Hello my friends,

 

Today I realized that there are only like 2 weeks left in this transfer.. That is just insane to me!! I feel like the first transfer was like 50 times longer than this one.. People keep telling me it just gets faster from here so I am trying to hold on to each moment and make the best of it.

 

There is always multiple ways to look at a situation and in many situations the counsel from Sister Hinckley is needed. "To get through this life to need to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh, crying gives me a headache." That is so true!

 

This week has been a much smoother week so we were able to work many miracles in our little ward. One of the recently baptized members Haley Aikens was able to get her family to church on Sunday! Her mom, dad, and sister all came to church! Haley is 15 and has some of the strongest faith I have ever seen in anyone. She gets herself to church and mutual by finding rides and even has been working on her family history.

 

Last week we were able to go with her to the temple so she could get baptized for her Grandmother who never got a chance to while she was alive. Haley was absolutely beaming the entire time. She felt so overwhelmingly happy that she could help her Grandmother out in heaven. In the temple we are able to perform saving ordinances for those who have already gone to the other side. The great thing about this is that we know everyone still has their agency. Or in other words they still have the power to choose up in the Spirit World. Even though Haley was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost for her Grandmother she still can choose whether or not to accept those ordinances.

 

It was a very special experience for everyone who was at the temple that day. Just realizing that our families are still ours even after this life is wonderful. We have the knowledge that we can be with those we love for all of eternity by the sealing power found in the temple. A lot of people believe that they will see their families again after this life, but the difference is we know how it all works. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the answers to how everything works out after this mortal life. It is such a blessing to know that through the sealing power we can be families forever, not just this short time we have on earth.

 

If you want to know more about this wonderful plan God has for us I would encourage you to go to Mormon.org and look up the Plan of Salvation. This plan is what God set up from the foundation of the world. We all understood this plan before we came to the earth and it gives us so many answers as we go throughout this life.

 

I love this gospel. I love that I can have the answer to so many of the pressing questions in my life.

 

Have a great week everyone. :)

Remember to smile.

-Sister Earl