Monday, October 28, 2013

If You're Happy And You Know It Read This Post


Friends and Family
I love you all so much! I can't quite say it enough. Everday I will be reminded of something from back home and it almost brings me to tears (slash.. sometimes I cry) to think about how blessed I am! My life is chock full of amazing people who love and support me. I am so grateful for that. I pray for all y'all daily! I miss you daily! But I'm reminded daily, that this is where I need to be.

So it's now my second week in this area and I feel like I've been here forever. It's strange how that happens. I love that I am able to take the experiences I've had in my past areas and use them to strengthen this one! I am past the phase of being able to be called "green"... but sometimes it still feels like I just hopped off the plane! The more I am out here, the more I love it. This week I am simply happy...

I am happy to serve, happy to live in Winder, happy to have car problems, happy to teach the gospel, happy to know the importance of brushing my teeth, happy to have had the opportunity to learn at the feet of an apostle this week, happy to have seen all my companions, happy to be humbled, happy to find new people to teach, happy to feel the Holy Ghost guiding me, happy to have Sister Chapman as a companion, happy to have a year more of this wonderful experience and happy to feel the blessings of being a missionary being poured out!

So there are many highlights from this week, but we'll start with my love for this area! I LOVE it here! These are good people with good hearts who are ready to hear the best news ever.. and that news is that Jesus Christ's Gospel is back on the Earth! I love teaching people about the restoration and I especially love teaching Joseph Smith's First Vision.. if you haven't read it lately, find it and read it! Read it out loud... and allow the Spirit to teach you, I could swear to you that when those words are said in each lesson we teach, the air somehow becomes thicker.

Ok, so I mentioned car problems. Where is my Dad when I need him? Oh yeah, thats right.. a bazillion miles away! Our car battery died and it had to be replaced which required a trip to Athens and many people jumping our car more than once. Everyone was so kind and willing to help and its a pretty big blessing to have people to turn to! Heavenly Fathers children are so wonderful. I love that I am able to be around them everyday.

Speaking of people, the small collection of people we are teaching is increasing daily! Like I said, this place has been well prepared by the Lord. People are so receptive and when we knock on their door it is almost like they were expecting us, and welcome us in with open arms! Southern Hospitality is real. :) We were able to take one of the guys we are working with on a view of the church! He is a funny guy and brought up a great point, "Can you imagine how nasty the people in the bible must have been! What did they use to clean themselves, how did they brush their teeth?" --- as you can tell by this comment, I'm sure you realize how hard it can be to keep lessons with him on track! But, this did make me happy to have a toothbrush. And to be honest, I don't think everyone here has one! :)
This week I was humbled beyond words. We were knocking doors and found the sweetest old lady ever! She told us to come in and visit her daughter... her daughter was 70 and paralyzed! She herself was 96 and was taking care of her daugher!! They lived in the most humble home I have ever seen and were just so sweet, but beyond that they were happy. It made me think about how much more simply I need to live and put into perspective what really matters. I'm not sure how open they are to the gospel but they did say we can come back and teach though!!!-- but they need service! What a privilege it was to help them with yard work. I love her.. and I love her daughter.
We are now teaching the most amazing twelve year old little girl, she was a referral from a member in the ward! She wants to get baptized, but more than that she wants to bring everyone in her family along with her! She radiates light and it is so sweet to be around her. She is on date for the 16th! Pray for her... pray for all of the people we are working with. I know Heavenly Father is working extra hard on them because they will do so much good for the church!

Me and Sister Chapman are loving this area and the people and each other! I am so grateful we get along and also that we teach well together! Heavenly Father placed us here for a reason and we are seeing those reasons everday.

So the last thing I want to touch on was the once in a lifetime opportunity to hear from an apostle of the Lord! Elder Daillin H. Oaks came and spoke to our mision and the Georgia Atlanta Mission! There were 550 missionaries gathered together and the spirit was so strong! It was fun being able to see everyone I've ever served with and to hear about how they are doing in their areas, but the best was being taught. He came in and the Spirit confirmed to me that he, and the other leaders of this Church are chosen by God. I know they hold priesthood keys. This is the Lord's church.
So I learned about a million things and I wish I could share all of them... but I'm gonna keep it pretty basic and share the main point-
This is not "my mission", this is the Lord's. I have given this time to Him. It is so amazing to me that the more I give him, the more I get out of this experience!!! When we serve the Lord and do what he asks, he blesses us ... these blessings are things learned that help to shape us and refine us so we end up becoming like Him.

He told us that there are 10 gifts every missionary should go home with...

1. A testimony of God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ
2. A greatly enlarged understanding of the Gospel
3. A love for people
4. A greater appreciation and love for your parents
5. An understanding of what it means to work hard
6. An understanding of how important personal virtue is
7. An increase of polish and poise
8. Courage to act
9. Faith to try
10. Humility to pray.

I am so grateful for this experience and for the gifts that have come from serving already. I recently had someone tell me that I should feel free to tell them about the trials and the challenges that come as a missionary! Why would I do that though?! I am not saying they don't exist.. because they do! ..Trust me, they do!.. Haha... But Heavenly Father blesses us with selective eyes! Even when I sit down to write all y'all about what is going on, suddenly I can't remember any of the times I thought "I can't do this" or any of the oppointments that fell through from the past week.

The past 6 months have  brought me so much happiness! This week in my BOM reading I was in 2 Nephi 5 where it says "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness". BINGO! I hope y'all are living after that same manner. Happiness comes from the knowledge that God loves us, and that He sent his son to Earth for us. Happiness comes from the Gospel.

Despite all this smiling that is going on here in Georgia from this crazy redhead... I want you to know I miss each of you terribly.... but, I am happy to miss you more than I can put into words, and happy to keep going no matter what.

I hope you have a great week
Be Happy. How could you not be? There is so much good in everything.
 
I hope everyone has a safe and great Halloween! We have to be in by 6 ... and you can bet your bottom dollar we'll be handing out BOM's & mormon.org cards instead of candy.

The Gospel is sweeter than candy... and life without it would be pretty spooky!

Godspeed!
Sister Beasley

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