Strength in Sundaes

email 03 Mar 2015

Hello errbody!

This week has been a little crazy. We have no one to teach. Nada. Zip. So you know what that means! A lot of trying to find people to teach! Yaaaaaay! Knocking on doors gets really old really fast. And honestly it's not very productive. SO we tried to think of some fun ways to find people to teach! The one we tried this past week was a youth party. Some youth invited some friends over who might be interested in being taught and we played some games and then had a lesson with them! The lesson went like this... 

We had a blank ice-cream sundae which represents our life when we haven't made any mistakes yet. But everyone messes up sometimes. Maybe we cheat on a test (put on mustard) cuss (dog food) bully (dirt) (we had them come up with the mistakes. While we put on more gross toppings) After that we asked them who wanted to eat this sundae. Of course no one did. (I'm glad no one did). But what do we do with it?? It's still good food and we don't want to waste it. Heavenly Father knows that our sundae, no matter how gross, has to be eaten. It's what justice requires. But that's why he provided our Savior, Jesus Christ. To eat our sundae so the food isn't wasted. And so that we can get a new fresh sundae. Jesus Christ is willing to eat as many bad sundaes as He needs to to help us return to our Father in Heaven.  The part I loved about this lesson was that we not only got rid of the bad things, but with our new sundae we replaced the bad with good things in our life like family, scripture study, church, prayer. And at the end, everyone got a yummy sundae!!! It was a really fun lesson and hopefully we will be able to teach some of the youth that were there:) 

It seems the theme of this week in my studies has been being strengthened through Christ. I'm not going to lie...this has been a hard transfer for me so far. And I've definitely needed some extra strength. I was reading in 1 Nephi 7:16-17. Nephi's brothers bound him up with cords. And in 17 Nephi prays to Heavenly Father to give him the strength to break the bands. When I read that, it touched my heart. I had been praying for Heavenly Father to just take my hardships away. Maybe I wasn't praying for that, but that's what I expected and wanted to happen!!! And it reminded me of the reason we have trials. The reason why we are here on this earth. It's to be strengthened. It's so that we can learn, grow, and come closer to our Heavenly Father and our Savior. These are truths I already knew...but I definitely needed a reminder. 

I've been learning a ton this week through my experiences, my studies, my companion, and my area. I know that I am here in the Ben Lomond Stake for a reason. I know that I am with Sister Wharton for a reason. And I know that Heavenly Father is aware of every single thing in my life and in my heart. And He is not leaving me comfortless. Nor any of us. (John 14:18)

Also last fun fact, the new mission president for the Houston South mission is in my stake!!! 

Love ya lots! 
Sister Sarlls