Oswaldo's Baptism

"The work of naturally and normally sharing the gospel with
 those we care about and love will be the work and joy of our lives."
-David F. Evans

For the past three weeks I've been participating in the missionary discussions for Oswaldo Hernandez. Teaching with the missionaries felt so good! I remember sitting in that very first lesson with great anticipation and excitement--it was my first visit with the missionaries since being home! The Spirit was sweet, peaceful and familiar. I loved every bit of it: the Elders were both native Spanish speakers, I was the "member", Oswaldo was so open and receptive, I was invited to share my 

testimony, and it just felt like heaven! 

Today he was baptized...

...and it was such a blessing to be a part of his experience. 

Me, Oswaldo, Elder Lopez, Elder Ramires

“Our missionary experiences have to be current. It is not enough to sit back and ponder former experiences. To be fulfilled, you have to continue to naturally and normally share the gospel.”
 -Thomas S. Monson

Blasts from the past

Today we celebrated Meagan's 25th birthday at the park. She was kind enough to let me invite the Ta'alas because I haven't seen them since being home from the mission. Ever since I found out they moved to West Valley from Minnesota I've been trying to visit them but it's never worked out. Today, it finally did! It was great to catch up with them and spend some time together.

Then I went to Sarah Logo's wedding reception. Her new name is Sarah Le. I met her four years ago when we were both SOAR counselors. Sarah and I were roommates and I remember talking about Daniel one night...I asked her if she was dating anyone and she said she was writing to this guy on his mission. Eventually he came home, she left for her mission, they kept in touch, dated when she got back, and now they are happily married.

Right after Sarah's reception I picked up Marisa Jane and we went to Shanna's baby shower. Her sisters threw it for her and it was a very lovely little party. Shanna was my roommate four years ago when I lived in Cinnamon Tree. The summer after being roommates together she got married to Tim and now they're expecting their first baby girl.

I am grateful for the good people in my life. Sometimes I forget how blessed I am to be surrounded by such great friends. Today was a nice reminder of a few of the friendships I've built over the past few years and the memories that come with them.

Go for the Gold!

While on my mission I contacted Dr. Hawkins to see if I could work for him as a grad student. 

In other words, I was asking him to be my advisor. He said yes! 

I told him I wanted to get a Masters...he told me to get a PhD. :S

I didn't want to be in school for another four to five years!! I expressed my hesitation and here's what he told me: "If you're in a race, are you gonna go for the Bronze??? Or the Gold???" 

That's all he had to say and I was sold! That was my answer...if I was going to work under him he wanted my very best and that would be the PhD program. 

I wasn't personally convinced that this is what I wanted to do (PhD as opposed to Masters) until today. I went to Yue's graduation ceremony and it inspired me. 

Dr. Hawkins and Yue

Yue has been my mentor for the past three and a half months. She taught me everything I know about my current research project and now I'm basically taking over where she left off. She's been a great teacher/helper/friend and I wanted to support her at her graduation ceremony.

I'm really glad I went! Something inside me changed...

I remember when I was in high school and a similar thing happened to me. We were at the scholarship assembly and I must've been a freshman. As I watched a student accept the Kekaha School Scholarship I told myself, "That's gonna be me one day!" It was like my own self prophecy. I could feel it in my gut and I was determined to work for it. Four years later, I was the one who walked up to the stage to receive that scholarship. My "prophecy" came to pass. 

Today I had that same feeling. 

As I watched Yue accept her diploma I thought to myself, 

"That's gonna be me one day."

Best Job

This pulled at my heartstrings. :)

Two thoughtballs from Relief Society

Hermana Monica Blood was my companion for two transfers in Faribault. We had some good times together. :) This past Wednesday she came home and today I went to her Sacrament meeting homecoming talk. It was so great to be there. 

As part of the program, she and her three sisters sang Lead Kindly Light in English and in Spanish and it brought back so many fond memories of the mission. As she bore her testimony at the end of her talk my heart yearned to be back in Minnesota, living the missionary life. Some days I miss the mission so much and today was one of them.  

We stayed for all three hours of church and I LOVED the Relief Society lesson. Sister Davis, the teacher, was so well prepared. She taught with her heart and spoke by the spirit. I came away feeling inspired and uplifted. Two things I got out of her lesson:

Number 1

"YOU ARE O.K."

She shared a personal experience about how she came to know that her Priesthood leaders were called of God. There was a time in her life that she was going through some very difficult trials. She was in an interview with her Bishop, literally sobbing, and pouring her soul out to him. In a quiet moment her Bishop softly said, "You are O.K." His words caught her off guard but she was immediately soothed. "How did you know?" she asked him. She went on to explain that those were the very same words her husband always told her to calm her spirits. They had been used numerous times throughout her life to remind her that everything would be okay. The Bishop simply responded, "I didn't." 

That day, Sister Davis was reminded that her Bishop was simply a spokesperson for the Lord. The Lord knew exactly what those magic words would do for her. He knows each of us personally and individually. He knows our struggles and sometimes he uses our Priesthood leaders as conduits for revelation. I appreciated the simple reminder from Sister Davis that I am O.K. No matter what's going on around me the Lord is aware of my needs, my desires, my fears, and my potential. As long as I continue to put my trust in Him and follow His servants, I will always be O.K.

Number 2

Exodus 17:8-12
8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Part of the discussion had to do with supporting/sustaining our leaders and especially supporting each other. One of the sister's comments caught my attention and I really took it to heart. She said, "one of the most beautiful manifestations of Christ-like love is a wife supporting her husband in his calling." 

It was a simple thought. But it affected me profoundly. In that moment I was re-convinced that I want to be that kind of wife; it is one of my deepest desires. I want to support my husband in all of his Priesthood responsibilities. I want to stand by his side and be a "help-meet" as the scriptures say. I want to be a quiet, loving, loyal strength to him as he fulfills his role as Patriarch. I want to have that type of Christ-like love.