Monday, February 22, 2016

Week 52: YEAR ONE ANNIVERSARY!

Family!!!! 

So first off I just gotta say I´m rill distracted cause 1) Colin got into BYU Provo and I´m STOKED!!! and 2) There are other missionaries with us in this ciber who also trying to see if they got into BYU, and the whole place is pretty dang distracting RN. But I´m doing my best to concentrate on account of time is straight up running out. How is it that time passes so slowly sometimes but then also SO FAST every Monday?! #science

This week I´ve been reflecting a lot about the whole concept of "bread or stones." You know, the whole idea that God always gives us good gifts (see Luke 11:9-13: 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil (meaning imperfect, human), know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?) So anyway, I was really pondering this when I came upon a boss talk by Bishop Davies about said theme. He shares part of a story that I really liked: 

"Some time ago I participated with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a series of priesthood leadership meetings in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. On Friday evening we held a devotional with LDS cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

After the opening hymn and prayer, Elder Holland determined that in place of formal talks or presentations, the time would be given to the cadets to ask questions. Elder Holland fielded the first few questions, and then a young man stood and sincerely asked the following question: “Elder Holland, does the Lord give us challenges that are intended to impede our progress?”
I thought to myself what a great question that was. Then, after a moment of thought, Elder Holland responded, “Well, that sounds like a Bishop Davies question!”

For a moment I froze. But in those few seconds before giving a response, and with a prayer in my heart, I thought about those attending. The bright and capable cadets are there for a minimum of four years. They cannot marry, they have limited outside access and contact, and they are learning how to defend their country. They love God, are committed to keeping their covenants, and want to progress.

My response came easily and without hesitation: “No, the Lord does not give us challenges that are intended to impede our eternal progress...

Essential to our personal faith and development is the unmistakable knowledge that our Father and our Savior want us to succeed. They want us to return to Their presence... We can have confidence that the Lord knows at all times what is in our best interest and that where there is faith, and in accordance with His will, miracles can occur."

So in conclusion, I know that the Lord only gives us experiences to help us. And everything from the Lord we will come to love.

This has been a hard week, but I know that God will consecrate these experiences for my good. With time, ya know?

Ok, best things about this week:
-We had a cool stake conference and it was good and I felt the spirit
-I got to see tons of my mission friendz at the conference and it was like a mini reunion and was a way good time. I saw my old comp Hermana Speakman for the first time in over six months. Claps!
-I am having my 1st anniversary with the mission this week!!! I seriously can´t believe it. Like, I totally can, but also I can´t.
-We had some good lessons and Juan is continuing to sincerely progress

Ight, have a great week!! If Colin gets his mission call this week I´m not kidding about wanting to see a video in any way possible. I´m seriously so excited. And also about the BYU thing. F`realz.

Love you long time,
Hermana Ross

Lolz, so I am including some drawings from the package I got from the fam. (side note: I feel like the sibs have created a joke about me being a ghost who haunts the family or something? It´s pretty funny but also I´m not dead #missionaryprobz
#art

Kute ward baptism

From the stake conference this weekend

Colin's note to Holly included this caption

Lolz, so I am including some drawings from the package I got from the fam. (side note: I feel like the sibs have created a joke about me being a ghost who haunts the family or something?
It´s pretty funny but also I´m not dead

#missionaryprobz

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