A missionaries shoes.

These are my favorite shoes. For the first 7 1/2 months of my mission we didn't have a car. We walked for HOURS every day.

my sweet grandma sent me these new shiny shoes for christmas. I cant wait to walk through them.

stepping into the future with dry feet.

My past is officially behind me

Thanks mommy.. These shoes were much needed.

My grandma and papa and my mom and dad love me. NEW SHOES TO WEAR OUT!!

 

Alright. there is a reason I am posting pictures of my shoes. The reason for this is to tell why I am a missionary and how it has changed who I am and who I have the ability to become. FOREVER.

 





 God is good. He has blessed me in many ways.  I am going to start with a story about these shoes. These shoes saved our lives today. I am a time stickler... I HATE WASTING TIME. We were ahead of schedule this morning and we actually finished lunch early. We had a little spare time so I did my companions hair for her because she wasn't feeling well. Then I started looking at all my shoes. My new Christmas shoes, and my old tattered shoes. Then I thought "I should take pictures of my shoes to send to my grandma!" So I started to take pictures. As I was taking these pictures my heart felt warm. full of the spirit. I felt like I was in the right place at the right time. I then looked at the clock and it was 12:10 "WE SHOULD HAVE LEFT TEN MINUTES AGO" So we gathered our things and left as quickly as possible. By the time we got to our car it was 12:24... Which normally I would be freaking out about because it takes 45 minutes to get from our apartment to palmyra... We had to be there at 12:45... However I was not panicking. We started to drive and cars were every where. THERE IS NEVER THIS MUCH TRAFFIC AT THIS HOUR.. So we remembered we forgot to pray! So next red light we prayed and the traffic was parting like moses parting the red sea! It was beautiful. THEN.... We drove up over a hill and there was a HUGE car accident. At that moment my heart was full of gratitude for my God protecting us. And instant sorrow for those involved. The lord knew where we would be at the specific time. He used my weakness of attention deficit/discipline disorder to bring forth our safety. He needed us to be protected. The Lord calls us in our weaknesses then He qualifies us to perform his labors.

 

Why did I decide to quit my job put my career and school on hold to be an un paid missionary for 18 months?

 

I have been rescued by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Like my shoes in the pictures above. I was worn out and I needed a fresh start. I wasn't in active in my church, however... I wasn't exactly active either. If that makes sense. I went when it was convenient. If if it fit into my sleep schedule. I didn't realize what I was missing by not going to church. It wasn't until a friend reached out to me and invited me to come back. To be my support at the activities and to help me feel comfortable. The sense that I was needed there began to come back. And the greater sense that I NEEDED THE TRUE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IN MY LIFE AGAIN was burning with in my soul.

 

I slowly made my way back to church. I was happier than I had been in a long time. I was taking the sacrament weekly and renewing my covenants I made at baptism and before I knew it I was full of life and energy I had been longing for. I then began to realize more fully the hand of my savior in my life. I started to see my blessings and wanting to give something back to my Father in Heaven for all that he had given me even when I was straying from the simple things He has asked me to do.

 

Through out my little kid/early teen life I always liked the idea of a mission. All three of my brothers served missions and being the baby I look up to my older siblings a lot. My brothers/brother in law and my sister/sister in laws are my hero's. I ALWAYS wanted to be like them growing up. As a teenager I had a lot of really special experiences that pointed I need to serve a mission. I finally reached 21 and decided it was exactly what God needed me to do so I could become like my older brother.

 

He has taken me in my weaknesses and he has shown me what I am capable of doing. Today he taught me something very important, that he is in control. That He knows of my trials, my weaknesses and my short comings, However.. He will use those weaknesses to bring forth his purposes. He takes us as we are. Perfectly imperfect yet so loved in his eyes.

 

Through The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ my soul has found its worth. I know who I am and who I can become. It is my mission to deliver peace, happiness, joy and belonging to the soul who hasn't found it's worth and to lift the broken hearted, and to bring light into a darkened world. Not my light, But his light. The light of the Savior. A light that I am not afraid to let shine. A light I will no longer hide. Jesus Christ and God the Father are the only way to happiness. True happiness. I am here to deliver the good news. To bring souls to Christ and to be help others along with myself in finding our way home. Home to our Heavenly Family.

 

How glorious the day will be that we can stand before our Saviors feet and embrace him. Knowing that we gave this life our all. That we did our best to repent each day, that we are did our best to serve our fellow me, that we did our best to rise above the worldly things, to become more like our brother. My greatest hero. He is greater than any batman, or super man icon. He gave his life to pay for ours. I have never felt so great a joy as I have here. Serving him each and every day. My heart is filled with peace and love as I labor among Gods children bringing them hope and peace, repentance and great change. My heart and my weaknesses are refined as I witness the miracles in the lives we come in contact with.

 

So why am I here? In a place where to often doors are slammed on my face? We are rejected, pushed away and ignored? Because I know the message I have to share is true. Because I know that this is Jesus Christs church. That the world can be changed if we all would follow Jesus Christ a little more closely. There are people out there who have been searching for this truth and I NEED TO BRING IT TO THEM. Because I love my fellow brothers and sisters here on earth and I want them home with me Jesus Christ, Heavenly father and the rest of my Heavenly as well as earthly family.