A Good Reminder; Life is Hard. Not the Gospel

Once upon a time three weeks ago we knocked into this woman named Hilda. She is from El Salvador & naturally we talked about how much we love pupusas. She said she would teach us how to make them (but we lacked faith that she would actually call). WELL this week she did!! "Ladies, now that the holidays are over come to my house and I'll show you how to make pupusas! We are sisters in the Lord! I wouldn't forget you!" :') Wow. I was going to wait for Hermana Estrada/ Porter to teach me but now I can enjoy their goodness all year. I love Virginia. 

I'm sure y'all have heard.. but sister missionaries can wear pants now. After a long pros and cons list Sister Clark and I decided to buy some! And on January 1st we made a new years card and sent it to a bunch of our friends. AS A JOKE. Millennial humor. "New Year. New us." "2019, what's new?" It's funny I promise. All our senior couples thought we were trying to be cute and then it was just embarrassing. 
(See attached pictures for details) 

Let's talk about Satan for a second. I've wondered for years trying to figure this guy out. (Who's with me on this one?) His plan for us was the straightjacket, "no risk insurance", immediate glory. His plan, opposed to Gods plan of happiness, was not ever possible. He wanted a revolution. He was offering something he wasn't able to provide. Which was salvation for all. Gaining Gods glory/ honor without doing the hard thing of coming to Earth. Without choosing, learning, growing etc. Friends & family, I know you can do hard things. We aren't created to take the easy, instant reward route. You've already showed God you have so much trust and faith in him because you came to Earth! At some point in the premortal existence YOU said to God something like.. "hey, ill do it. I'll go to Earth. I'll leave the comfort of your presence. I'll have faith that Jesus will come and perform the atonement making it possible for us to live together again. I love you. And I trust you." I promise, it's by the hard things, and enduring them well, that we can become more like our savior. I know that each time we choose to follow God rather than choosing to follow Satan a piece of us is immediately changed. "The purpose and central blessing of life is  change. It is to be changed to become more  like Jesus Christ. It is to incorporate into  your character, the qualities of His character.  It is to move from one degree of intelligence and capacity to the next, and from  there to  the next, until you see God face to face and know Him as He knows you." You will be successful in the hard things you're going through. The goal is change. And God loves you so much. 

Good luck with everyone starting school again! Education sets you free! 

Much Love, Sister Izzy Smith 

8 Attachments
 
 








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Good News!!

Image
Good news, our birds are still eating the food we leave out for them on the balcony. We have a blue jay and a crow that are regulars. no big deal. Also good news, IM STAYING IN CRYSTAL CITY WITH SISTER MINAKER FOR ANOTHER SIX WEEKS  this week we gathered some nuts that had fallen off a tree and ended up along the road in the gutter. We cracked them and tried boiling them. I don't know what our end goal was.. but it didn't work. Advice: leave the gutter nuts, they are very bitter. We met a man on the fourth floor... last door (haha)!! He met with missionaries in Korea but lost contact when he moved back to America. WELL HELLO, MIRACLES! There is a part of preach my gospel where a recent convert expresses how when he found the church it filled a hole in his heart/life that he didn't know was missing. That's the best way I can explain how being on a mission feels like. I have found a piece of me I didn't know was missing. Life right before leaving was so wonderful...
Read more

I LOVE YOU

Image
Before I left on my mission I was worried about the work coming off as "here, let me tell you how to live your life." I hate that feeling. (Degrading advice?) But what I've realized, and what is so beautiful about this gospel, is that when people are wanting to change the teachings, the truths, the testimonies, they all have a spirit of love. People realize and feel that we are here helping them because of love. Not because our way is better than their way. But because they have tried their way & through personal trials they have realized that the only way is God's way. Missionaries teach God's way. And help our heavenly father's children understand His way. This work is so worth it, always, but especially when the people thank us for helping them get closer to Christ. GAH,  THIS IS THE BEST.  Whilst on exchanges this week...  I was in the YSA area right next to mine with mah girl Sister. Wayment. We had a lesson with someone she is teaching na...
Read more

Aug 19 SUNSHINE

Image
"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" (-alma 5:26) Alright!! I must tell y'all about Sam Sayem. We met him two weeks ago. I haven't mentioned him yet because I didn't want to take attention away from Brother Farraj and Megan!   WELL, SAM IS AWESOME. I met him on an exchange. He and his wife were getting their groceries and going into the house. They really didn't seem that interested. But God knows the heart because the next day my real companion and I were in that same apartment complex. We saw a man sitting in his car, so naturally we go wave him to roll down his window so we can talk to him (perks of being a sister). It was Sam!! He says "I read your pamphlet. I was going to call you today because I know there must be a prophet on earth today." (Grew up Muslim in Bangladesh might I add..) Well, since that d...
Read more