April 6, 2015. 185th birthday of the church and Christ's birthday!
Hello everyone!
So, this week was SO GOOD!! Ah!
Up until Saturday though, it was fairly boring because our whole mission is standardizing how the maps and member books should be, so we spent a good two days getting that in order. It took a lot longer than we expected. But now it's done and we don't have to worry about it. And we can already see how it works a lot better having them organized this way. We did them by area and street name alphabetically instead of alphabetically by last name. It works a lot better because that is how we have the area book organized. Now they work hand in hand. And we cleaned up our maps, so that's nice too. So, yeah, we did a lot of that. haha
I'll give brief summaries of each day, but I want to talk about conference mostly.
Tues Mar 31- We helped April out with some organization in her house today. WHICH by the way was really cool because she does Reiki. Reiki is like, this energy reading thing. It was weird, but awesome.
We also had a lesson with Connie. WHO IS AWESOME! We had a great lesson with her! And during it, we had to explain to her the priesthood quite thoroughly, and she asked, "So are you saying that the priests and pastors I have met don't have the actual priesthood." And I just flat out told her that yeah, that's what we're saying. And she stopped and was like, "OH! I feel like the Lord has helped me understand this and opened my eyes." So it clicked with her!! It was so cool!
Wed Apr 1- My favorite holiday! Aaaaannnd I did nothing. I didn't even hear about anyone doing a prank this day. No one around me pranked. It was lame. hahaha It's ok, it didn't really have to be a prank day, 'cause it was a mission day.
In our district meeting we were told about the standardization of the maps and books. So, we came home from Houlton and then we dropped off a book of Mormon and a King James Version bible to Connie and then we had dinner with a member. We colored eggs with them and she let us take home the ones we did. =] Yay! I did one that had #BecauseHeLives on it. hahaha =]
Thurs Apr 2-We spent a lot of time on the maps and books today. A lot. We did have dinner with the Jones family. They moved from a military base in Japan 8 months ago. And I love them. =] hahah Great family. (Maps most of the day. Nothing exciting.)
Fri Apr 3-Weekly Planning day! After that we went to see Iris. I really love Iris. She took us to Bonanza the first time we met her. She is an older lady that lives by herself and lost her daughter 5 years ago. It is always so tender when she talks about her daughter. She tears up every time. I just really love this woman. She is so sweet and kind.
Sat Apr 4- Conference! Let's first talk about the fact that some people opposed the general authorities. Wow. Why did they even go??
So, this time I wrote down 6 different questions for conference. Each of them was answered. Wow! I loved it!
The talks were each so powerful and amazing. As missionaries though, we were all getting a little tired of all of the MARRIAGE talks! What in the world?! Why the flood of talks on marriage?? We did our best to apply them to companionship stuff, but sometimes it just wasn't applicable. I really enjoyed Elder Bednar's talk about fears and dispelling fears. He talked about how Godly fear dispels worldly fears. That's something I never had thought about before. I also really liked Elder Andersen's (of the seventy) talk about dancing. (Shocking, I know. haha) But it really did help me understand SO much! It provided insight into one of my questions as well.
He said that he asked a medicine man if he would teach him how to dance, and he replied with, "I will, but you have to hear the music" (Something along those lines.) He mentioned how dancing without music can be awkward and also look really strange. It's the same in the gospel. We can go through the motions. We can keep the commandments, but unless we feel the Spirit (the music) it will feel awkward and will look strange. That's why some people have a hard time doing the "steps" of the gospel, because they most likely cannot feel the music. I really liked this talk.
Sun Apr 5-BEST SESSIONS EVER! Ah!
Especially the Sunday morning session. Elder Holland's talk was SO good. Very bold. Elder Holland sort of gave the nitty gritty of the atonement, and then President Uchtdorf came and did the atonement and put sprinkles on what Elder Holland did. hahaha It was like, POW! and then soft and happy. hahahaha It was great. ALSO DID ANYONE ELSE SEE PRESIDENT UCHTDORF WAS HILARIOUS?! DID YOU SEE? Hahahaha that was so good. Best thing ever. I didn't bring my notes from conference with me today, but I do know that I felt exhausted after conference because of how intense the Spirit was. If you didn't watch it, you need to.
I really have learned more and more each year that this gospel is not just a part of our lives. It's not just there as part of the "Utah Mormon culture". This gospel is so much MORE than that. It need to be rooted into our lives. I believe Elder Oaks mentioned that in Saturday's session. But it's so true. We need to not only have the gospel in our life, but make the gospel our life. We need it. This life is a probationary state. (Alma 12:24) This is our chance to prove ourselves. I am on a mission to preach the gospel to those who don't have it, but as I do this, I more and more realize that I had not always seen the true urgency. But it is SO urgent!
I realized something the other day. Before my mission, I didn't know this gospel was true. I only believed it was. That's all we can do until we receive that knowledge from God. It comes little by little.
I know that I have felt the Spirit so strongly so many different times that I can no longer ever deny the truth of the gospel. I have witnessed for myself what good this gospel brings. And, just as Joseph Smith, I know it, and God knows it, and I cannot deny it.
My hope and prayer is that you feel the urgency of the gospel. Hunger and thirst after the words of Christ. Feast upon the words of Christ. And just like Holland said, when we are falling, Christ will grab us and pull us up.
I love each of you, and I love this gospel with my whole soul. I love being a missionary. I love His work. I know that it is not only true, but urgent. We can't forget that.
I hope you all Enjoyed your Easter!!
Sorry for the long rants!
Sister Creager =]
So, this week was SO GOOD!! Ah!
Up until Saturday though, it was fairly boring because our whole mission is standardizing how the maps and member books should be, so we spent a good two days getting that in order. It took a lot longer than we expected. But now it's done and we don't have to worry about it. And we can already see how it works a lot better having them organized this way. We did them by area and street name alphabetically instead of alphabetically by last name. It works a lot better because that is how we have the area book organized. Now they work hand in hand. And we cleaned up our maps, so that's nice too. So, yeah, we did a lot of that. haha
I'll give brief summaries of each day, but I want to talk about conference mostly.
Tues Mar 31- We helped April out with some organization in her house today. WHICH by the way was really cool because she does Reiki. Reiki is like, this energy reading thing. It was weird, but awesome.
We also had a lesson with Connie. WHO IS AWESOME! We had a great lesson with her! And during it, we had to explain to her the priesthood quite thoroughly, and she asked, "So are you saying that the priests and pastors I have met don't have the actual priesthood." And I just flat out told her that yeah, that's what we're saying. And she stopped and was like, "OH! I feel like the Lord has helped me understand this and opened my eyes." So it clicked with her!! It was so cool!
Wed Apr 1- My favorite holiday! Aaaaannnd I did nothing. I didn't even hear about anyone doing a prank this day. No one around me pranked. It was lame. hahaha It's ok, it didn't really have to be a prank day, 'cause it was a mission day.
In our district meeting we were told about the standardization of the maps and books. So, we came home from Houlton and then we dropped off a book of Mormon and a King James Version bible to Connie and then we had dinner with a member. We colored eggs with them and she let us take home the ones we did. =] Yay! I did one that had #BecauseHeLives on it. hahaha =]
Thurs Apr 2-We spent a lot of time on the maps and books today. A lot. We did have dinner with the Jones family. They moved from a military base in Japan 8 months ago. And I love them. =] hahah Great family. (Maps most of the day. Nothing exciting.)
Fri Apr 3-Weekly Planning day! After that we went to see Iris. I really love Iris. She took us to Bonanza the first time we met her. She is an older lady that lives by herself and lost her daughter 5 years ago. It is always so tender when she talks about her daughter. She tears up every time. I just really love this woman. She is so sweet and kind.
Sat Apr 4- Conference! Let's first talk about the fact that some people opposed the general authorities. Wow. Why did they even go??
So, this time I wrote down 6 different questions for conference. Each of them was answered. Wow! I loved it!
The talks were each so powerful and amazing. As missionaries though, we were all getting a little tired of all of the MARRIAGE talks! What in the world?! Why the flood of talks on marriage?? We did our best to apply them to companionship stuff, but sometimes it just wasn't applicable. I really enjoyed Elder Bednar's talk about fears and dispelling fears. He talked about how Godly fear dispels worldly fears. That's something I never had thought about before. I also really liked Elder Andersen's (of the seventy) talk about dancing. (Shocking, I know. haha) But it really did help me understand SO much! It provided insight into one of my questions as well.
He said that he asked a medicine man if he would teach him how to dance, and he replied with, "I will, but you have to hear the music" (Something along those lines.) He mentioned how dancing without music can be awkward and also look really strange. It's the same in the gospel. We can go through the motions. We can keep the commandments, but unless we feel the Spirit (the music) it will feel awkward and will look strange. That's why some people have a hard time doing the "steps" of the gospel, because they most likely cannot feel the music. I really liked this talk.
Sun Apr 5-BEST SESSIONS EVER! Ah!
Especially the Sunday morning session. Elder Holland's talk was SO good. Very bold. Elder Holland sort of gave the nitty gritty of the atonement, and then President Uchtdorf came and did the atonement and put sprinkles on what Elder Holland did. hahaha It was like, POW! and then soft and happy. hahahaha It was great. ALSO DID ANYONE ELSE SEE PRESIDENT UCHTDORF WAS HILARIOUS?! DID YOU SEE? Hahahaha that was so good. Best thing ever. I didn't bring my notes from conference with me today, but I do know that I felt exhausted after conference because of how intense the Spirit was. If you didn't watch it, you need to.
I really have learned more and more each year that this gospel is not just a part of our lives. It's not just there as part of the "Utah Mormon culture". This gospel is so much MORE than that. It need to be rooted into our lives. I believe Elder Oaks mentioned that in Saturday's session. But it's so true. We need to not only have the gospel in our life, but make the gospel our life. We need it. This life is a probationary state. (Alma 12:24) This is our chance to prove ourselves. I am on a mission to preach the gospel to those who don't have it, but as I do this, I more and more realize that I had not always seen the true urgency. But it is SO urgent!
I realized something the other day. Before my mission, I didn't know this gospel was true. I only believed it was. That's all we can do until we receive that knowledge from God. It comes little by little.
I know that I have felt the Spirit so strongly so many different times that I can no longer ever deny the truth of the gospel. I have witnessed for myself what good this gospel brings. And, just as Joseph Smith, I know it, and God knows it, and I cannot deny it.
My hope and prayer is that you feel the urgency of the gospel. Hunger and thirst after the words of Christ. Feast upon the words of Christ. And just like Holland said, when we are falling, Christ will grab us and pull us up.
I love each of you, and I love this gospel with my whole soul. I love being a missionary. I love His work. I know that it is not only true, but urgent. We can't forget that.
I hope you all Enjoyed your Easter!!
Sorry for the long rants!
Sister Creager =]
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