Sister Avery has been assigned to the Washington Spokane Mission, while awaiting her visa to Portugal.
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| I love the VanGough Star Wars Shirt! |
This week has been incredibly eventful, what
with all of the devotionals and preparations for departure. It doesn't
seem real that my time at the MTC is coming to a close. I feel as though
I have been born and lived my whole life here, but soon it's going to
be replaced by new places and experiences.
This
morning my heart is full as I reflect on my time here. I have been so
incredibly blessed and have learned so much about life in a short seven
weeks.
I've learned a lot about what it means
to love and let go while in the Missionary Training Center. In many
ways, love is letting go. It's letting go of past disagreements, it's
letting go of small things that drive you crazy, and it's letting go of
those you hold most dear. It's letting go of what you think you know,
and trusting that the Lord knows best. It's letting go of your own
fears, worries, and concerns so that you can lift someone else up and
remind them that the Savior will NEVER let go.
Something
that I've struggled with is accepting that I have no control over what
happens right now, and I've found myself on my knees more than ever as
I've begged for the strength to relinquish my life and let it into the
Lord's hands. But I testify with all of my heart that God has heard my
prayers. He knows my name, He knows what I need, and He has a plan for
me that I'm only just starting to understand. There are so many things
that I can't control in my life right now and that's okay, because I'm
in His hands.
But I can control my attitude. I
don't care what happens, I have made the choice to be happy and live in
an attitude of gratitude to my Father in Heaven every single day. That
has been my greatest strength these past weeks, as I've been able to
find the joy through Christ and hope in the knowledge that every day is a
new day with new opportunities. And honestly? I have never been so
happy in my whole life as I have been these past seven weeks - doctors
visits and all. Happiness is not freedom from trials and worries, but a
knowledge that you aren't defined by them.
While
parting ways this week has been and will be hard, I am eternally
grateful for the opportunity that I have had to love people so much that
it hurts so badly to say goodbye. The people in my District have
impacted my life forever, inspiring me and strengthening me to be so
much more than I am. I'm indebted to my teachers who have paved the way
and showed me the true meaning of selflessness and diligence. I would
not trade this experience for the whole world.
Sou
muito grata pela opportunidade para servir e ensinar o povo de
Washington e Portugal, e esta experiencia com meu distrito. Eu sei que
nos somos filhos de Deus, e Ele nos enviou a Terra para apprender,
crescer, e servir nossos irmaos. Sim, nos temos Pais Eternos, e nos
podemos viver com nossas familias para a eternade atraves da Expiacao de
Cristo. Eu sei que Deus sempre escuta as nossas oracoes e que nos
podemos receber as repostas de nossas perguntas por meio das escrituras e
o Espirito. Nos somos amados por Deus. Eu posso sentir o amor de Deus
em minha vida, e eu sei que voce pode tambem, se voce exercisa sua fe e
agir por nos mesmos. Seguir Jesus Cristo, e voce vai ter alegria em sua
vida para sempre.
My invitation for this week
is to ask yourself what you would give to live with your family forever.
Who would you be? What would you do? How would you act, so that you
could be with your family for eternity? I know that we have this power
through Jesus Christ, to be reunited with those we've lost or gone
before us, but we must take the steps forward and let Him into our
lives.
Take care and remember that you are
loved! You are all in my prayers and I am so excited to see what life
has in store for all of us.
Happy New Year!!! Make this one a great one! I already know it's going to be the best year of my life so far :)
Amo vos com todo de meu coracao!
Sister Avery
(Sorry, I didn't feel like typing on my iPad, so there are no accents and my Portuguese is probably awful XD )
