Family

The most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own homes.
-Harold b Lee

I know that families are ordained of God. I know that within our families we can learn, grow and progress. I know that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ blesses and strengthens family bonds. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to share this knowledge with the people here in New York. I am so grateful for my own family and have been able to see the blessings that have come from me serving a mission.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Thoughts for the week:
- A member took us out to eat at this Mexican restaurant. I am sadly realizing that a delicious Americanized Mexican food can only be found on the west coast.  This is especially sad when it's Cinco de Mayo and you can't enjoy a breakfast burrito from Roberto's taco shop.
- A scripture that has stood out to me is Mosiah 5:13:
"For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"

We can't truly know Christ until we serve him, and how do we serve the good Shepard? By feeding his sheep!

Pictures:
1. My companion and I with one of the members from our branch. Missionary work is so much more powerful with the help of the members
2. No caption needed

Lets get spiritual for a sec....

This week we went down into a subway near our house with some elders. My companion and an elder were playing church hymns while myself and another elder talked to people who stopped to listen. My companion plays the viola, which is awesome sounding, so we had a few people stop. Not many people seemed interested in learning more about Jesus Christ so I had begun to feel slightly disappointed in this finding activity lol. On our way out we passed a lady that smiled at us and I remember feeling like we have to go back and talk to her. So I asked my companion if we could go back and give her a pass along card. And then I started saying crazy stuff lol:

Me: Hi, do you have a belief in Jesus Christ?

Lady: Yes!

Me: Do you have a church that you go to?

Lady: No

Me: I feel like your prayers have been answered!

Looking back at the situation now, this conversation could have gone totally wrong. But, because she was being prepared by the Lord it didn't. She ending up saying yes I think they have! She has been looking for a church and wanting to get closer to God for a long time. My companion and I told her a little about our church and that she and her family would be blessed by having the gospel Jesus Christ as their foundation. She would be in a family ward so we told her that some other missionaries would contact her and then gave her a great big hug and left. I obviously cried tears of joy after this experience, who wouldn't lol? Not because I felt like I did a good deed, or because I felt like the Lord had heard my prayers of wanting to find someone who was being prepared to receive the gospel. I was so happy because God allowed me to be used as instrument to answer the prayers of someone else. I am not saying that she wouldn't have heard the gospel if I didn't follow that prompting, because I have full faith that she would. But, I know that I myself learned a valuable lesson in following the promptings of the spirit. I am so grateful to have the gift of the Holy Ghost to be with me as I strive to live worthy of it! This week I have been able see firsthand that God is so aware of each and every one of us. I am so grateful that he allows me to play a small part in helping his children come back to him! 

I made it to New York!

The first day they had us go street contacting (talking to people on the street about the gospel) it was a pretty cool experience. They call it fearlessing here in the NY NY South Mission. 

I quickly realized that it would have been beneficial to come up with a few solid recipes before I got here. For breakfast I eat oatmeal and a banana every morning. I switch it up for lunch and dinner. By switching it up, I mean I rotate between a bean and cheese wrap and a turkey wrap. On special occasions I might throw in a baked potato or two. 

I am serving in the Brooklyn YSA branch. #brooklynstandup

I live in a pretty rich area, my apartment even has a washer and dryer!

My companion’s name is Sister Slaugh, she is from Utah, and she is great!

I find that I am really comfortable talking to random people on the street, which is great, even if they aren't as comfortable talking to me ahah!

Being a missionary is wonderful, sharing the gospel with others truly makes me happy! 

Pictures

1. Outside of our apartment
2. My district, they are great
3.  P-day with some of the elders in our district
4. There are no pictures of the awesome members in my YSA branch, because I just met them this Sunday and didn't want to creep them out lol! But there will be more to come for sure.

Spiritual Direction

Lesson Learned this week:

As a missionary you have to focus on the needs of the people you teach. It takes a lot of prayer and effort but it is worth it! No matter what their needs are or concerns are the gospel of Jesus Christ is the anecdote. 

 

Funny things this week: 

We had a devotional this week and Vocal Point (BYU a capella group) performed some amazing church hymns. It wasn't One Direction, but as a missionary I'll take what I can get. #spiritualdirection

I kid you not, as I type this the person next to me is listening to one direction which I can hear through his headphones...#tendermercies....or #satantemptingme...not sure ahah!

Pictures

1. Our make shift Christmas present exchange (see David Bednar’s talk) 

2. The one day we decided to match 

3. At the Temple

4. At the Temple

Too busy to think of blog title

My week at a glance: 

1. I brought a lanyard to hold my MTC card and for some reason I thought the word was lantern. I learned that it wasn't when an elder corrected me....so embarrassing... 

2. I expected so much more from the food coming in to the MTC. It pretty much cafeteria good with more options. Tried the wrap bar yesterday, and I was disappointed (especially since I became a wrap making expert and tropical smoothie.) 

3. David Archelata came and spoke the missionaries three days before my arrival. When one of the sisters told me that, I almost cried, like really! ahahha

4. Missionary is seriously the best work! I can't help but be happy all the time, I smile at everyone (not everyone smiles back lol) 

Most important lesson I have learned: 

I have learned that obedience brings blessing, exact obedience brings miracles! And I want to see miracles.

 
1. The Provo temple

2. From of the Missionary Training Center. If you look closely you can see the Belize flag! Woohoo! 

3. My companions (sister board and sister haun) and I. 

4. Pointing to my mission

5. My district ( we are all going to same mission expect for one of us)

First Blog!

Some mission blogs are used as:

•  a personal journal to look back on, 
• some are used to post letters sent home to your family, 
• and others are used to share really in depth stories. 

This blog is being used for none of the above reasons.I will be posting quick tidbits about my mission (quick stories, lessons learned, updates, etc) and pictures, really cool pictures. Jokes aside, I am so excited to be serving a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and I am so grateful to have the gospel in my life. If you would like to learn more about what we believe, there is a nifty link to mormon.org on the side bar that you can check out!