Tuesday, June 5, 2012


Hey! 
 
Cool things that happened this week:
 
-went to the temple.  This could be its own email in and of itself.  So I will just say that it was incredible.  The answers and revelation and peace that I felt at the temple have propelled me to be the most happy and excited and hopeful about my mission and life in general than I have ever felt..ever.
 
- I ate dinner at Celeste Kennard's sisters house!  When we realized that connection her husband called Celeste on the phone while we were at the table eating and I got to talk to her for a couple minutes
 
- found 3 secret trailer parks.  Tracting treasures lie in waiting for us.
 
- we have 3 investigators on date ofr baptism
 
-i chopped wood for the first time in my life.  The axe was kinda scary so I resorted to just stacking the wood that the elders chopped.  Following the wood chopping in the pouring rain, we got to hold cute bunnies at the bunny farm that we chopped the wood at.
 
- hit my year mark and burned a sign that said "TRUNKYYYY"
 
- a girl that was in one of my ward's up at BYUI had us over for dinner.  She is married with two kids.  Man. Weird.
 
I testify that God is in the details of our lives.  When I was sitting in the celestial room in the temple among all of my mission friends that I love, I looked down and stared at the upholstery on the chair I was sitting in.  From far away the chair seemed to glimmer subtly.  This is because there were little flecks of gold that were in the thread of the fabric.  The thoughts came to my mind as I sat in that Holy Place that my mission has had countless flecks of gold.  Lessons learned, experiences had, trials endured, heartaches felt, miracles witnessed, prayers answered, lives changed.  I had this fear going into the temple that my life hadn't really changed and was nervous that the Lord would be displeased with my mission.  As I traced the thread with my finger the Spirit whispered to me that maybe all of these things that have happened to me or that I have gone through have on their own seemed insignificant at the time or if they were significant I had forgotten about them.  But collectively looking back, they all add up together to make for a glorious gold nugget.  That I hadn't realized the changes that I have experienced, because I have been well...experiencing them.  To others maybe they will seem more obvious but for me they have come gradually over time and often at a hefty price.  But I feel relief, comfort, hope, and straight up joy knowing that the Lord is proud of me and the mission that I have served thus far.  And that He is willing to support me and endow me with power for the remainder of my mission so long as I am worthy of it.  If God be for us, who can be against us?
 
I feel like I am in the prime of my life.  So much joy to be had.  I don't know how I will fare when I am home and not surrounded with my mission peers.  I have a slight fear that no one will be able to relate to me and share the joy that I feel, because they won't know what it was like to get to this point. I love my mission so much and want to squeeze every possible ounce of what it has to offer before I come home. Missions are real life.  I'm grateful for the time that I have had to walk through fire because  now I feel like I am stronger and more refined.  I have become a northwesterner. Remember to always find the silver lining.  This is a beautiful life.
 
Love,
Sister Baylon

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