What's 9 + 10? I'm 21! - Sister Beck's Weekly Update
Hey ! 😊
How is everyone?
Let's start off with a little spiritual somethin somethin.
I wanted to share a truth that I have found. A truth that won't necessarily make it into the homecoming talk but that has changed me.
Since the beginning of my mission I've always tried to have the end in mind. What things will I take away? How will I use this in my life after? How can I become a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ?
Sometimes I get nervous and skeptical about the way things will be after but for the most part I'm excited and eager to be a better disciple of Jesus at home.
One of the things that I've been pre-mourning hard is the mindset I have as a missionary. I've expressed this before but as a missionary I feel like my eyes and mind have been open to life, and everything seems way more simple. I have an eternal perspective that has blessed me so much.
I always want to have that. I don't want to lose it :/
I was talking to the Willetts about it one day and Elder Willett gave me the answer on how to keep it. Then in the next district council, the answer was reaffirmed to me.
If I want to see things the way I see them as a missionary, when I return home, I need to make sure I'm living worthily so that the spirit can be fully présent.
What brings the spirit the best?
The scriptures. I need to be in the scriptures (The Book of Mormon specifically) EVERYDAY.
That will help with keeping the spirit. Every. Day.
The spirit paired with the scriptures is the difference
The spirit paired with the scriptures is the enlightening
The spirit paired with the scriptures is the clarity
D&C 88:67
One of my favorite quotes ever is "we need the spirit every day to remember everyday" if we don't have the spirit, it can be so easy to forget.
I don't want to forget. I think missionaries make the mistake of "oh I'll never forget how incredible my mission was." And then they rely on the testimony they built on their mission instead of continuing to build it on new revelations and experiences post mission.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that the process of obtaining spiritual light begins when we come to God: “As we draw near to Heavenly Father, we become more holy. And as we become more holy, we will overcome disbelief and our souls will be filled with His blessed light. As we align our lives with this supernal light, it leads us out of darkness and toward greater light. This greater light leads to the unspeakable ministerings of the Holy Spirit, and the veil between heaven and earth can become thin”
Not to bash on pre-mish me but I did not do well with scripture study. I lacked a testimony of the scriptures period. So it makes sense to me that when I made scriptures a priority in my life. The spiritual gate to understanding, the Holy Ghost, and clarity were burst wide open. I don't intend on losing that or living without them again.
As for the last two weeks, not much has happened. Except turning 21?? For some reason I never could imagine myself older than 19 so not sure where to go from here... 👵👵👵
We found and have gone through the paper areabook which hasn't been touched for a long time. It's crazy, we find people from 2006 and call them and they answer and say the exact same things they said to the missionaries 16 years ago. It's wiiiiild.
Also, happy that we have all our stuff on an app now. The paper areabook is a mess.
Although there were some fuuuuunnnnyyy entries from the missionaries. We had a good time as we went through them.
We had French class but only Thomas showed up. He's from Venezuela. We found out that we both love to hike and he gave me the coolest list of places to visit in Perú!! Basically if you find me in Perú next year, now you know why. We spent like 30 minutes just showing eachother cool hikes/places. Mine in Utah/California His in Perú 😂
I finished the puzzle in 5 days! I was on fire with this one. It's like the spirit was guiding my hand. I'd pick up a piece and randomly try it somewhere and it almost always worked? This one was way more fun to do. Also, organization makes all the difference.
My birthday was good :) the Willetts made me real tacos with chips and salsa and the whole district got together !! They sang to me in Spanish :,) The Emett's dropped off a FUNFETTI CAKE!! They know my heart. Then my MTC comp Sr Nielsen and I did an exchange. That woman. When we get together we chat up a literal storm. We talked for houuuurrrrssss. Blessed. That's all I can say. Blessed.
Being this close to going home is whack. I have 3 more weeks and if you could take a tour of my brain right now I think you'd come out scarred. I am going through the biggest rollercoaster of emotions known to man. More on that later... maybe.
Sunday I was edified. As per usual. I've been learning a lot about that in the Bible and D&C actually. The Lord wants His saints to be edified by one another. So if you're speaking or teaching, think to yourself "Will this edify His believers?"
It's important that we can answer yes or at least "I hope so" to that otherwise what's the point.
The Willetts spoke and said their goodbyes. They go home a week before me and we've already planned when I can see them in Utah jaja obsessed much? They are the best and I'm forever grateful to have served with them.
Life is good. Like I said there's a lot going on in my head but the biggest thing is just utter gratitude for this experience. God has been very kind to me.
No sadness! not yet anyway.
Have a wonderful week !
love ya
Pictures :
- "Aujourd'hui nous, demain vous" means Today it's us and tomorrow it's you. That's the entrance to a cemetery hehe
- the cake :,)
- Thomas, mi "trek" hermano
- birthday birthday
- stranded at night photo shoot
- Jorge in Paraguay ! 🇵🇾
