After a few dinner appointments of awkward silence because the people we are eating with are on the phone the WHOLE time this scripture from the Bible comes to mind.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Before I rant I want to make it known that I, myself, have been WAY guilty of this. Lol. However, now that I don’t have my own smartphone, ipad, ipod, etc. I have realized some things about technology. It is a wonderful thing and can do so many amazing things, BUT: there is a time and season for everything. I think that we get so wrapped up in posting the coolest picture on Instagram, texting that really cute girl or playing that awesome new game that we lose out on the greatest blessings in life. We forget to actually TALK via. Voices to the people we care most about. We don’t enjoy the trees and bees because we are too busy laying down on social networking sites. We don’t spend time with our kids because we are too worried about posting the cute things they did the one minute we were actually giving them attention. It’s just important to remember that we prrrroooooobaaaaably won’t take our phones and social ranks with us when we return to live with Heavenly Father again, we WILL get to take all of our memories we have of spending good quality time with the ones we love most.
So this week I want you all to pay attention to the things that matter most. Put down your distractions. You might actually end up realizing how happy the SIMPLE things in life make you :)
2 things that I all of the sudden LOVE since being in California?
Sour Cream and avocados.
Oh my gosh, I just realized another way SNL nailed the Californian skit hahahaha. #avocados
Like seriously. I would put sour cream on anything and everything if I could. What the heck??? CA is corrupting me!!! It’s probably because of all the dadgum Mexican food we get fed! Oh and I’ve started eating tomatoes on my sandwiches instead of just meat a cheese. Your little girl is growin’ up, momma. Proud? :)
As missionaries we are literally always looking for service opportunities, but they never seem to come lol. So the new elders in the ward told us the other day that they don’t ask anymore, they just do! Well, we thought about it and decided to put their idea to the test and try it out. We went over the Grandma Junes house (she is practically blind and the biggest doll EVER) walked in and said “Grandma, we are a here to clean your house for you. DON’T even try saying no because we are already dressed and ready to go!!!”
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| Sweet Grandma June |
We ended up doing all the things that are extremely hard for her: dusting, mopping, DUSTING, cleaning windows. It was SUCH a great time. She talked and talked to us the whole time and I left her house loving her even more than I already thought I did. “The more you serve someone, the more you love them.” Service is such a great opportunity to quit being selfish and help someone other than yourself. Moral of the story: I love grandma and LET THE MISSIONARIES HELP YOU IF YOU NEED IT. GIVE THEM SERVICE. THEY WANT IT. THEY NEED IT.
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| So, I may have fallen asleep on Grandma June's couch:))))) (during lunch break, of course!) |
There was a day this week that we had SO many appointments that we literally didn’t have room to schedule in a lunch hour!!!! So while talking to a member that was going out with us we told her about this and homegirl took it to heart. She ended up coming to the appointment brought two little sack lunches for us…it was adorable. I tell ya what, the people here take such good care of us. #spoiledrotten
Bittersweet moment while at church yesterday a few points slapped me in the face.
1. The people at church are NOT perfect. BUT: the church IS.
2. There are going to be times that we go anywhere, but especially church, that we will get offended. People make mistakes and don’t word things perfectly. They come across in a way they didn’t mean to. BUT it is then that we have two choices. We can get butt hurt over it and say “I’m done. I’m never going back.” Or get over our pride. When we decide to run away from problems we aren’t hurting anyone but ourselves. When you quit going to church, who does it hurt? The people there who aren’t going to be held accountable for YOUR actions, or yourself? Are they the ones who might start falling into a pit of more temptations, or will that be you because you aren’t allowing yourself to learn more and grow closer to the Savior. Sometimes we just have to get over our pride and love ourselves enough to do the things we know we need to do. If you have ever been the offender in this situation, redarless of whether or not you meant to, say you are sorry. If you have been offended and have stopped going to church, go back. Be forgiving.
3. Sometimes bad things have to happen in order for us to truly appreciate the good things that are to come.
4. The Atonement is real. No matter how big we have messed up, The Savior is waiting with open arms to comfort and forgive us. He is WAITING for us to turn to Him and take advantage of all the things He did for us. If He is our priority in life then nothing and no one will keep us from being anything but happy, because through the atonement we ARE happy.
Yesterday made for 5 months being out…time is flying. AH :(
We have a baptism this weekend for our investigator Guillermo. I have seen the power of change through him. He is not the same man we met 2 months ago. He is an example to me. I love this gospel. I love how much the people here are teaching me. I love my Savior.
Keep strong, everyone!
-hugs-
Sister Toolan
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| I miss Tia! :( |
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| Matching buns with Becca |
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