Tribute to the faithful members of the EMM

Yesterday at 4:30am my sister and I started our journey to visit my old mission field,the England Manchester Mission. We had everything planned and organised. We were so ready to go.

In preparation for the trip I just thought how inspired he whole thing was. Everything was so perfect and seemed to fall into place.

And then it started to snow in bratislava. And so we waited and waited and waited. The flight got delayed,diverted and eventually cancelled. All other flights to England where full. So there we where,wonderful expectations and excitement replaced with sadness.

Our trip to bratislava turned out well though. A nice Austrian lad took us to the next shopping center where my sister and I continued our journey to England by eating fish and chips (which made me feel sick), going to next (disapointmend) and finally buying some good things at Marks and Spencer like those amazing buttermints that Brother Murray introduced to me (soothing reaction - not sure if sugar or nostalgia).

All in all I got to spend time with someone I really love (in this case my wonderful sister) which was really what this trip was about. So to all the people that I couldn't see,I love you. And you have changed my life. You have made my mission something special and I know that we will see.

I'd also like to express special love to Joanne,Tamsin and Taylor who are entering the waters of baptism today. You are fantastic and I am so happy for you!

And to my biggest fan in Rhyl, Lilia,I absolutely adore you.

So I guess that was my trip to England. Does everything happen for a reason? Maybe. But I'm in charge of my happiness and I choose to be happy by knowing that I have amazing friends. So here's to the stalwart people of the England Manchester Mission!

#homeiswherwheheartis
#godbewithyoutillwemeetagain

Called to serve, wherever and whoever we are.

About 2 years ago I was called by a prophet to serve in the England Manchester Mission (aka. the best mission in the world). Accepting that call letter was one of the most exciting things in my life. I remember the confirmation that I got in my mind that this was the right thing and the right place.

At the beginning of my mission I really struggled. I felt so inadiquate. I felt so incapable. And I had many many converstations (more sobbing on my side than conversing) with my dear Mission President, Robert Preston, who tried to cheer me up. Through lots of study and prayer and some great missionaries and members, I started to feel comfortable being a missionary and I decided to move on from the homesickness that I have felt. I was blessed again to serve with wonderful missionaries, in wonderful wards. Of Course my mission wasn't easy at all. In fact I probably faced more discouragement than success. Or so I thought.

Before I came home, I thought I was ready to be a member missionary. I was so ready to receive a calling, to go visiting teaching and to just be a mormon Superhero. I was ready do find out what I want to study, I was
ready to bring all my friends and family to church, I felt like I was going to be so pumped with the Spirit, that nothing would bring me down.

In reality, I found that my social skills have stayed in the mission field and left me socially awkward, I have learned, that it is so nice to stay in bed and just have a day off. I have felt that I have completed my service for the Lord and that I could rest. That local missionaries were in charge now and i could  take a step back and just watch.

Well then my dear bishop called me into his office and asked me to be a ward missionary. Honestly my first thought was: "Seriously?" But it was exactly what I need. It is exactly what I need. Whenever we are called to serve, we are challengend. Wherever we serve, we are needed. Whatever our responsibility is is of importance to our God.

I bear my witness, that serving the Lord with all our heart, might, mind and strength (D&C: 4:2) will bless our own life and the lives of those whom we are in charge of. I know that sometimes we feel inadiquate and unqualified, but the Lord doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called!

#Onceamissionaryalwaysamissionary

Agency

Those who have grown up with me know that I find it hard to use my agency for the bigger decisions in my life. One of my most used phrases in life is: "Why can't YOU make that decision for me?" It is because making decisions, choosing every day, is a heavenly principle and a lesson that our Father in Heaven wants us to learn here on earth.

Before this earth was, there was a council in heaven about the plan of Salvation. President Ezra Taft Benson said:

"The central issue in that premortal council was: Shall the children of God have untrammeled agency to choose the course they should follow, whether good or evil, or shall they be coerced and forced to be obedient? Christ and all who followed Him stood for the former proposition—freedom of choice; Satan stood for the latter—coercion and force "

We learn that a third of God's Spirit children went with Lucifer. Can you imagine letting a third of your children go? I certainly can't. Yet to a perfect loving Heavenly Being, agency was important enough to loose so many children. So the next time you or I ask the question: "Why can't YOU make that decision for me?" let us think about how important it is for us to make them.

In the end agency allows us to choose the life we want. It determines our future. If we make good choices, we reap what we sow.

We do need to remember though, that God's love for us is eternal. It will never go away, no matter what we do. The adversery likes us to think that if we live contrary to the commandments of God we can never ever return. We will never ever be worthy of God's love. But we are. We simply are.

This video is a great example of using agency. It has inspired me to never give up and to change, if I need to change. It has again reassured me that God lives, that he loves all of  his children and that he wants the best for us, even if we go astray at times.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/his-grace/finding-your-purpose-in-life-does-faith-matter?cid=HPTH012215637

May we all remember our precious heritage.

#choosetheright

FAST upon the words of Christ.

 

Who didn't fast last Sunday? It was me. Yep, I am terrible at remembering to fast and the actually fasting, so today I am going to challenge myself to enjoy fasting and all the benefits and blessings it gives us.

But let's be honest, food is oh so good. I absolutely love eating. Not only because it fills my belly with joy, but also because I love the social aspect about it (even if I eat all by myself!) I just simply love to eat. And we know that food is good for us, so why would our Heavenly Creator ask us to go without that pleasure for a period of time? Hmm.. There surely must be a good reason behind that.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints defines fasting as going without food or drink for two consecutive meals. But I think that fasting can be adapted to circumstances. Since fasting is connected with prayer, we can find out how we can fast in special situations. We need to remember that after all, fasting is an offering we make to our Heavenly Father, to manifest the importance of the thing we're fasting for, but also to feast spiritually and gain more knowledge. When we fast, the our empty stomache leaves room to reflect and ponder. We become less focused on physical needs but learn more about our spiritual needs.

Fasting is also a blessing to others. I know that I have definitely been blessed by the fast offerings of others. And it is so comforting to know that we can do good, with however much money we can give. But let's remember, that there are people out there that need our help. Let's remember that we are here to have joy and that every commandment is meant to bring us joy. As for me, I have a grumpy and empty belly, but a sound and happy mind. Let's remember it all comes down to our attitude (hathechewed)*! Happy are we!

#FastuponthewordsofChrist

*quote: President Robert Preston