Message in a Bottle

Communication on a Mission

While on a mission, you are required to spend most of your time working. However! There is one day a week where you are permitted to write an e-mail home. Besides that e-mail to family, the only other communication you can have is through letters. All the letters have to be written on that one day.

I have been on my mission for almost seven months now. I have learned that to successfully get all of my letters written, I have to be organized and prepared.

1. Throughout the week, I take notes on funny or significant things that happen. I have these notes by me while I write.

2. I keep a booklet with everyone's addresses so that I do not have to rifle through old letters to find them!

3. I keep all of my letter writing stuff in a box. Pens, envelopes, paper, stickers, markers, stamps - you name it, it is in the box!

4. I bring snacks. Chocolates or gummies are preferred :)

5. I write in comfort. In the picture above, I am by the heater and propped up on a pillow. Perfect!

I do a pretty good job of staying in touch with people. I have limited time, but if I handle it well, I can get a lot done. The best part is, that when I do a good job writing people, they write me back! I love getting letters on my mission. It is the only time I get to hear from people! They make me laugh and they make me feel loved. Sometimes I even get pictures!

When we use our time and skills wisely, we can get quite a bit done. The Lord understands this. Sometimes He will give us enormous jobs to do! But, I would like to think that they can all be tackled if we use our time and skills wisely.

Champion good! Use the time! Use the skills!

The Holy Spirit

"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." (Acts chapter 5 verse 32)

What is the Holy Ghost? The Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is a heavenly being that communicates with our spirits. He witnesses of truth to us so that we are able to recognize it.  We have to be worthy of having his help though. If we are obeying God's commandments we are able to have the Holy Ghost with us more.

What does the Holy Ghost feel like? I have been thinking about this lately. You know what it feels like to be thirsty? Then what it feels like to finally drink? The Holy Ghost feels like that. It satisfies a spiritual need for relief.

You know how it feels to be greasy and dirty, then to take a thorough, hot, soapy shower? The Holy Ghost makes you feel like that. It makes you feel fresh and clean spiritually.

You know how if feels to be lonely, and then hear from someone who loves you a lot? The Holy Ghost feels like that. You remember your worth and are reminded of the abiding relationship you have with God.

Here are two quotes that I like,

"We can recognize when the Holy Ghost is teaching us the truth. Our minds will be filled with inspiring and uplifting thoughts. We will be enlightened, or given new knowledge. Our hearts will have feelings of peace, joy, and love. We will want to do good and be helpful to others. These feelings are hard to describe but can be recognized as we experience them." (Preach My Gospel, p. 73)

"The Holy Ghost has a sanctifying, cleansing effect upon us. The Holy Ghost testifies of Christ and helps us recognize the truth. He provides spiritual strength and helps us do what is right. He comforts us during times of trial or sorrow. He warns us of spiritual or physical danger. The Holy Ghost  provides the power by which we teach and learn. The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of our Heavenly Father's most precious gifts. Through the power of the Holy Ghost we can feel God's love and direction for us. This gift is a foretaste of eternal joy and a promise of eternal life." (Preach My Gospel, p. 65)

Seek the Holy Ghost. It makes you happier, cleaner, and loved.

Champion good! Feel the Holy Ghost!

Thoughts on Prayer

Silent or spoken, God hears all prayers. Full of faith or hesitant, God welcomes all prayers. Children and adults alike can pray to the Lord about what they care about. We get to know God and trust Him through the conversations we have with God through prayer! Families and groups of people are united through prayer. Jesus Christ set the example for us. Everyone, even He, can and should pray.

What should we pray about? Everything! One of the songs I like says,

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near.

(Prayer is the Soul's Sincere Desire. Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 145).

Everything in life that we sigh over, that we cry over, or that we need outside help on is something that we can pray about. More than that, we can thank God for what makes us happy, laugh, or proud. If we pray, God hears and answers. Remember, He's our Heavenly Father and He wants to stay in close touch with us, His children.

Champion good! Stay in touch with prayer!



I am a Missionary

Missionary: Someone sent on a mission.

The word mission makes me think of soldiers. Soldiers go on special missions to accomplish objectives for their country. Wherever they go, they represent their country and their conduct reflects upon their country. I am not in the military, but six months ago I volunteered to go on a mission. My assignment and objective was to be a representative of Jesus Christ wherever I was sent. My conduct would reflect my belief in Him and help others recognize His love for us. 

I try to represent Him by doing the kinds of things He would do.What kinds of things would Jesus do? The scriptures say, " [He] went about doing good" (Acts chapter 10 verse 38). So, I try to do the same.

The past few weeks over Christmas I have had the chance to see a lot of good done. I have helped as well as simply observed. For instance,  the other missionaries and I loaded truckloads of garbage from a young family's backyard and took it to the dump for no charge. Now, those kids have a nice backyard to play in! Families from our church have provided food and presents for me and my companion to deliver to the unfortunate. Others have donated money and time to help us in our work. I have felt Christ's love for others this Christmas. I have felt it by sharing it and watching others do the same. It is extremely satisfying to know that, at least for this Christmas, I can say -  mission accomplished.

Some of the missionaries here in Santa Rosa!

My Newest Friend

Today I took a trip. I woke up early this morning and barely managed to get dressed before hitting the road. My companion and I (I am accompanied by another missionary, called a companion, at all times for safety) did not drive our car this morning. We were given a ride by a wonderful, older woman whom I will call Sister S.

Sister S. is small. She looks frail, her back is bunched up around her shoulders, and her face is wizened. Her hair is sprayed carefully into a wispy bun that looks like it could float right off of her head! Though tiny and thin, her appearance is deceiving. She is a ball of energy! Her bright blue eyes shine out of her carefully made up face. This morning she was prompt, her clothes were pressed and starched, and regardless of the early hour her intellect was quick and funny.

We talked for two hours. She and I had a remarkable amount in common. She loves history. As we shared our wishes to see castles and artifacts, we found that I liked ancient languages while she likes archeology. I could see it in my mind: me as a young Indiana Jones and Sister S. as my partner in discoveries! I told her this and she laughed, but agreed it would be fun.

We talked about our families and childhoods. Neither one of us likes swimming too awfully much, but we both like the beach. She likes homemade bread, and so do I. We both think it would be a lot of fun, or at least educational, to work on a farm. Just to try it! And we were able to have a healthy conversation about the finer points of hot chocolate consumption (very important in any relationship, right?)

I took mental notes on her life, trying to keep all of the pieces that might apply to mine. She laughed at my stories and shared more of hers. I was happy to find someone with similar interests. She has lived more life than I have, but I hope I live mine as well as she has lived hers.

I guess that is what friends are for. Did you know that Christ calls us His friends?

"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." (St. John chapter 15 verse 15)

Champion good! Make friends! Be grateful for the friends you have! Be a friend! Look at Christ as a friend!

Yay for friends!

My Dad

In my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) we talk about Heavenly Father or God, all of the time. Usually I skip over the father part and just think of Him as God. But lately, I have been trying to think of Him as more of a father, or my Heavenly Dad.

Depending on who you are, you have a dad that you like, a dad that you do not like, a step-dad, a father figure, many dads, or no dad at all. Maybe you are a dad! Whatever kind of dad you have had (or have not had) or are, that person influences how you feel about dads and what a dad should be and do. My dad has certainly effected my feelings about dads. Regardless of who that dad-person is for you, a good dad can teach us more about our Heavenly Father, or Heavenly Dad. That is where my dad comes in.

I am lucky to have a really good dad. He likes to sing. He is not a bad dancer. He likes fishing. He likes to play sports. He cannot spell. He dabbles in cooking and he is always around his family if he is not at work. He works as a physical therapist and specializes in working with the elderly. He likes telling us his patients' WWII stories. He loves those wrinkled up, full of attitude and wisdom, and often crazy elderly people. He buys my mom flowers, makes her breakfast sometimes, sings her goofy renditions of Elvis songs, and always kisses her when he gets home. He is a little tight with money, but he gets over it, especially if there are roller coasters or steam trains involved. He takes us all to church and he prays and reads his scriptures everyday. He is patriotic. He hates asparagus, but loves raisins.

My dad is great. He is definitely a good dad. So if we use my dad as an example, let's see how a Heavenly Father might behave towards His kids, us! (Try this with examples from your dad-person. It is better that way.)

He is the type of Heavenly Dad who would go running with me every morning for three months to help me get ready for my four mile race.

He is the type of Heavenly Dad who sits me down and makes me practice my piano songs because it is good for me.

He teaches me to use power tools.

If He is anything like my dad then when I come down the stairs all dolled up for a date He says "Well, it looks like I need to go get my gun!"

If He is like my dad He laughs so hard that tears come from his eyes!

If He is anything like my dad, then He loves me no matter what and helps me be my best self.

I like that. Heavenly Father is God, yes, but He is my Heavenly Dad too.

"Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection [trained, disciplined] unto the Father of spirits, and live?" (Hebrews chapter 12 verse 9)

Champion good! Get closer to your Heavenly Dad!

My dad and a steam train in Tennessee

Art Speaks!

Art is a wonderful thing. It is like body language. You do not need to speak to communicate a thought or a feeling. In body language you can nod, wink, stick out your tongue, wince or raise an eyebrow and others will know what you are thinking! Like body language, art is silent, but it expresses so much, entire stories, without any sound at all.  Though silent, it still speaks.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to the crèche festival. In Virginia my family and I would go to the Washington D.C. Mormon Temple Visitor's Center crèche festival. It displayed hundreds of crèches (scenes of Christ's birth) from around the world. (If you want to read the story of Christ's birth it is found in Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:26-38; and Luke 2:1-20 in the Holy Bible). Each individual crèche is beautiful. They are very different from each other. Some are glass, some are paper, some are wood. Some are fancy and some are simple but all help me imagine what the first moments of Christ's life were like.

Last week I went to the crèche festival held in Santa Rosa, California. Here are some of the pieces I liked the best. I hope they speak to you about Christ's life.

Merry Christmas everyone! Champion good! Enjoy crèche art!