Family, Friends, anyone else reading this email,
This week has comprised of utter immersion in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It really is like drinking from a fire hose. This gospel is amazing, it is beautiful, it is true. I have witnessed so many miracles and partaken of so much revelation. God TRULY wants us to be happy.
As most of you know, I depart the MTC tomorrow . As I sit and reflect, I realize how much I really didn't know 2 weeks ago. 2 weeks ago, I was a girl getting ready to go on a mission. 2 weeks ago, I got on a plane all puffy-eyed to fly up to Utah. 2 weeks ago, I changed my life.
As I have been at the MTC, I've experienced change. This change didn't happen over-night...in fact, this change is still happening to me. I have witnessed miracles in others, but more importantly in myself.
I always viewed missionaries as those dorky people going door to door...yes, we may be that but a missionary's whole purpose in going on a mission is to bring them closer to Christ. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME. A missionary's purpose is to build faith in others through Jesus Christ and HIS atonement. A missionary's purpose is to bring others to repentance, then baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and finally, enduring to the end where we may receive eternal life. Our main goal in this life is baptism. God want's us to make covenants and promises to Him so that He will be able to bless us. He promises us Eternal life, being redeemed of God, and He will pour His Spirit upon us.
Christ looks at us with love. He does everything for us...NOT for His own good and gain. Even if there was only one person who had to live...He still would have given His life for us. He does everything out of love and because of this love, He suffered the pains in the garden of Gethsemane and he suffered on Calvary JUST FOR US!! So that through Him, we might live! Christ, your elder brother, sacrificed His life...for you!
The least I could do is to give up 1.7% of my life (that is...if I live to 80). we must all learn to be kind, be patient, be loving, be accepting, be charitable. Work as hard as you possibly can to follow his example and become like Him.
Sister Mary Ellen Edmunds spoke to us on Sunday. She said a few things that I really liked. here they are:
- Your mission has not been served...it's yours.
- Everything should be based on love--Jesus did not boast..
- You don't do something if you don't think about it first.
- Don't let things that don't matter BUG YOU!
- All I can do is the best I could do.
- when you do the best you can do, heaven comes to help you the rest of the way.
- Loose your life to God and find eternal life.
- Be of good cheer...it is not a suggestion, it is a commandment!
- If you want to be happy, then be happy!! Mormon 9:14
- Wickedness never was happiness....righteousness never was misery. Alma 41:10
- John 13:35 -- including love for those who don't treat you very well.
- If your motive is love, it is hard for others to just turn away.
- it's not what you say....it's how you feel.
- Thank Him for the blessings you're not aware of.
Mission's are forever. I need to remember this whenever things get hard or I lack confidence. I must have no regrets. Elder Holland, in a previously recorded talk, said this as Christ, and then as our response:
"Come to the edge."
"No, we'll fall."
"Come to the edge!"
"No! we'll fall!"
"COME TO THE EDGE!!"
So, we came to the edge...
He pushed us and we flew.
This is one of those times where I am learning to fly. As I fly, I am taking in the beauty all around me. This gospel is a beautiful thing. I know it, I live it, I love it.
I love you all.
--Sister Carling
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