I love blogging because of the great people that I've met online and their stories that they've shared with me. I have a few friends in mind that I'd like to share with you and I'm going to start with this great girl!  Al joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 2009 and since then she's been sharing the joy that she's found through awesomely inspiring youtube videos and images. She truely is using the internet for the reason it was created, to spread the gospel!

[blog] {twitter} (youtube)

[enos 1:7-8]

Have you seen her video Dear Elder yet? It really touched my heart when I read the letters she wrote to the missionaries who introduced her to the gospel of Christ. This week she's been my motivator and a constant little voice in the back of my brain saying "Don't give up! You can do it!" 

[alma 5:12]

Sometimes I worry too much about what other people may think of what I'm writing or if it's even worth my time. Even before I left on my mission it was almost like I was sort of ashamed of my faith. When I said I was giving up a year and a half of "free time" to preach the gospel I got some weird looks and I felt pretty judged. The people here in the south are curing me of that nice and fast. People here are not ashamed! They are proud to let everyone else know how much they love Jesus!

[genesis 1:31]

And it doesn't really matter what those naysayers may think because I love it. I've seen the joy that comes from my friends joining God's church and the pure happiness they have gained. I know that my Reedemer lives and He wants us all to find this same happiness!

Thank you Miss Al Fox for your determination to not defend, but to define the gospel with as many as you can! 

Lessons Learned

Otherwise known as

"Things my mom tried to teach me but it took a mission to learn"

Be happy where you are.
Tell your friends and family you love them but show it too.
Support your Priesthood leaders. No matter what.
Read your scriptures every day.
Clean as you go and always drink your green smoothie!

I'm sure not perfect at any of these things yet, but I'm working on them and this woman right here taught me my whole life by her example. Moms are great. Mine is the best. Just sayin' :)

Study Journals 2.0

So these posts about journaling are based of of a mini-training I did a few weeks ago with a few missionaries.  I was worried that it might end up being me talking about something I love with no one else really caring. Can I just tell you how excited I was when Elder Lund tapped me on the shoulder the other day and held up his journal showing me the last page with notes scribbled all the way down the the very last inch?? Hooray for note taking!

When I grab a pen I never put it down!

As I was preparing the training I thought of reasons why I take notes in meetings or when I am studying the scriptures. It used to be that I'd take notes or doodle during devotional meetings in college to keep myself awake (at least I'm honest about it right?) but then I realized how much more I gain out of a meeting if I take time to review what I'd written.

There is a phrase used repeatedly in the scriptures that says, "Ask and ye shall receive. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. Seek and ye shall find." It is one of my favorite promises that the Lord gives us because He's always going to hold up His end of the deal. If I'm searching for answers He is going to give me answers. Therefore I coined a new phrase, "Seek and ye shall find, not sit and it will fall in your lap." My study has more meaning when I write down the answers I find so I can go back to them again.

I have a few different approaches to writing. The picture above shows a whole ton of journals that I'm using right now! They each have a unique purpose with specific things I write in them. One is my blogspiration book, personal journal, scrapbook, family history, "bye bye book" for when I leave an area, and 3 study journals. Sometimes its a little frustrating to have things written in so many places for instance right now there is a poem in one that I would love to share but I don't have it with me. But the great thing about having so many is that they are organized and I know where to go back and find what I've written.
Some days I just write bullet point lists of things I've done. When I'm frustrated or trying to make a big decision I make pro and con lists. If someone says something silly I write it down because I know in 10 minutes we're going to forget about it and it will be funny all over again. There is absolutely no right or wrong way to record your personal history. The most important thing is to just do it! You'll be grateful you did :)

Whoops!

I've promised a few people that a post would be coming about journaling and what do you know, I'm once again at the library with my notes left at home.

What I will share today is something that I wrote in one of those journals I forgot to blog about. When I was making a list of reasons I was happy am on a mission and the things I think I'm sacrificing to be here I had a realization. I left behind an ok life to experience a fantastic one! Lets face it I wasn't exactly the most dedicated person 6 months ago. My biggest determination was that I was going on a mission, not necessarily staying, but I would go.  Now that I have actually taken the opportunity to lose myself in the work and service for others it's turned into something that I love and I see the importance of sharing my faith with less hesitation when I'm in "the real world"

“We have to forgo some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.” -Dallin H. Oaks

Today a part of me might be wishing that I could be sitting at a sewing machine making fancy schmancy blocks for a quilt or listening to music with my brother or cooking with my mom and grandma for the holidays or laughing at some weird thing my little sisters said but in the eternal scheme of things my dedication right now to others is going to bring greater happiness for them and for my family! This one is for y'all back at home!

Welcome to November

On the last night of every month I sing a variation of that song by Green Day "Wake Me Up When September Ends". This morning I was thrilled to wake up to November! Sister Jasper and I took some pictures the past few days of the changing leaves.
Autumn is my absolute favorite and I've never experienced one this beautiful before! I feel very blessed to have had chances in my life to see different parts of the world and how diverse beauty can be.
I heart Tennessee!!!

Its almost like they are on fire! I think it's amazing that the world is so diverse and there are so many things that are beautiful. It's just another way I can see how much God loves us!

Thursday Thankfuls

Guess who's been keeping up on her gratitude challenge? ME!
Since I've written the past few days in my journal I'll share today's list here!

1. I am grateful for my new companion Sister Karen Jasper!! You better believe it when I say there are some incredible memories to be made this transfer! I'm thinking about making a new blog page for missionary words. Like transfer...

2. I am thankful for a lap full of warm puppies. It was a few weeks ago that this picture was taken, but Sister Valentine and I talked a lot about how wonderful pets are because they just love you no matter what you're going through and they don't sass you back! Best listener award goes to our pets!

3. I am grateful for sticky notes. I've written about how much I love them before. Aren't they just a clever idea though? A little piece of paper that has glue on it so you can put it places for reminders or just little happy notes. I always vote yes for leaving sticky notes!

4. I am thankful for crunchy leaves to step on. Fall in the south is incredible! I grew up in Northern California where it is green all year round and it is so beautiful to see swirls of yellow and red and brown leaves in the wind. LOVE IT!

5. I am grateful for Trader Joe's tomato sauce that is waiting in my fridge to be eaten for lunch. (You know I had to get some kind of food squeezed on this list somehow!)

What are YOU thankful for??

Simplicity

I have a goal for myself. And I think its becoming apparent that I'm not super great at following through with goals that I set, but this one is easy. I want to write 5 things in my journal each day that I'm thankful for. And if I remember I'll share some of them here! I don't really know why I wanted to use these pictures for this post but I think they will be my first thankful:

1. I'm grateful for pictures from my childhood because they remind me just how awesome I can be.
2. I'm thankful for my new fuzzy on the inside raincoat. I'm going to need it today!
3. I'm grateful for my super awesome companion Sister Valentine.
4. I'm thankful for the US Postal Service! Hooray for mail!
5. I'm grateful for my family at home that sends me lots of love and support while I'm away for 18 months <3

&

(somehow Grandma double teamed it into both pictures!)