F.R.O.G.

Hello to the most wonderful, beautiful and amazing family on the entire planet!

First off, thank you so much for all of the letters, love and support that I receive daily; it is incredible and I am so humbled. It’s hard to explain how much it means to have a connection to home. We are SO BUSY all day long, so it’s WONDERFUL to feel your inspiration and love – thank you!

OK, so... I am still giddy while I am typing this, but yesterday was THE most incredible day! We had one of our investigators bring his daughter to church. It was a monsoon outside and I was really nervous that they weren't going to make it. We were singing the opening hymn and I look over and he and his daughter, hymnbook in hand, are SINGING THEIR HEARTS OUT! I got THE goofiest, cheesiest grin on my face!!! Then, of course, I started bawling. It was so incredible to know that they had felt the spirit in our lessons and desired to come closer to our Savior. The overwhelming feeling of warmth and love from the Spirit hasn’t stopped. I have to ask, why wouldn't everyone want to serve a mission if you get to feel like that???!!! THAT, feeling the Spirit, makes every hard moment sooo worth it.  During one of our lessons, we were reading the Book of Mormon and asking the dad to pray if what he was reading was true. He replied, well yes, I know it's true and then continued to tell us why.... he didn’t realize he was bearing his testimony of the truthfulness of the BOM! Ah! Man! Incredible! 

We had zone conference on Thursday and it was awesome to be able to recharge our spiritual batteries. Our stake pres. shared an amazing story that comes from a “Christian Comedian” Andy Andrews - look it up on YouTube: Hernando Cortez Burn the Boats by Andy Andrews. It’s a story about Cortez the conqueror when he came to the Yucatan Peninsula to obtain the treasure no one else had been able to get for 600 years. It’s a long story and I don't have enough time to explain, but we discussed what he did differently than the previous armies that had tried to claim the treasure. The point of the story is that he prepared his men with a vision of what it would be like when they claimed the treasure and when they got there, Cortez told them to "BURN THE BOATS!" Their only option was to succeed! The only way the men were going home was if on the native’s boats! Failure was not an option if they wanted to return home! How does this concept of having a vision and then giving all that you have, with failure never an option, apply to our lives? Missionary work? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlNngcDNFS0

In the last week and a half, I have been able to do 2 exchanges as the senior companion.  Since I’ve only been here a short time and have NOOOO idea where we are most of the time (there are no landmarks or mountains, just trees haha) I had to be the leader and take charge.  I was extremely nervous, but I pleaded with Heavenly Father to help me through it.  In fact, everyday that is exactly what I do. There is no way that I could even handle a single day without relying on the Lord for strength.  I have never prayed so hard for alertness and strength in my life! It is incredible lying down to sleep each night, knowing that the Lord gave me everything that I needed that day to do His work. 

RELYING ON THE SPIRIT BRINGS MIRACLES! Follow those promptings!!!!

There is a scripture sequence that has comforted me so much in the last week.  It is found in D&C 9:12-14 -  Why would the Lord ask me to serve a mission, give me opportunities to serve and then not give me the strength to fulfill them?! The Lord wants us to succeed because this is HIS work! He doesn't want us to flounder and drown... He NEEDS us to be successful and to be HAPPY! I love these verses - knowing that the Lord has given me sufficient strength to do anything He asks of me.

F.R.O.G. = FULLY RELY ON GOD

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT! Just like our lessons, I am going to extend an invitation to you to read. I am leaving you with a commitment! (I will pretend y'all are saying yes m’am I will!) Everyone reading this is now committed! I KNOW that every person can dedicate 30 minutes in the next week to read the scriptures, and in turn, come to know their Savior, and what he wants you to learn.  I have been doing the "Bednar challenge," where I am reading through the Book of Mormon and looking for strengthening moments, or when a person is changed or empowered by the Atonement. I came across Mosiah 24 and this is your assignment. I want you to read Mosiah 24 this week. You’re awesome!!Well done :D

I love LA and I love the people who I am serving and serving with. I have such a strong testimony that the Lord knows exactly what we need in every area of our lives. For me, my companionship, district, mission and mission pres. Everything is as the Lord wants if we listen and act.

Well, I hope y'all are happy and getting excited for football season! GOOOOOOO SAINTS! Haha! So appropriate!

Please stay safe and healthy. I love you more than all of the frogs in the swamps!