FEBRUARY 16, 2018

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!

What a week and a half! I just still can't believe how fast life is flying. I pray almost every night to just have a few seconds to just realize what I'm doing and who I'm with. This is such an incredible time in my life.

First of all, I just want to let all of you know that I am currently typing this all on my SMART PHONE. so weird. The mission got smart phones and it's just the weirdest thing.

These past few weeks were nothing short of a rollercoaster of emotions. 

We had an amazing family home evening with Joan and Jenifer at the Reyes house. We talked all about love and following the example of Jesus Christ. It was so awesome to have so many strong amazing members there to help with Joan and Jenifer.

We saw a really awesome miracle that happened just before we went to the FHE on Friday. We were a little bit early and decided to knock a few doors before we went in. The first door we knocked, a woman from the DR opened up and let us right in. We offered to pray for her and her family and she gladly accepted. We were asking her what she needed and wanted and how she feels she could get closer to God and she began to cry. She told us that earlier that day she went to church for the first time in a long time and offered up a prayer just telling God that all she wants to do is get closer to him. She knew that we were sent exactly from Him at that exact time. We taught her a short lesson from the Book of Mormon and testified that God truly does know us and loves us. It was such a simple but sweet reminder that God is so aware and listens. I love answering prayers.

Zone conference!! Ahhh. Barf.  It was my last one, so I had to give my 

​"departing testimony". It was 100% surreal. ​Nothing feels real to be honest. I am just so thankful for my mission. ITS SO GREAT. The whole thing has just been one amazing miracle after another. I have never done anything better for my life.

The temple this morning was incredible. I have forgotten how much peace can be found in the temple. I will send lots of pictures.

On a completely other note, considering what has been happening in south Florida lately, peace has just not been something a lot of people have right now. With the recent shooting I feel like everyone's focus has changed. Knocking doors these past few days has been really humbling. People are just so scared. To be entirely honest, I have been pretty scared. The idea of being a future mother and raising a family in a world that is just increasingly more and more crazy has been something that has been really weighing on me these past few days. Especially considering that 2 of the victims were faithful members of the church.

Our mission joined in "mighty prayer" the day after the incident happened and after that was when it really hit me. In my personal study that day my question was something that everyone has been asking us when we knock on their doors, "why do bad things happen to good people? If god is so good, why does he let these things happen?"

Something amazing happened. I love to just open the scriptures to a random place and start reading. It’s probably not the most organized thing to do but I figure every single thing in the Book of Mormon and Bible is inspired so why not. I opened to Mormon 9. In this chapter Mormon is writing to his son Moroni when they are basically in the worst times of all the book of Mormon, like people eating other people bad. Mormon is writing to Moroni and just telling him how horrible everything is, how even the best people are falling, etc etc. But the thing that stuck out the most was the last few verses, his invitation to his son after he basically just paints the worst picture and goes off about the situation. He says "

25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.

26 And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto him, be, and abide with you forever. Amen."

These are the last days, we are all very aware of that. The world is preparing for the Savior to come again and things are only going to get worse. We can sit in our closets and hide from the Son, but GOD IS CALLING US. He is asking us all to be diligent and work hard. To share our testimonies. To live in this world and be a light. Now more than ever we need a Savior. Now more than ever we need to share the message of the Savior.  He says earlier in verse 6, "And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."

I love you all. I know that God still exists. HE IS OUR FATHER. Have a great week and don't forget to include the people of south Florida in your prayers!