I feel as though I should take the time to explain to you all what will be happening to me and my family here in a few days. This blog might require a little more reading/watching, but I know you’ll learn something new :)
Ok, so my family is coming out next week and we will be going to the Redlands, California temple to be sealed as a family for time and all eternity. Let me start by saying in our Missionary Handbook aka our book of rules it states “Visits from family members, friends, and acquaintances are against Church policy. The impact of such visits may extend far beyond the visit itself, both before and after the visit and among other missionaries. It can often take some time for missionaries to refocus on their callings and their work. While expressing your love and desire to share your experiences with them after you have been released, help those who may want to visit you to understand the importance of maintaining singleness of heart and mind on the work of the Lord.”
BUUUUUUUUUUUUT:
The very first day I got to California I was in an interview with my mission president and he asked me what were some things he should know about me and I responded with a few things but started with “Well, I love my family. I am so excited to be here and I’m ready to give it my all, but I want these 18 months to fly so that I can get home and be sealed in the temple to my family.” He asked what the situation was and without hesitation said “If you’re family can make it happen, they can come here and be sealed.” So from day one of being here I knew this was a possibility.
Now, some of you may be wondering what being sealed to your family means…Mormon.org explains it like this:
“Family relationships can last forever—not just for this life.
Just as some of life’s sweetest joys can come through family associations, the loss of a beloved family member can be a source of our deepest sorrows.
Jesus Christ gave power to His disciples to seal families together forever when He said, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).
Death does not need to be the end of our relationships with cherished loved ones. The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that the “same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there [in eternity], only it will be coupled with eternal glory” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:2).
Family members who accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ and follow His example can be together forever through sacred ordinances performed in God’s holy temples. These ordinances seal a husband and wife together for all eternity and children to their parents as an eternal family. (See: “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”)”
In our religion, family is so very important and central to everything. Heavenly Father did not send us here to learn to love our families, to strengthen those relationships just for it all to end. He loves us so much that in His plan He made it where we could be together forever.
Check out this video
Check out this video
I am so thankful for how perfect the Lords plan is. I have always heard when the apostles pray about where to send you on your mission the biggest factor is who your mission president will be. I know that I got sent to a mission in the states and to THIS mission because President Hobbs would allow this to happen without me even having to ask. It’s not every day that you hear about something like this happening while ON a mission. I feel incredibly blessed, as I always do. I know that everything leading up to this moment has prepared my family and I. I love this church. I love the blessings that come from being a member. I love that Heavenly Father is involved in the details of our lives.
 |
| Sunset in Hesperia |
Interesting things that happened last week?
-Went to a car wash on Monday and the vacuum ate my favorite pair of socks….true story. I was so sad hahah
-This 4 year old in the ward has a crush on Sister Treadwell and I and kept calling us and leaving us the most adorable voicemails EVER.
-I HELD A SNAKE. Almost cried from being so nervous, but I did it. I’m tellin ya’ I’m trying to be a daredevil on the mission!
-TOTALLY got hit on HARD by a 70 year old man. It was creepy.
-The Elders in our ward were having a bad day so Sister Treadwell and I bought them icecream :)
-Helped plant flowers in a woman’s yard…I think I might really enjoy gardening someday!!
-Gave away a Korean Book of Mormon.
-FOUND OUT I WILL BE STAYING IN THE BEAR VALLEY WARD FOR ANOTHER TRANSFER WITH SISTER TREADWELL.
 |
| Penny Love! |
-Played Uno for the first time in my life and 100% DOMINATED. Yes, I won. And errrrone was super jelllly ;p
 |
| The District
CRAZY STORY. So, we live at a very nice place, but we kindof live by a sketchy street…that possibly has gangs on it, but whatever it ain’t no biggie….UNTIL…I was lying awake not able to sleep Saturday night and around 11:18 started hearing noises that sounded like gun shots…I got scared but tried to convince myself it was just late fireworks…well it kept on…I woke up Treadwell and the noices continued. We got really scared and I was in tears just because I didn’t feel safe and there wasn’t much we could do. Before long there were police sirens and fire truck noises going crazy, so we called our Zone Learders (it’s like 12:30 by this point) and they pretty much just say buck up haha. So we dropped to our knees and prayed and prayed. Good news is we woke up alive on Sunday and the church is still true. It wasn’t a fun experience though.
|
This week I have realized again that not everyone is very pleasant and there are always going to be those people you just have to “kill with kindness”. Anywho, I gotta go do some things, so keep it real homies. Til next week…
-hugs-
Sister Toolan
No comments:
Post a Comment