Testimony and Accepting Changes

Hi family!

Yep. Unexpected transfer. NOOOO!!!! I am not too happy about leaving Blossom Valley but I am excited for the next adventure that the Lord has in store for me now. The work here is absolutely EXPLODING. There are so many amazing things happening here. It’s so cool how the work has really picked up. It’s amazing to also feel the love and support of the members as they realize that the Lord is hastening his work here and they want to get on board.

Spiritual: This week was actually really powerfully spiritual. I was able to go down to Monterey and see the baptism of Alex Horner. It was amazing. He asked me to confirm him a member of the church. What an incredible experience. I felt so loved. It was incredible to see how the Lord has really touched his life. He has been through a long search and it was so fulfilling to see him embrace the gospel and change his life. I want to talk about testimony today. At the outgoing fireside last night, there were a lot of missionaries who bore powerful testimonies about the divinity of the Savior and the power of his infinite atonement. It is absolutely enriching to be overwhelmed by so many heartfelt expressions of belief and trust. A testimony is a declaration of a belief in a certain principal of the gospel. You have a testimony of keeping the word of wisdom for example. You can have a testimony of the reality of the Book of Mormon being the word of God, but how much do we really trust that testimony? Did all of those miracles really happen? Did all those prophets really live? I know that the Book of Mormon is all the way true. One of the fruits of this gospel is the power that members of the church have. From priesthood power to the enabling power of the atonement. It’s all true, real and very powerful. I am a firm believer in miracles. Unexplainable events that happen throughout the course of our existence. Those events happen so frequently in this gospel. They happen due to the witness that we all receive from the Holy Ghost confirming to our hearts that the Book of Mormon is true and that President Thomas S. Monson is Gods prophet on the earth today. The witness is real and the miracles and fruits that come with it are real as well. I want to bear this testimony and testify that these have happened in my life. The witness and the miracles. This is real. It’s all true.

Funny: I got bitten by a cat. Twice. I do not like them.

Where I am at: This is an exciting time here in the mission. Elder Bednar is coming next week and the rumor is that Ipads are coming soon. There is a sense of change in the air. I am very sad to be leaving Blossom Valley. It’s cool to know that the Lord needs me somewhere else though. I love being in this work. I feel like I have learned more about myself and what my personal purpose is in life and how I can work to accomplish that work. It sounds really vague, but I really have learned a lot. I love the Blossom Valley ward and it holds a special place in my heart now. I love you all!