Miracle of the Jack O' Lantern

My camera is charging so here is one from http://eckertfarms.blogspot.com/2010/10/carving-perfect-jack-o-lantern.html

It was about 10:30pm and Sister Mortensen and I were just getting home from playing Volleyball with our Young Single Adult branch here on Long Island . I was exhausted, sick and wondering when I would ever stop feeling down, exhausted and sick. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed. Funny how before the mission, I would easily stay up till 1 or 2 in the morning (Mom and Dad, you didn't just read anything, erase it from your minds!). Now 10:30pm comes along, and I am wiped! Wednesday nights are always so much fun, but rough to get back so late. Anyway, you get the point.

We groggily opened up the front door, and there sitting on the stairs to our upstairs apartment was a big glowing Jack O' Lantern. It lit up the whole dark stairwell, and my mood. I was flooded with the giddyness I used to feel as a little girl. I have never really loved carving pumpkins, and ice cold and slippery pumpkin goo is something I got pretty good at avoiding. But I have ALWAYS enjoyed lit Jack O' Lanterns at night, its worth the effort and mess. Only heaven and probably my family knows how much I love Jack O' Lanterns in October. Its my favorite part of Halloween, even better than getting a Reeses in your pillowcase full of candy! 

We stumbled towards it in the dark, and attached to it was a note to me from the elders in my missionary district. (Its essentially our work team as missionaries, and becomes like your family in the mission field.) They knew I was struggling and came to my rescue. I still went to bed that night exhausted and sick, but I did it with a smile on my face. 

If there is anything I have learned in my life is that our Savior lives true to his words 
in the Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 when he says, "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." As a missionary I felt this promise burn in my heart as I boarded the airplane to come to NYC. And although sometimes I still get lonely, He is always there to remind me that he is before me, behind me and right beside me. When people would say that they knew Christ was walking with them and carrying their burden, I used to imagine Christ in long white robes walking alongside them nearby, and I longed to feel that same comfort and presence. But on wednesday night, I didn't see my savior's smiling face, actually it was a creepy crooked smile on a pumpkin. But I felt His love and presence and knew he was near me and keenly aware of my struggles and fears. He, well really his angels, my missionary friends, went before my face and left a simple act of kindness. I testify and stand as a witness that Jesus Christ really is in our midst and carrying us, especially through our difficult times. It sometimes is not so much his responsibility to show himself more clearly, but ours to recognize him more readily. 

Now I have probably embarrassed the begeezees out of my district, but their example has inspired me to be better and ask the question. Who can the Savior bless through me today?  And will I be ready to do so? 

Seek Ye the Kingdom of God

I have heard this sermon countless times in my life. I remember enjoying it when I was young because it mentioned flowers, and I have always loved flowers, but that was about all I understood. 

And then I became a college student, and started making big decisions for myself and my future. "Seeking the kingdom of God first" all of the sudden took on a whole new meaning and it was actually that scripture that gave me the courage to set everything aside for 18 months and serve a mission for my God. 

Then I became a missionary. I remember I had only been in Queens, NY for a month, hardly spoke Spanish and still was startled each time someone crankily honked a car horn. I was stressed, confused and worried how in the world I was going to make it through another 15 months of this. I remember kneeling down by my bed in that dark apartment, my face in my bed covers, and quite literally wetting my blanket with my tears, crying to the Lord for help. As if on cue, the next day, my wonderful father sent me a letter about how he had learned that worrying doesn't make us any taller or even better. And at that, "And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?" meant a lot more to me. 

Now, still as a missionary, I have been struggling with some health issues that have made it difficult to serve as I would like. One day this past week, after a particularly difficult Doctor's appointment, I came across this video. I haven't really watched through the "Bible Videos" put out by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, most of them have come out since I left on my mission and didn't have real access to a computer. But I am so grateful to have come across this one, because for the first time, the admonition to "Consider the Lilies" was much more than just thinking of pretty flowers. At this time it was a kind and gentle reminder that God is aware of my circumstance, knows what I need, and will take care of me as easily and naturally as he does the lilies of the field.

I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and His life and example.  It is little wonder that Christ repeated this sermon when he visited the Ancient Americas as recorded in the Book of Mormon. I do not know what your challenge is today, or what part of this beautiful sermon is for you. But I know He does, and that as you seek Him, certain and special parts of this sermon will speak to you in the situation you are in now. I know that as we knock, we will find and that indeed it is his "Good pleasure to grant [us] the kingdom."

Luke 12:13-34

13And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

14And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

15And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

16And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

22And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

34For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Enduring Love

This blog post may be sappy, but my mission companion and I just got done watching and crying over this video and so it put me in a sappy mood. And it got me thinking. Why do I find such small acts of love so touching? I don't quite know, but I do know and feel that it is because we are all meant to love and be loved in this way. We are children of God, and to be with our families for forever. And that means our love for eachother is meant to endure every difficulty and last that long too.

I love my family dearly, and am so grateful to have grown up in a home where true and enduring love was felt and shown. None of us are perfect, but all of us try. We are in an interesting time right now. I am serving my mission here in NYC, my younger brother Stephen is serving a mission in Atlanta Georgia (waiting for his visa to Argentina) , and my younger sister is holding down the fort in Colorado and keeping Mom and Dad in line at home :). Its been interesting to be apart from them for the past year or so and watch the family dynamic change as we go our separate ways. But however much everything has changed, the love, and closeness and loyalty that I feel for and from my family has stayed the same if not grown. I know that Families are Forever and that the bonds I share with my family will not only transend over nations and oceans, but also over death. Because we are sealed in the temple of our Loving God, I know and have the assurance that they are forever mine, and I am forever theirs. And I cannot even describe the joy this gives me.

Here is a link to an amazing document that was written for our day by living prophets. I know it will bless your family, because it has blessed mine :)  https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation

Good Things to Come

The other day I woke up to the usual 6:30am alarm and rolled over onto my knees to pray. I was just as groggy as I usually am, but was able to clear through the cloudiness and started to thank my Heavenly Father for another day to live and do his work.  As my mind became more clear, I began to think and pray about what was going on that day. We had a couple lessons that I wished we were better prepared for, and we needed to drive into the city so I was praying for safety and charity for everyone else involved in the New Yorker traffic. Just then my heart began to be heavy. As my mind became clearer, I realized more and more what needed to be done and what we failed to do yesterday.....I then realized how the more I prayed, the more stressed I became.....and that bothered me, and seemed counterintuitive. I began to plead with my Heavenly Father to feel better about the future day and what it held. Just then that soothing, familiar and gentle voice of the Holy Spirit brought peace to my mind with the reminder, "Be calm and get up, good things are coming your way. It's going to be a good day." With that I closed my prayer, got up and got ready to exercise. And that was all I needed. It didn't matter what challenges were ahead. I knew God lived, loved me, and wanted me to trust him enough to keep trying.  When we keep God's commandments,  we are PROMISED real and tangible blessings and can know that there is always sunshine around the corner….no matter how dark and long the shadow may seem. This simple reminder that good things are ahead got me through my tough day, and I hope it can get you through yours.