Week 4! 1 month down...

This picture is especially for Sydney!  She sent me a heart, so I thought 

I would repay the favor!

  

:) Dear Family, Friends, Everyone!

 

How is the outside world?  Can you believe that I have been on my mission for 4 weeks!  In fact, this Sunday (the 27th!) is my one month! I feel like I should have a party or something!  Feel free to send me letters or packages of congratulations!  Haha :). 

 

Here is my letter to the Brach Presidency this week:

"This week, our teachers are all switching up so we as of right now we are only teaching Sasha. Our last few lessons with him have gone really well. We taught him about faith and and a little bit of repentence. We are excited to teach him about the Atonement later this week! We are really excited that we can tell him all about Christ and how he atoned for our sins and how through him, we can be clean and pure. I'm especially excited about how sometime soon, we will be able to explain eternal families. He has a wife and a child and at the moment, is living in a different city from them. I think he will really love that he can be with them forever.

We also started an activity this week where we are teaching other companionships in our class. We pretend to be someone that we know from home and then they teach us. I am so excited to teach and to be taught this way. It is really interesing to imagine and try to act that the person that you picked. I've learned a lot about teaching by being taught. It is really awesome how the Spirit can teach me, even though I'm pretending to be someone else! In this activity, we will be teaching a girl named Tonya, and a lady named Christina. We haven't taught them yet, but we will teach them this week.

Something excited that I have done for personal study this week is to read all of the Preach My Gospel lessons (including all the scripture references). I've been marking the scriptures according to what lesson it is from. An insight I gained from doing this is realizing how related everything is that we teach. A scripture that explains part of the Restoration, also explains part of the Plan of Salvation, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think that it helped me realize that our message really is quite simple. This isn't complicated, and the base of everything is that through Jesus Christ, we can return to live with our Father in Heaven again.

This week, I have also been thinking a lot about the people I will teach in Ukraine. It is weird for me to think that I will actually be doing missionary work in Ukraine. I am so excited to teach them that sometimes I just want to leave now. Of course, sometimes I feel so nervous about going that I think I would rather stay at the MTC forever. But usually I just want to be in Ukraine! It is crazy to think that we are almost halfway through our MTC time! It has gone so fast!"

Seriously though, this month has flown by!  I can't believe that I only have 17 more months left.  Plus, I imagine it will go even faster once I get to Ukraine!

This week was so good.  There were a couple of things that made it hard, but overall it was so good!  The Spirit at the MTC has been especially strong since Elder Scott was here.  It just makes me smile! 

Ok...first of all.  I hear people want to hear what I do all day.  If you want the short answer, it is class and studying.  That's about it!  But I will share the longer version too!  Our schedule changes a little bit depending on what day it is, but we do the same activities most days.  On Monday, I took pictures of almost everything that we did so I will explain Monday in depth then talk a little bit about our other activities. 

So on Mondays:

6:20 - Wake up.  We wake up and go get in the line for Sack Breakfast. Sack breakfast is just cereal, bagels, doughnuts, fruit...basically just a continental breakfast.  Missionaries are not allowed in the main cafeteria if they are not in church clothes, so we go get Sack Breakfast on days that we are in jeans for awhile.

(in line for sack breakfast)

(eating breakfast)

 Mondays we have service in the morning so we stay in our pants for that!  Then we usually eat our breakfast in the Hallway of our dorms!6:40-8:40 - Get ready and Personal Study.  Every morning we have personal study for an hour.  

(studying before gym.  sister hunt and I)

We read scriptures by ourselves, review lessons, pray...just whatever we need to work on and want to do.  It is usually very relaxing.  Mondays we have 30 minutes to get ready here but usually we get ready after Service and Gym, so we have some personal time.  

(in line for sack lunch)

We can talk, study, take a nap...whatever.  I like to paint my nails during that time. 

8:45- SERVICE!  Every missionary in the MTC does 1 hour of service per week.  Each district has an assigned area that the report to clean.  Ours in 1M, which is the big building with the offices, chapels, and main information desk.

(service and studying before gym.  sister hunt and I)

is the best place to have service!  A lot of missionaries have dorm buildings, so they scrub showers and toliets.  We get to wash windows, vaccuum, and other fun assignments.  It seriously is one of my favorite parts of the week!  Plus new senior missionaries come in on Mondays, so we get to talk to some of them!  This last Monday, we had the BEST assignment.  We got to pick 32 flags from whatever countries we wanted

(hanging up flags for service!)

(my artsy picture of the flags!)

- Ukraine first of course -- and then hang them up outside!  It was so much fun! Some of the flagpoles cranked, so it was an arm workout too!  It made me happy!  We finished that a little early so we got to vaccuum too.  There is never very much to vaccuum though because it is done several times a day, but it is fun!

9:45 - We have a little bit more free time.  I studied some more and prepared for a lesson I was teaching that afternoon.

 (we are learning some russian!  We use the dictionary to translate 

words we don't know while we read the BOM in Russian)

10:25 - GYM!  If we are inside, then I run on the track

("running" in gym.  ;))

 (Me posing while playing four square!)

(the whole gym)

 for awhile and then play four-square.  It is actually a very intense game! haha This week, it finally got warm enough, so we had our first outdoor gym!  I loved it!  I played soccer.  Another sister tripped me though, and I fell hard!  My leg is all scraped up and bruised!  It hurts, but it was worth it to be outside! 

11:30 - Lunch!  Today we also got sack lunch because we were in our gym clothes!  They have Sandwiches and salads, chips, etc.  Just normal lunch stuff.

11:45-12:30 - Get ready.  We get all dressed up and ready for the rest of the day. 

12:30-3:30 - Class!  We have a teacher for 6 hours every day. 

(practicing our teaching!  In russian!  That book is our little cheat sheet! )

(studying with sister hunt)

We practice teaching, we learn Russian, we goof off (a little), and we sleep -- haha just kidding about the sleeping part!  

("sleeping" with sister Hunt)

We were just pretending to be asleep!  I'm actually super proud of myself because I haven't fallen asleep in class or studying yet! Class is long, but super productive.

3:30-4:45 - We always have at least an hour of dedicated language study time.  We work on grammer, memorization, verbs...etc.  It is good!

4:45 - Head to the Cafeteria to eat.

  

dinner...swedish meatballs!  Also lots and lots of croutons!  :) 

They have a lot of different options.  Usually I get a salad, and any main dish that looks good.  

(dinner!  With Sister Lee)

They have custom made wraps you can get that are pretty good!  I really like the pasta.  On this day, I tried the Swedish Meatballs, they were ok!  We love dinner becuase it is a nice break!.

5:00-9:00 - More class.  Same as above.

  

(the sword of the spirit and the shield of faith that our elders made!)

Usually we get a little crazy by 8:00.  

(we mess around a little!  I'm not in this picture because i was actually 

teaching!  i came back to about 20 funny pictures on my camera!)

 

If you know what I'm like at 2 in the morning, that is kind of what 8 pm is like for a missionary!

9:00-9:30 - Planning.  We always plan what we will do the next day.  It helps us be more focused the next day!

9:30-10:30 - Get ready for bed.  Open packages, read letters (We can only open them after 9:30!) Write in our journals.  Quiet time is at 10:15, lights off at 10:30.  I'm usally pretty good at that!

So anyways that is our typical, 16 hour day! Fun, right?!?

Other activities we do include, TRC.  That is where we teach real life people, not our teachers.  It is in Russian and one of my favorite activities.  Last week we taught, two people about prayer.  One lady was actually from Russia, and she didn't speak much Russian. She wrote on our feedback form that my Russian was really good! It made me so happy!  :)

TALL - that is on the computer. It is kinda like Rosetta Stone.

(TALL- learning my russian!)

I really don't like it that much, but it is helpful for learing vocab, like numbers!

Choir- We have choir on Sunday and Tuesday.  It is the best thing ever!  Seriously, if you are in the MTC and you don't sing in the choir, you are doing it wrong! I love it!

Devotional- We have a devotional on Sunday and Tuesday!  They are awesome!

On Sundays, we have personal study all day, except for Sunday School (which is a district meeting), Relief Society (With all the sisters in the MTC), Sacrament Meeting, and Temple Walk. We also have a devotional that night, then a movies (always a church movie!)

Anyways...that is it!  

Now onto this week:

(Yay!  I love Laekynn!  I see Sister Davis everyday!  I'm going to be so sad 

when she leaves! Plus- these clouds are awesome!)

It was awesome because I knew 4 people that came into the MTC so I got to see them all over the place! 

 (I also saw Cody.  It was good to talk to him! This was his first week.)

I saw Ben, Laekynn, Cody,and Allyscha all over!  It was so fun!  I've been able to see Laekynn every day, it makes me so happy!  She is awesome!

I feel like my language ability has improved so much over this last week!  I guess that is what happens when an apostle gives you a blessing that your language will improve!  I feel like I am starting to really understand a lot more Russian!  Forming sentences is easier also!

I checked out a violin from the MTC this week! It is a really nice violin!  I think I am going to play in Sacrament Meeting!  Scary right?! But exciting! 

This week was also Sister Clark's birthday!  She turned 21!  

(This Sunday was sister Clark's birthday!)

We decorated a little bit and sang!  It was really fun!

  (We had balloons and hats and I made signs!:)) 

It made a normal day just a little bit more exciting!

For Relief Society, a member from the General Primary Presidency (Sister Esplin) came!  It was so good!  We got to sing some Primary Songs, which was awesome! :) That afternoon, for the devotional, the BYU men's chorus came!  It was so fun!  I saw Kyle Johnson, who was in my ward last semester!  I told him to say hi to everyone from me at Ward Prayer, I hope he did!  That night we got to watch the Testaments. I had never seen it before but it was super good! 

Our devotional yesterday was by Elder Evans.  He is  the head of the Missionary Board.  He gave a really powerful talk about repentence, it was super awesome! 

Highs of this week! -- devotionals, seeing my friends, playing a violin, our lessons, TRC, service! 

Funny Moments - In TRC, our person, in Russian, told us ALL about how he prayed for his zits to go away.  We were like...ok...Then he was explaining what he actually said and we were dying of laughter!  It was so great!

The Asians on our floor had a party the day before they left!  They were going crazy! It was really funny!

On Friday, I got 4 packages!  How crazy it that!  It made me so happy! 

(packages!  4 of them are mine!)

(In the picture with sister clark, one of mine is missing!  I am so loved!  Y'all rock)

Sister Clark got 3 packages, and that was because it was her birthday haha!  It was so funny!  I loved the packages, especially the treats from both of my grandmas!  They were so good!  :) And the dictionary is great, thanks!!! 

One day I was testifying to random girl in Russian!  I was trying to say that I knew that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.  The Russian word for translate is pairavestee (that is what it sounds like.  So I got a little confused and mixed the russian and english together and was like Joseph Smith "transvestite" Kniga Mormona.  I was about to die!  She thought that I was crazy because all the russians were dying of  laughter and she had no idea what was going on!

So I'm doing good!  I love being a missionary!  I'm praying for y'all!  Keep writing me!  I love mail!

Love Sister Ford!

I'll send pics when I go do laundry!  :)

 

(making my bed!  We have random cleaning checks once a week)

 

our teachers leave us russian notes... This says, "My missionaries. I love you.  

Work hard, ok? Brother Hofman" 

(Russian torture, the case chart!!  opa!) 

First Email! and Pictures!

Dear Family,

Well...I'm still here!  They say that if you can make it through your first week then you are good! I guess we will see! I still feel good so that goods! 

Life at the MTC is so good.  Hard and tiring but good.  I really love it here, but I do miss everyone at home. It is hard because I want to write home everyday but we can only on wednesdays.  So even though I'm not writing back, keep sending me letters!  They make my day!  Write me everyday.  10 times a day!  haha...but seriously.  i should be grateful though, I have gotten more mail then anyone else.  my family and friends really do love me! -haha the shift button doesn't work on this computer...too many desperate missionaries writing home!- but keep the mail coming!  i love hearing from y'all.

jacob- I'm so proud of your ACT score.  I was crying when i read it, lame i know!  You are so smart!!  Everyone in my district knows about it because they wanted to know why I was crying.  Witicha State in the final four!?!?! What seed were they?  didn't i have Michigan in the final 4?  how am I in the family rank??? 

Zach- the dear elder didn't like whatever you wrote to me in russian, it turned it into numbers!  but yes, i can read and write russian now. Send me some in a letter and I will tell you what it means.  also, I will send home your names today! 

Tyson- I love you! Thanks for the mail!

Parker- the letter i got from you made me smile!  You are so cute!

So...MTC life!  My companion's name is Sister Sink, she is good.  We teach really well together!  Russian is coming along great, sometimes it gets discouraging but I just have to take a step back and look at it in the big picture, last week I didn't even know the alphabet and now I can read, write, bear my testimony, and pray all in Russian.  This might crack you up, remember Mr. Anderton.  His classes are most like what the classes at the MTC are like, minus the horse stories (that was for you, jacob!).  They are intense, almost always in russian, but a lot of fun.

The first day is crazy! You are on such a tight schedule, you don't even have time to breathe!  but it gets so much better!  i didn't sleep hardly at all, but i have slept really well since.  Except last night, one of the girls in my room was like, "How can you sleep with no bar keeping you from falling?" then i realized she was right, and I was a little worried about falling off the bed. But I haven't yet!  i have been talking in my sleep like crazy though, it must be the stress!!!!

My district is awesome.  We have 8 sisters and 3 elders.  that has never happened before!!  All the other russian districts can tell that we are new, simply because we are females!  As you can see, they even converted some mens bathrooms to girl's bathrooms!  We are taking over!!  I know a lot of the sisters from facebook, and they are fantastic.  I run with Sister clark (redhead) almost every day.  We run for 20 minutes then we play 4 square. i am a 4 square champ!!! They have all these records missionaries can try and beat.  The mile time for elders is a 4:44, maybe jacob can beat that when he gets in!  Gym is so great though, super chill and relaxed.  Then we have time to shower and get ready again, which i appreciate.  I'm so glad I practiced getting ready in 30 minutes, it has made a world of difference!

We have already taught 3 lessons all in Russian.  it is kinda tricky but amazing how the spirit can come, even if we can barely talk.  The Lord is blessing me with the gift of tongues, i am positive of it!  I can't wait to go to the temple today, since coming to the MTC I have been so much more in tune with the Spirit, I know that he guides me and prompts me!  i just can't wait to get Ukraine and start teaching and loving his people.  first I have to learn though!!

Easter was so great!  Probably the best Easter ever. i missed you guys but it was totally focused on Christ.  We had a huge missionary devotional on Easter morning and they served the sacrament.  over 3000 missionaries partook, crazy right!  When i worked here there were only 1500 missionaries.  it doesn't seem that crowded, russians know how this place works and we avoid the crowds.  but then Bishop causee spoke.  he is the presiding bishop.  it was so good.  Then we had meetings with our branch.  My district was on the way to district meeting when we were stopped by a huge group of people.  It took me a minute to realize that is was bishop causse and his family and security.  They asked where we were going and one of our sisters said, 'district meeting'.  He looked so confused for a second, then he asked where we were serving.  Kinda embarrassing but so funny.  his daughter took seminary from our mission president though! Small world, right! 

At our fast and testimony meeting that night, our branch president got up, talked a little bit, all in russian, then went to the piano.  i had no idea what he was doing.  Then he played a beautiful Easter medley.  It made me think how I know christ died for the sins of all of us, but that he lives today.  he lives, and he loves us!  What a blessing that it!

That night we had another devotional and our speaker was Sister Sheri Dew!  Oh my lanta!!! It was so great! I loved it so much! She spoke about asking God who we are and who we can become.  so great!  I loved it! 

Then we got to watch a movie then we went to bed.  it was a great day!  Thank you so much for the Easter basket, it made my day!  The necklace is perfect mom, i wear it everyday! 

Last night we had a member of the 70 come to speak. I sang in the choir, which was great!  If you are at the MTC, be in the choir.  There are so many people though that they have to limit who can sing.  It is first come, first serve!  But it was an awesome devotional. I felt like he was speaking just to me!  Loved it!

So I have like one minute left but to close--

Highlights --

 Letters, send more!

Being here

Devotionals 

seeing old friends (i saw Sister Hafen, and sister bay before they left on monday, what a tender mercy!) I have seen 19 friends here, which is awesome, and pretty good for someone that didn't go to a high school in utah!  I see them all the time and they make me smile!

Easter

More letters

Russians have the best meal times.  We eat early so everything is fresh! 
Also all the Russians are super united.  Maybe it is because there are so many of us, but we mesh well.  We have russian pride!

Lowlights --

Everyone cries here.  Like all the time.  Even the men. and our teachers.  It's weird but good too in a way.  

im a little scared I will fall off my bed.  pray for me that I won't!

i miss--

family
friends

chex cereal 

muffins

sitting on the floor.  It isn't allowed for sister going to ukraine, it is a culture no-no.  Hardest rule for me but its ok! 

craving --

cinnamon rolls!! 

and muffins

Funny --

YOSO- You only serve once! 

The language...i can't say so many sounds. sometimes it feels like i'm puking out words.  but people laugh at my attempts all the time.  i laugh at my attempts all the time.  

Apparently the MTC is like hogwarts.  First person to guess what house Russians are wins!!  i will explain it next week!! Haha. 

Tender Mercies-

seeing my friends
letters

favorite quotes
devotional speakers

I love it here!  Read Doctrine and covenants 18, people are worth a lot in the sight of god! God lives and he loves us!  christ lives and he loves us and suffered the atonement so that we could be with our families forever!  What a blessing! 

I love you and miss you!  Keep the letters coming! 

Sister Ford

PS- elders are weird!  I think i knew that already though! Great but weird! 

WRITE ME!  FOR REAL!! 

Farewell Talk!!

This last weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to give my farewell talk in my home ward.  It was wonderful.  I'm super grateful that the Gordon's, Albretsen's, and other friends could be there!  Afterwords, we had a fun dinner.  I felt so much love and support from the people in the ward.  Because many people that I love weren't able to be there, I posted a script of my farewell talk below. Hopefully it reads ok, I wrote it up pretty late so their might be some grammar mistakes...Oh well!! 

Loved having family and friends here!! 

I tried to get a cute picture with all the boys...

You can see from Cater's face how well that worked out (haha just kidding!) ;)

What a cutie! 

Good morning.  My name is Kati Ford.  My family is in this ward.  I imagine that most of you don’t know who I am, due to the fact that I have attended BYU or the University Branch in Kalamazoo since I moved here.  Since I can count on my hands the number of times I have been to a meeting here, I thought I would start with just a little introduction.  I’m 19 years old.  I’ve played the violin for 10 years.  I love to run.  I also like to be creative and make things.  In November, I received a mission call to Ukraine! 

Brothers and Sisters, I am so excited to be here today.  I am excited to share my testimony and experiences with my family and friends that were able to be here today.  I am also excited to be able to serve as a missionary.  I can’t believe that I get this wonderful opportunity to serve the people in Ukraine and strengthen and develop my testimony as I help people in Ukraine learn and feel of Christ’s love for them.  I know that Christ loves and knows each of us and sharing that love with those that don’t know of it will be a great blessing and opportunity in my life.

Today, I was asked to speak based on President Uctdorf’s first presidency message from last month, entitled, “A Word for the Hesitant Missionary”.  I remember reading this when it first came out.  It was such a powerful message for me, not because I was hesitant to be a missionary or confused about serving a mission but because it was such an incredible, wonderful advice from a member of our first presidency. As I have prepared to serve a mission, I have received plenty of advice, both good advice and some not so good advice.  Due to the fact that before the mission age change announced in October, I wouldn’t have been able to serve a mission for another 2 years, my planning for a mission occurred much faster then it typically does for others that have gone in the past.  Therefore, I value such good advice.  Good advice has helped me feel confident and excited about serving my mission.  Today I’m going to share the top 5 pieces of advice that I have received as I have prepared to serve a mission.  I pray that those preparing to serve a mission will accept my advice and apply it to their lives but I also pray that those that may not be actively preparing to serve a mission will apply the advice too.  I speak from example when I say that you never know how quickly your life can change.  In addition, every member of this church has the opportunity to share the happiness and light that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ brings to the everyday people they come into contact with. 

The first piece of advice I would share is the Learn to follow the spirit and to know what it feels like when the Holy Ghost is prompting you. 

When the announcement was made at general conference to change the mission age, I had a lot of thinking to do.  I had the incredible opportunity to attend a session of conference the next morning.  As I prepared to go to that session, I decided to fast to feel at peace, and that if it was the Lord’s will, to know if I should serve a mission.  As the session started, I had made a list of doubts and concerns that I still had about serving a mission.  As our prophets and apostles started to speak, I was overwhelmed with the strongest prompting I have ever felt in my life, telling me to serve a mission and to serve now.  Every questions or doubt that I had was answered and as I stood up to sing “Called to Serve” as the intermediate hymn, I knew that my prayers had been answered. 

Although I had that wonderful opportunity to feel such a strong prompting, most promptings and guidance from the spirit is found through a still small voice or feeling.  If we are living righteously and worthily to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, then he will “help us in every aspect” of our life.  The Holy Ghost speaks quietly, through feelings as well as into our mind.  In 3^rd Nephi, it teaches that, “it is not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice…nevertheless…it being a small voice…it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn” As we are in an environment where the Holy Spirit can dwell, we will be able to be in tune and better hear and understand the promptings of the Spirit.  As President Monson warned, “Never postpone a prompting.” I can testify that as we listen and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we will have success, both as a missionary, and it all other aspects of our lives.  I can’t imagine a better way that my life could be, all because I followed the prompting to put in my mission papers to serve a mission. 

The second piece of advice I have in to be obedient. 

When I first started to submit my mission papers, I learned of what an extensive process it is.  You have interviews with the Bishop, members of the Stake Presidency, more meetings with the Bishop. The interviews never seem to end. If you are preparing to serve a mission, or if you desire to be a member missionary, I strongly urge you to be obedient.  This is especially critical to young men and young women preparing to serve.  The standards the Prophets have set regarding dating, movies, modest, and every other standard in the For Strength of Youth led to standards that are necessary to have for serving a mission or enter the temple.  Your lives will be blessed as you are obedient in every aspect of your lives.  I was blessed as I was a young woman to have great parents and leaders that helped me make the right choices.  Although I didn’t know that I would serve a mission at age 19, the Lord knew and he blessed me with parents and leaders that encouraged me to be obedient in everything I did.  Their love and support made it easier for me to obey the standards and teachings of the gospel. 

The third piece of advice I have is to look for the Hand of God in all things.

My family moves around a lot.  As we have traveled to different places, I have had the Lord give me plenty of tender mercies that bless my life and help me see the good in the situation I am in.  After I had submitted my mission papers, but before my call came, I was so anxious about where I would be sent.  I was so worried that it was hard to sleep at night.  The day before my call came; I went to the Provo temple to do baptisms.  The Provo temple was so busy that day that instead of waiting in the Chapel to perform baptisms for the Dead; we were in a separate waiting room, singing hymns.  I remember praying for peace that I would know that I was called by the Lord, and that I would be happy wherever I was sent.  Immediately, the next song sung, was hymn 270, “I’ll go where you want me to go”.  I’d like to read the first and third verses of that song.  They reads, “It may not be on the mountain’s height, 
Or over the stormy sea; 
It may not be at the battle’s front, 
My Lord will have need of me; 
But if by a still, small voice He calls, 
To paths that I do not know, 
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine, 
I’ll go where You want me to go. There’s surely somewhere a lowly place, 
In earth’s harvest fields so white, 
Where I may labor through life’s short day, 
For Jesus the Crucified; 
So trusting my all to Thy tender care, 
And knowing Thou lovest me, 
I’ll do Thy will with a heart sincere, 
I’ll be what You want me to be.” That message hit me like a rock as I realized that I would go where the Lord wanted me to go.  This call that was coming came from the Lord.  As we look for the hand of the Lord in our lives and express gratitude for all our many blessings, we will have the increased desire to serve God and our brothers and sisters on this Earth. 

My fourth piece of advice is from President Uctdorf’s message where he counseled to be filled with faith.

In his message, he said, “Have faith.  The Lord can magnify the words you speak and make them mighty.  God doesn’t ask you to convert but rather to open your mouths.  The task of converting is not yours – that belongs to the person hearing and to the Holy Spirit.” In Preach My Gospel, they teach that “your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment…you can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when you feel the Spirit working though you.” As we have faith, and are filled with faith, we will be able to share the gospel with others and the Holy Ghost will testify to those that we teach the truthfulness of the gospel.  As we share the gospel and increase our efforts to share this message of happiness, we provide more opportunities for those we love to feel the spirit. 

My final piece of advice is to Love others and be happy.

As we love those whom we come in contact with, we will desire to share the gospel with them.  As we grow to love someone, we desire for them to have the happiness and joy that we know about.  Serve those whom you love and pray for them.  Pray for them to desire to know about the gospel.  Pray for them to learn of Christ’s love for them.  The second part of this final piece of advice is to be happy.  After I received my mission call, I decided to pick a scripture to be my mission scripture, to act as a motivational message when I was feeling down.  After I searched and searched for a scripture, I finally came across one in Doctrine and Covenants.  It reads, “Be of good cheer and do not fear, for I the Lord am with thee, and will stand by thee.  And ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” I love that scripture.  We don’t need to fear because the Lord is with us and watching and guiding us.  As I share this message, there is no reason to be unhappy.  I am sharing the gospel, which has brought me more happiness and joy then any other thing in my life.  Through the gospel, I can have an eternal family.  Through the gospel, I can repent and be forgiven of my sins.  Through the gospel, I can someday be sealed to my husband for all time and eternity.  This gospel is one of happiness and joy and I know that I can receive even more joy as I share this message with others. 

I know that this truly is the gospel of Christ.  I know that God lives and that he loves me. He loves each one of us and knows about our trials, pains, successes and everything we do.  He cares for us and wants us to make correct choices.  I know that if we live righteously, we can be with our families for eternity.  I know that the temple is the House of the Lord.  I’m grateful for the many ways the gospel blesses my life.  I’m grateful for the opportunity I have to go on a mission.  I know I will miss my family but the joy and blessings that will come to my family and me will make it more then worth it in the end. I love you all and am grateful for all the advice, and the many ways you have helped me prepare to serve my mission! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.