Monday, December 30, 2013

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas like I did this year. It was different, but so great. I absolutely adored all the Christmas cards I received! Thank you to everyone who send me one! And Grandma Baker the mint brownies totally made it! They are delicious and I love the scarfs! :) Thank you sooo much everyone! :)
 
So a big part of my Christmas this year was spent talking to my Mission President. He has been talking to the Travel Office and they are telling him that it really doesn't look like anything is coming anytime soon for the Visa. So after awhile of talking in through we came to the decision that the best thing to do was to sent in my name for reassignment. When they do this the brethren have the option to ask me to continue to wait, they can keep me here, or they can send me to a different mission somewhere else. They pray about it and the answer they receive is directly from God. It is hard to submit my will to His will. Part of me really does not want to, but I believe He is teaching me a lesson on Trust.
 
This week as I was focusing on Christ I read the account in Luke of the suffering of our Savior. He is in the Garden of Gethsamane praying and He says, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." Then in the next verse it says, "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him."
 
When I read this it really made me reflect on the example Christ is setting here. He is in pain and doesn't want to have to go through it, but He knows what the Father is doing and tells Him that He will do it. From there the angel comes and helps him and He is able to endure the pain and agony of the Atonement. Now, I am not saying that what I am going through even compares to the Saviors suffering for us in the slightest. All I am saying is even the Savior knew that trusting the will of God was the best thing to do even when the outcome seemed pretty bleak.
 
So I realized that really if I can just put my trust in God then I will be better off in the end. So I am trying and trusting that that angel will come and strengthen me as well! haha :) All joking aside I really know that God is there for me. He is looking out for the best. He wants me to succeed. I love Him and He loves me more than I can even know. It is the same for all of you! He knows who He wants you to become. The trick is letting Him shape you in the way He knows will be best. :)
 
One of my new favorite scriptures is in Helaman 3:35
Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stonger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy an consolation, yea even to the purifying and the sanctification which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.
 
I testify that this is true and that the best thing we can do for ourselves is ask God what He wants us to do. Especially at the beginning of this year. Ask Him what your goals should be and what you should work for. He will tell you if you really want to know, and He will let you know how to do it. :) Believe in God, trust Him, and let Him work things out. I am learning that.. slowly.. so we can learn together!
 
Happy New Year!
-Sister Earl

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