See You Next Year...

Anyone want to tell me where 2013 went? So many things have happened...I suppose time flies by when your having fun, right?

 

With the closing of a new year, it is great cause for anyone to reflect on their lives. How they spent their time, where they spent it, and how to better use it. Time is the greatest tool God has given us. It's one of the few things we simply cannot get more of. I've felt that more and more as my mission has gone on. I am almost at my sixth month mission birthday, and sometimes it feels like I stepped off that airplane yesterday. What do we need to do to better use this God-given gift of time?
 

Ever heard of a New Year's resolution? It's that thing we make once a year, often as a very general goal, that is a struggle to get done. We think about how we want to better during the last few days of December, and then wake up on January 1st, and it becomes just another day. Now, I know that may not be the case of some of you, but for the most part, that's how it happens for me and many others!

 

Because of the Plan of Salvation that I explained a few posts ago, we have this process called repentance. Repentance means to change. It is the means by which we change our nature to be more like the Savior's. Some may think that repentance, or change, is scary or difficult. Repentance is another most beautiful gift that we have been given. Because of the mercy of our Heavenly Father, when we make the effort to change, we can be forgiven of our sins and mistakes, and never have to return to them. The guilt and shame we feel when we make mistakes can be taken away as we use the Atonement of Jesus Christ to repent and work on becoming who Heavenly Father knows that we can be. We can have the peace we seek in our lives as we include God and Jesus Christ in our journey to change.

 

Our New Year's resolution's are an opportunity to truly become different. The changes that we so desire to make don't have to fade as January 1st rapidly speeds to December 31st. We can become who we have always wanted to be! That can only happen in and through our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his atoning sacrifice. It can only happen as we repent and turn to God to give us support for the changes we want to make.

 

 

My challenge to you for the new year is to make a specific goal. I have never been good at making goals, but I have noticed that as I make very specific goals, I see very specific results in the areas that I wanted to. Make a goal to return to God. I've even found for you a lovely picture with lots of ideas that you can pull from! How helpful, right? =)

 

You CAN change. The atonement and repentance erases the word "can't" from everything. As you rely on and return to the Lord to help you, you can do all things. You can be the person you've always wanted to be through our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ!

The Good, The Better, And The Best!

 

First off, I have to apologize for my lack of posting. A lot has been happening, and we haven't been able to make it to a computer so that I can blog until today! I will try and be better about these things. =)

 

I can honestly say that Christmas day was my favorite day of the year!!! Part of the reason is because all of this holiday has been spent thinking of others; what do I need to do to help someone else be happy? There were so many hours of service that we were blessed to take part in, both facilitated by others and facilitated by my companion and I. To give and give and give, just like the Savior would...there is no better feeling. We also got to Skype with our families, and that is enough to make me float for days on end. My family is amazing...I had a really cute picture of my whole family, but I decided on this one instead. There is rarely a time where Savanna is actually looking at the camera, and it made me so happy to know that that hasn't changed =) I love you, Savanna!

 

 

So in our home, we live with two other Sisters. We decided that we wanted to combine all of our Christmas Eve traditions. In the end, we came up with the idea of doing a talent before you could open a present, opening one present early, and drinking some herbal tea while watching a movie. I tried to include a video of a talent that another Sister and I did together, but it wouldn't let me do the whole thing. So to make up for it, I've put up some bloopers, and a piece of the actual thing!

 

I love traditions, especially around this time of year. It brings families and friends close, and in the times when they are away, it brings them closer to your heart. It certainly helped me to feel near my family during my first Christmas without them actually with me. What kind of talents do you have that you do at any time during the year?

 

I listened to a talk recently, titled "Good, Better, Best". It was by an apostle named Dallin H. Oaks, and he spoke of what we do that is good, better, or best. I loved these words from him,

 

"Some of our most important choices concern family activities. Many breadwinners worry that their occupations leave too little time for their families. There is no easy formula for that contest of priorities. However, I have never known of a man who looked back on his working life and said, “I just didn’t spend enough time with my job."...Some uses of individual and family time are better, and others are best. We have to forego 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."

(http://www.lds.org/ensign/2007/11/good-better-best)

 

 

My most fond memories are of times we spend as a family that bring not only us closer together, but brought us together towards Christ. Reading the Christmas story of Christmas Eve, for instance. It always reminded me, as excited as I was to open the very enticing and very neatly wrapped gifts, that Christ is the true gift of Christmas. What did you do with your family this year that brought you closer to Christ? What are some traditions that you did before that you don't do now, that might help you with that?

 

May we live by a motto told to me in the MTC by my Branch President-

 

 

"There's good, better, best, but don't let it rest till your good becomes better, and your better becomes best!"

 

 

Remembering this has blessed me to think of what I am doing that is good, but could always be better, and what is better that can be pushed to become my best. As we think about what we do to spend time as a family, never forget that it is the little things that mean most. Read scriptures together, eat dinner as a family and talk about what miracles you saw that day, or spend some time with each individual just taking the time to truly talk with them. It meant the world to me when my family would do that. Let's all be a little better about strengthening our family relationships through traditions that strengthen our faith in each other and in our Savior!

 

To Forgive Is To Forget.

One word to sum up the past few days. Happy =)

 

We've done so much service this week; it has been fantastic! Earlier in the week, we got to help dip cute little coconut candies in chocolate. The chocolate was probably more on us than it was on the actual candy! We had a blast jamming to classic Christmas songs, and wiping chocolate on each other's elbows (because it's the only place you can't lick it off...).

 

Then today, we helped another family wash their windows while a bunch of young men did cooking for a scout badge. We even ate the food...and didn't die. So we would say it was pretty good =) Great job, boys! Afterwards, we threw a football around, and as we drove away, we made the boys work off all that food by pushing our car. Free service, free ride, and free food...does life get much better than being a missionary! I say, no sir!

 

Christmas lights every night will never get boring. We see miracles every night, both big and small ones. If I could pause everything and just spend every single night talking to people about Jesus Christ under the shadow of the temple, I would. This has been something that has really brought me a fullness of joy.

 

What does Christmas mean to you? The more time I spend here, the more I realize how central Christ is to the plan our Father in Heaven has for us. Without him, we wouldn't have anything. There would be no point coming to earth because, without a Savior, we would fail. We would have no way to cleanse ourselves of mistakes and sin to make it back to God's presence. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father, for blessing us with the greatest gift anyone could ever give, the powerful gift of forgiveness.

 

Are we forgiving others? Are we even forgiving ourselves? Today, I encourage you to start the process of forgiving yourself. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said,

 

"...many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others. Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself...Our journey toward perfection is long, but we can find wonder and delight in even the tiniest steps in that journey."

(http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/general-relief-society-meeting/2011/09/forget-me-not)

 

It's not easy, I know. But I also know that as we use the gift of the Atonement in our lives, by applying forgiveness to ourselves, we will feel more love and respect for ourselves. We will feel how much God loves and respects us. I know that forgiveness is a gift that comes from the sacrifice of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and I am so grateful for this time of year to focus on Him and the wondrous gift that is given to us!

 

 

I Love The Little Things!

 Just a few days ago, a lovely member came by and gave us a Christmas tree so that my companion, the two other sisters we live with, and I could enjoy our first Christmas away from home. We put it up during our lunch hour yesterday =) Doesn't it just look amazing? I think the best part about it is the love that came with it. It glows with the love that comes from service. After all, when we serve other people, aren't we serving God?

 

I am loving working at the Christmas lights.  We see so many miracles every night. Seeing Christmas lights in general always make me happy. They mean more in the month of December than at any time of the year. They are there to remind us of the light that Christ is in our lives. He himself has said-

 

 

"...I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

(John 8:12)

 

How has Christ been a light in your life? How has following his example and striving after his teachings blessed you with light? For me, I know that without the light of Christ in my life, I would be lost with no direction. I would encourage you to think about your relationship with your Savior, and what you could do to strengthen it even more. Whether it be praying more often or being more dedicated in your studying, I know that we can never be too close to Him. May we each strive to have the blessing of the light of Christ more in our lives!