Last Saturday was my last Saturday as an ordinance worker in the Newport temple, and yesterday was the last time I'll be able to go there before coming home. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve with such amazing people, I got really close with all the sisters I worked with. The majority of them are over 60, and just rock. I was talking to one of the sisters on our lunch break and we had a nice conversation about conference. My shift coordinator is the neatest lady! I told her I'd be back to work the same shift when I get home and that she better not leave ;) There is just such a sweet spirit about the temple, and I am so grateful I was one of the few 18 year old that got to work there and get the experience young!
It was really fun because at the temple there was a sister that was new roughly a month ago, and we were talking, and I asked her if she was going on a mission too- and she said no, that she just got home from her mission. So I congratulated her and went on my way, then later we ran into each other again and I asked her more questions and then finally asked her where she served and the next words that came out of her mouth were... you guessed it: NEW YORK! So I was freaking out [as reverently as I could...] and then whisper-yelled "WHICH MISSION?! THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING!" So we hugged and come to find out she was in the south mission too :) :) :) So... we talked for a long time. It was great.
I have so much to be grateful for. I live in Huntington Beach. I have an amazing family. I am healthy. I have been able to find "odd" jobs to hold me over til I leave. I have many talents that I can use to further the Lord's work. I live in a time that is dedicated to teaching the world about the Savior and that He will come again. and there are many, many more things.
I have been trying to finish the Book of Mormon one last time before leaving. As I have been reading I have been able to see truly how merciful the Lord is. I have said this before, but I'll say it again-- President Calderwood asked us to find all the references to the Atonement and all of Christ's attributes. Prior to this assignment I had no idea how merciful the Lord and our Savior truly is. It says it OVER AND OVER again in the scriptures. That alone really hits home to how much he loves us.
One other thing that a friend of mine told me, that I wanted to share is a little analogy in regard to having faith, the grace of God, and doing works. It is just so brilliant, I plan to use this analogy all the time on my mission. K. here it is.
Think of yourself in a big huge pit, with walls so steep that there is absolutely NO way to climb the sides, and so tall that there is no way to jump out with out help. But, you look over and see a latter. That is the grace of our loving Heavenly Father. With out that latter, or grace- there is no way you can get out. Now all you have to do is climb that latter up and out. The bottom rungs of the latter are things like our saving ordinances [baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing in the temple http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=13bb9daac5d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD], and then the other rungs are your actions that promote your faith in Christ and the Lord. Each one of us is handed that grace! He loves us sooooo much. It blows me away at how much he really loves us. There is NO way we can climb out of this big pit and into the Celestial Kingdom without that latter and Savior. We just can't let out selves be so foolish as to not climb it. :)
Just thought I'd share that.
UM! I just found out that I am going to be at the MTC with Claire!! for 6 days! :)WHAT?! Stokedddd!
Also. I have the coolest aunts, uncles and Grandparents. Seriously. Sorry you aren't related to them.
:)
 |
| I took this picture yesterday :) up next- Salt Lake temple, Provo Temple THEN MANHATTAN TEMPLE! |
No comments:
Post a Comment