My Marvelous Montana Memories

I am hours away from going back to my beloved city of Nauvoo to finish my time serving as a missionary.  These past 6 months have been filled with special experiences for me. I have been through ups and downs (as every individual does). However, as I look back at my more trying times, I see how those experiences have refined me to more than I thought I could ever be. I was reading a talk the other day that mentioned something along the lines of, "Experiencing trials doesn't mean that God doesn't love you. It just means that He trusts you to grow".  I'm so grateful for a loving  Heavenly Father who loves me enough that He patiently listens to my complaints, and lets me throw my "why me?" pity parties, and waits for me to come to my senses; and once I do, and I realize how He only had my best interest in mind all along, He never tells me, "I told you so". Instead, He encircles me with love and brings me hope. He reminds me that, even if I were the only person ever to be born, He would have given the gift of His Only Begotten Son.  I feel so blessed for the privilege I have had to stand as a representative and special witness of Christ. As such, I decided that it would only be fitting to have my last mission blog include my testimony.

I know God lives. I know He is my loving Heavenly Father. I know that we can come to Him in prayer. I know that prayers are always heard and answered- someway, somehow. Miracles still happen. I have seen them in my life. I know that the Savior, Jesus Christ lived, suffered, died and rose again for us. The Atonement is not only for my sins and mistakes, but to uplift me, strengthen me, and bring me hope. The Savior knows my joys, sorrows, sufferings, feelings and desires. He know what makes me laugh. He accepts all of me: the silly part, the cranky part, the spunky part, the clumsy part and all the parts in between. He doesn't even think me weird when I talk to myself or make myself laugh. As I have let Him help me in my life, He has helped me. 

I know that a loving Heavenly Father doesn't want His children to be confused and lost in this crazy world. He has given us direction through a living prophet who receives revelation and has authority to teach the same Gospel Christ taught when He was on the Earth. If we listen and follow His words, we will find true happiness.  I know that Families can be bound together for time and eternity. With the priesthood authority from Christ, that vital and wonderful relationship doesn't end with the pronouncement, "Til death do you part".  

I know we can grow closer to God as we study His words. I know the Bible to be the word of God. I know the Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ that double testifies of the truths found in the Holy Bible.  I love the Book of Mormon. I'm grateful that I can rely on a God who is constant today, yesterday and forever. I wouldn't be able to rely on a God who changes His mind or doesn't keep His promises. He directed His children during Biblical times and that direction sure hasn't stopped there.
He loves me. I love Him. He has a plan for me and all of His children. To know of that plan all He asks of us is to ask. I have asked for myself and I have come to know these things are true. Because they are true, I feel like rejoicing! I have purpose, direction and meaning to my life. And what a beautiful life it has been as I've come to learn these truths!

Thank you everyone for reading my blog! I wish I could keep updating it in Nauvoo. I guess I'll have to back track once I get home, and share those experiences later.


May God be with you til we meet again! I send my love to all!

Don't be so wishy-washy

This thought is not new or profound. However, I think that we often over complicate things in life.  Let's keep it simple!

A couple of preparation days ago, we found ourselves doing our weekly routine of washing the truck and vacuuming it out.  Let me tell you city people, that your vehicle gets VERY dirty when you live in the county; especially Montana country.  Even after all of these months, I find myself asking myself, "Why are there so many dirt roads in Montana?"  Sometimes I wonder if the concrete suppliers decided that it was too much hassle to ship concrete here or something. But enough of that.  As I stood there spraying my side of the truck, I found myself finding great joy in the layers of mud that were being washed away.  It was amazing!  Who knew that such a shiny, beautiful car was hidden beneath all of that dirt?!

Then I had my ah-ha moment! (If you follow my blog, you'll find that I have one of these a day, it seems).   That is exactly like us!  We are beautiful, glorious sons and daughters of God.  However, as we go throughout life, we accumulate dirt that comes from sin.  At first we notice the contrast, but as we continue to sin more, we don't notice the layers growing thicker.  We grow content being a dirty truck.  We blame it on our surroundings, or just say, "that's just the way I am".  

However, we look at other vehicles (people) around us. Some are dirtier, some are cleaner.  As a freshly washed truck rolls past us, we think, "Wow. That's a beautiful truck. I once looked like that. Oh, it's too late." We find ourselves looking at ourselves and secretly longing to be clean again. "Oh, but that takes too much effort and time!" we think, "I don't NEED to go to the car wash today. I'll do it someday."  But that someday never comes.

The layers of mud accumulate deeper and thicker.  It starts to wear down the mechanics of our vehicle. We slow down and begin to break.

But alas! All hope is not lost!

It's not too late to go to the car wash! It's not too late to be cleansed by the source of pure and living waters, even our Savior.  Yes, just as pressure is required for any good pressure washer, so too is it with washing away our sins.  It may feel uncomfortable at first, and it will take work.  However, the Lord has promised us that it's worth it!  After we use the Atonement to wash away the dirt from our lives, the beautiful son or daughter of God is revealed in their brightness and glory.  We no longer need to be ashamed of who we are. We will be ready for the day we meet our Heavenly Father.

Just think- would you take a dirty car to a car show?  What about us?  Do we want to be dirty when we meet our loving Heavenly Father? 

So...this being said...my plea for us all is this:

Don't just WISH to WASH---

WASH TODAY!

(and everyday for that matter)

Yes...It does "Mater"  (Matter...get it?)

This is "Mater" from Disney's movie CARS.  Look how happy he is to go to the carwash today!