It Takes Sacrifice to Gain Perspective

                                     The Louetta Missionaries

This week has been an interesting one for me for sure, but interesting in a good way. I have had a lot of time to think and reflect and recognize so many things that I need to work on! Hermana Baxter was pretty sick all of this last week so we were inside a lot, but the time was somehow still filled with lots of things and I was pretty busy. I've had a lot of time to study and ponder and try to figure out pieces of the plan that the Lord has put together for me. I don't really even know where to begin or what to say to be honest with you...so I will just try my best to not ramble and write something that is meaningful!

So first of all, this week we had a specialized training with President Pingree, and the focus was the message of the Restoration. He asked us to prepare by reading Joseph Smith History and asking ourselves "How would my life be different without the Restoration of the Gospel?" As I read through Joseph Smith History this time, what stuck out to me was from the testimony of Oliver Cowdery when he said, 

"Man may deceive his fellow-men, deception may follow deception, and the children of the wicked one may have power to seduce the foolish and untaught, till naught but fiction feeds the many, and the fruit of falsehood carries in its current the giddy to the grave; but one touch with the finger of his love, yes, one ray of glory from the upper world, or one word from the mouth of the Savior, from the bosom of eternity, strikes it all into insignificance, and blots it forever from the mind." 

How cool is that quote? You should all go read that and stand in awe like I did as I read them. That is a powerful testimony. I thought a lot about that this week, and needless to say, I am so grateful for the Restoration of the Gospel. I realized that without the Restoration, my life would be 100% different. Really 100% different. The Restoration has made it possible for me to understand and apply the Atonement more in my life. One thing that really clicked for me this week was that it takes sacrifice to gain perspective. Right now on my mission, I am learning to sacrifice a lot of things, but it is the only way that I have been able to gain perspective and understanding in many different aspects of my life. It reminds me of a quote from True to the Faith that says, 

"If you are willing to sacrifice as the Lord has commanded, you will be accepted by Him. He taught: "All...who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice--yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command--they are accepted of me." (D&C 97:8) With an eternal perspective, you can see that giving up the things of the world is really no sacrifice at all. The blessings you receive are greater than anything you ever give up." 

I love that last line, and how true it is! The Lord will never ask us to give up something without giving us something greater in return. Such an awesome promise, all we've got to do is have faith that it is true!
 

                                  
                        Love Sis. Pingree! They leave for home July 1st!

Sorry I don't have too much time to write today, so that's my little message for you today. Transfers are tomorrow and Hermana Baxter is leaving me. :( It's always hard to let companions go, I have learned soooo much from her and it will be so different without her, but I know the Lord is bringing me change so that I can become more like Him! So I've got to run, but I love you all and hope that you have a stellar week!