On our way out for the day, we go to get in the car. Its covered in snow. We dont have a scraper so...Sister Aiasau grabs an empty plastic water bottle, I grab and empty grocery bag and we start scraping. Can you tell we arent from here?! LOL
Just this past Sunday Sister Aiasau and I were asked to speak in one of the wards that we cover, and were given the topic of how we can have joy in today. I found a talk titled "We are the Architects of Our Happiness". In it Bishop Gerald Causse talks about different principles in which we can gain happiness despite our circumstances. The first is to Recognize Your Personal Worth , and the second is to Become Who You Are.
Brigham Young said: “The greatest lesson you can learn is to know yourselves. … You have to come here to learn this. … No being can thoroughly know himself, without understanding more or less of the things of God; neither can any being learn and understand the things of God without knowing himself: he must know himself, or he never can know God.” ...and what better way to draw an allegory from then a Disney movie?! Causse relates this principle of Becoming Who You Are to the Lion King! I approve....
"You probably remember the scene where Simba receives a visit from his father, Mufasa, the deceased king. After his father died, Simba fled far from the kingdom because he felt guilty about his father’s death. He wanted to escape his responsibility as heir to the throne. His father appears to him and warns him: “You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the circle of life.” Then this invitation is repeated several times: “Remember who you are. … Remember who you are.”
Simba, completely shaken by this experience, decides to accept his destiny. He confides in his friend, the shaman monkey, that it “looks like the winds are changing.”
The monkey replies, “Change is good.”
And Simba says: “But it’s not easy. I know what I have to do. But going back means I’ll have to face my past. I’ve been running from it for so long.”
“Where are you going?” the monkey asks him.
“I’m going back!” cries Simba.8
We can all take, or take back, our place in the circle of life. Become who you really are. Your happiness and ability to find balance in your life will occur as you find, recognize, and accept your true identity as a child of our Heavenly Father and then live in accordance with this knowledge."
I LOVE this principle of becoming who you are. Christmas Day I was able to skype my family back in the warm...dry...state of Arizona. When our conversation was coming to a close my dad said "...I know its hard being away from family but 6 months isnt that long..". This kind of struck a cord of fear in me! When given the assignment to speak I pondered deeper about if I am fully taking advantage of "becoming who I am" in these 18 months, and all that He knows I can be.
My companion and I have been out for just about the same amount of time, and with the time we have left we want to make the best of it. Setting goals, making changes, trying to more fully consecrate our actions, thoughts, etc to the Lord and His work. Just recently I asked for a blessing, there was a lot said...all exactly what I needed, but when I heard "..there will be a direct correlation between the work you do now and the blessings you receive after your mission.." and basically the person I will continue to be after I am released. It made me reevaluate if I am really becoming, if I am reaching my potential as a missionary/servant of the Lord.
Happiness that comes from sharing the gospel really cant be explained, or at least, I just have a hard time putting it into words, but its been the most fulfilling. I plan on making the months that I do have, just as fulfilling if not more. Ive experienced that its when I trust in His promises, and go where He wants me to go, I become a little more of who He knows I can be.
"He will lead you where you cannot lead yourself. He will make you into what you cannot make of yourself." I testify of this, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Happy New year, make it a good one. Sister Efnor
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