For the past few weeks I kept thinking how I really wanted to sit down and write a letter to my dear Hans and Ulla.
Tears streamed down my face during that phone call when I realized it was too late, I'd never get the chance.
On Saturday
I took a trip to Slagelse to go to Ulla's funeral. It was a beautiful
service for a beautiful woman. I'm thankful for the gospel and the
comfort that it brings. The gospel brings us so much peace and so much
hope when we lose our loved ones and when we go through difficult times.
The gospel really can help us find joy and happiness even in the worst
situations.
That's why I'm a missionary... to tell people that
they can be with their families and loved ones forever. To help them
find hope in the knowledge that there is more than just this life.
Now Ulla is a beautiful angel dancing in the Celestial Kingdom.
I'll see my Danish grandma again someday.
Its been a really good week here in Denmark.
Have I told you lately that I love this place? I love it even more when
the sun shines on it :)
But then 5 minutes before the lesson He called to tell us that his daughter was sick and he needed to take her to the doctor.
We
had already traveled all the way out there with a member from our ward,
and we were really bummed that it fell through! We were about to turn
around and go home, but then we thought we might as well stop by one of
our other investigators who lives just a few blocks away. So we knocked
on her door.... and she was home! She said "well this is a lucky
coincidence, I'm normally never home at this time!" (Coincidence?? I
think not!)
It was really unfortunate that our lesson was canceled, but I know
that in the end we ended up exactly where we really needed to be.
Sometimes
I wish that the Lord would just fill out my planner for me... Sometimes
I wish He would guide every single step I take and tell me exactly
where to go and when to go there and who to talk to along the way!
But the Lord trusts us to make our own decisions. We can't just
wait around for inspiration to come, because "often the answer to our
prayers does not come while we're on our knees but while we're on our feet serving the Lord and serving those around us." (Pres Uchtdorf rocks.)
We'll never know if we've made the right decision if we never actually make it.
This
month as a mission we've been studying studying. (Nope that wasn't a
type-o) We've been studying the importance of gospel study and how we
can study better and more effectively. One of the best things about my
mission is that its really taught me to love studying the
scriptures every day! I remember back in high school and college when it
would be so hard to make time to sit down and read the book of mormon.
But back then I didn't understand how incredibly important scripture
study really is and how big of a difference it really makes....
I do now though. It makes a HUGE difference! Think
about Joseph Smith... And how his studying and pondering of the
scriptures as a 14 year old boy changed the entire world. His gospel study lead to the First Vision and the Restoration of the gospel!
Studying the scriptures can have an incredible impact on not only
our lives but the lives of others as well, even future generations.
Last
general conference President Boyd K Packer taught us how important
scripture study is. He said that even though we live in really difficult
times, "peace can be settled in the heart of each who turns to the
scriptures and unlocks the promises of protection and redemption that
are taught therein."
I know it can be hard to find time to sit down and
open up the scriptures back in that fast-paced crazy busy world that you
guys live in! But I know that if you make the time for it and commit to
reading the scriptures every day, even if its just for ten minutes, it
will make the biggest difference in your day and the biggest difference in your life.
I'm pretty sure, actually I'm positive, that the adversary will never take a day off!
So neither should we.
The scriptures are like apples....
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
A chapter a day keeps the devil away.
Haha.
If you already do read the scriptures every day, well then YOU ROCK.
If not, start today! It'll make a difference. It really will.
Have a great week you guys! I love you and miss you and pray for you all.
Don't ever put off telling your loved ones how much you love and appreciate them. You never know what tomorrow holds and you don't ever want to miss your chance.
Jeg elsker jer
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo