard not to hear from home, When your family's not there to see
I lost communication on the cross. And cried, "Father, why hast thou forsaken me?"

We have a lot in common, but there's a difference between you see.
I endured my mission, so follow and do like me."
He embraced me with his arms, his light filled me with his love.
With tears in my eyes I watched as he went back to the father above.

I stood with awe and wonder, When a beep rang in my head.
I listened and heard the alarm, than realized I was in bed.
My companion let out a groan, "6:00 already, NO WAY?"
I sat up and said, "Come on I'll even carry your scriptures today."

No matter what we go through, when we feel we can't take any more.
Just stop and think about Jesus Christ-he's been there before.

I leave you this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Are You Rebellious?

    Last Sunday Sister Beefelt and I went to go see a family in our ward after church, we had this AMAZING lesson of what we wanted to share with them!  So we started by reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma 24.  This is where some of the Lamanites, the wicked people, are converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They changed there Names to the "Anti-Nephi-Lehi's".  So these Anti-Nephi-Lehi's used to be very wicked and used to kill people and do all sorts of bad things, so when they were converted to the gospel, they decided to bury all there weapons of rebellion! (good people!)   

   " and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth."  

  So as we were preparing this lesson we cut out little paper swords for all of us to to write down something that we rebel against that we can bury deep into the ground!  The Kids and all of us wrote something that we wanted to bury deep into the ground. 

And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.

I think we all learned a very good lesson that day! That when we bury our weapons of war for peace, God will deliver us, he will protect us because we are keeping the covenant that we made with our Heavenly Father.  I know that there are things that everyone can bury deep into the ground and never dig them back up and we all will be blessed beyond measure for it! I know that God lives, I also know that He loves me!

What's your glass look'n like?

   I LOVE getting the Ensign magazine.  A week ago Sister Beefelt and I got our Ensign, secretly we fight over who gets to read it first, this time I was lucky enough to sneak it onto my desk to read (mwahaha).  The first thing that caught my attention was the "First Presidency Message" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf  the first counselor to the Prophet Thomas S. Monson.  the title of his message was "Looking for the Good".  He says in his message "Have you ever noticed that people can usually find whatever they are looking for? look hard enough, and you can discover both good and bad in almost anyone and anything.  People have done the same with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since its beginning.  Those who look for the good will find a kind and compassionate people-a people who love the Lord and desire to serve him and bless the lives of their fellowman.  But it is also true that those who look for the bad will certainly find things that are not so ideal." 
  So my friends... I ask you, how are you viewing your life? your family? your community? this world that we all live in? Is your glass half full or half empty? are you looking for the Miracles that God gives us, or asking why me?   I know that as we change our view about God, ourselves and the world that we will see everything in a brighter light! We will see the good in everything!  I know that God gives us Miracles daily but its up to us to find them!  I pray that we may all be able to see the goodness of God in our lives more fully, and to always give thanks to him for what he has done!

Truly Converted

  Yesterday morning I was doing my personal study, and was looking in the Bible Dictionary, boy do I love it!  I came across Conversion.  The definition is "Denotes changing one’s views, in a conscious acceptance of the will of God (Acts 3:19). If followed by continued faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism in water for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, conversion will become complete, and will change a natural man into a sanctified, born again, purified person—a new creature in Christ Jesus (see 2 Cor. 5:17). Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing"

  As I thought about this I was thinking about this scripture in Ether 12:6 "... faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith"  Sometimes its scary to think about things that are going to test us, that might cause us pain. I try to always remember that all the trials that I go through are for my own benefit,  that Heavenly Father will never give me anything I cant handle!  I know that sometimes we don't remember that principle as we are going through the pain but after it's over and we look back and see that God's hand truly was with us, and makes the trial seem not so bad!  For example:  way back yonder about a year and a half ago I was prompted to go on a mission...and followed through with it.   As my report date for my mission neared my immediate family and I went to go visit some family in St. George Utah.  My dad and I went for a joy ride in his truck and I wasn't telling him how nervous I was, that I knew it was going to be hard and I was second guessing my decision...  He gave me some great words of council about when he join the Military and was scared too, but that the Military helped shape and mold him into a better father, husband and worker.  He told me that my mission was going to do the same for me! It will help mold and shape me to be a better mother(when the time comes) a better wife, and disciple of Jesus Christ.  I am truly grateful for his words of wisdom! they have stuck with me since the beginning.  I know that this has has changed my life, even though I have faces many trials and challenges.   I can honestly say that I am truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that makes me happily endure all my trials!