Hello and happy December!
How is it December? What? I feel like this past month has been a blur...but here we are! how was everyone's thanksgiving? Relaxing and enjoyable I hope! The other sisters and I did some shopping, we had dinner at a member's home and spent some time with the other missionaries. It was a very fun day, nice to relax for the day.
I wanted to apologize for my letter from a few days ago...my brain must have grown a pair of wings and flown away forgetting that on THANKSGIVING of all days I should be grateful for the countless blessings I have despite having a rough week. So I apologize. I'll admit that I have been struggling the past couple of weeks with the adjustment to missionary life. Living away from home for several years I felt that I would adjust so quickly but I realize that there are some personal changes that I need to make so that I can make the most of everyday. I have lacked the faith and trust in the Lord that I need to have out here. We can't move forward unless we have complete faith in Him and trust that He will help us with His work. It's challenging though which is why we have to have even more faith in the Lord. While at Paul Mitchell I could see my progression; the haircuts and colors would improve and I knew that my hard work was paying off. Here, as missionaries we put time and effort and labor in different ways and won't ever see the fruit but we have to know that the work we are doing is helping. We are helping his children and helping them come closer to Christ even if we don't see it. I've been reading in Mosiah the past couple of weeks and this verse really stuck out to me and was so applicable to how I was feeling. Mosiah 23:21 "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he tried their PATIENCE and their FAITH. Nevertheless-whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day". If there was ever a time in my life that my patience and faith was tried this would most certainly be it! But I need this. And I needed to recognize that I needed to change as well. Even though there will be difficult areas and hard days I have to remember to be grateful in my circumstances and find something to be positive about each day. To put complete faith and trust in the Lord that everything will be alright and that this is his work and will help us but like Moroni says, "He worketh by power ACCORDING to the faith of the children." We do our part and then he does his. I have to remember that even on the days that we don't get to talk with anyone or all the appointments get cancelled (like last week) that Heavenly Father understands. And that as long as we are trying our best effort each day then that is all that matters. I'm grateful that I'm only 8 weeks out and can take this as an opportunity to move forward. I know that I still have 16 months left but the time goes by so quickly and I don't want to look back on this and regret not having worked harder or made these personal changes earlier. So, it's a new week! I am taking this as a learning and growing experience and carrying forward.
In other news, if you haven't heard/seen the new he is the gift Christmas video--watch it!!! It is incredible. Such a beautiful message as we start the Christmas season and to remember what it is all about it.
Love you all and talk to you later!
Keep the faith and keep smiling,
Sister Allen
Leftover pie for dinner, always a win in my book.
A Filipino member had us over to help make meat buns? Something like that but manna from heaven, I tell you! Sohoo good.
No comments:
Post a Comment