The MTC in Photos - It was a great week!

Birthday Love!

 Celebrating MTC Style

Yorktown Ward Represents!

Adios MTC!

Another day another dollar...

 

This week was great! Especially because it was MY BIRTHDAY 22 years old. Lots of great cards and packages thank you everyone! I had a really fun day. All of the elders wrote me cards which was nice, sisters gave me lots of candy and then an elder from Brazil sang Taylor Swifts 22 to me. It was fun. And it was Sunday which is like the best day of the week so it was a win win all around! Besides that nothing really new here Spanish is hard but coming along as always. Last night Piggott and I were in the choir again at the MTC it was so funny though because we were in the back so naturally we were joking around not taking it too seriously but all the girls around us were death glaring us, then the conducter said something about like mezzoforte or something idk? anyways then i was like ohhhh is that what these fs are on the page and everyone around us just busted up laughing it was so funny. maybe you had to be there idk.

 

Oh last night someone named Robert C. Gay came and spoke to us I am almost positive he used to live in the Newtown ward and then he was a mission pres in Africa is this true? Anyways he gave an amazing talk and we all loved it.

 

Yesterday we spoke with a girl on skype from SPAIN! She was so cool. Anyways she is preparing for her mission and stuff so we were talking about our missions and stuff it was really fun. We do it to mostly practice our Spanish which is helpful. Anyways, I started bearing my testimony and then I said Yo amo mi mission. And all of the sudden it clicked in my head I love my mission! I love it so much I almost started crying! My heart was just so full, I am so grateful to have this experience and to grow and learn in way I never have before. It has truly been incredible and I am only one month + one week in! Can't wait to see what the field holds. Another cool experience I had this week was in class the other day our teacher was talking to us about focusing on our missions and giving the will to the Lord. We have been reading the 4th missionary as a district so giving my will to the Lord has been on my mind a lot. Especially because it has been really hard for me to forget about what is going on at home or with friends or whatever. Anyways we read in Romans 8 which is one of my favorite chapters of scripture I forget what verses but the ones about hope really hit me. The future is going to happen no matter what, whatever is going to be fulfilled will be fulfilled and I just need to foucs on right now. I don't need to worry about my future job or school or anything I just need to focus on being a good missionary and doing the Lords work and everything will work out! It was just really helpful for me.

 

Nothing else to exciting has really been happening. Just finishing up our last week at the MTC and then off to California!!!! I can't wait! I especially can't wait to baptize Mark Zuckerberg!! Jk jk

 

Also there is a worldwide broadcast for the Church on Sunday night 4pm my time, EVERYONE should watch it!! It is being broadcast from the Marriott center so I will be there! It is going to be an awesome meeting the 12 and the First Presidency will be there it is going to be very exciting and maybe you will get to see me on TV :)

 

Yo se que este iglesia es verdadera.

 

Adios! Con todo mi amor y mi corazon

 

Hermana Fischetti

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DONT FORGET MY BIRTHDAY IS ON SUNDAY I BETTER GET A LOT OF MAIL

ONE MONTH DOWN!!! 17 to go.

This week was pretty sweet. I can't even explain how happy I am. I don't think I have ever felt so happy in my whole life! Seriously this work is awesome. We have taught a lot of great lessons and I just feel great all around. Everyone morning I wake up singing in my head "and wake up and do something more than dream of your mansions above..." lolz but really helps me get out of bed. I am used to waking up so early that this morning we slept in because it is P day and we couldn't sleep past 715... I mean am I the same person? I don't even know. It is good though because then we accomplish so much. Piggott and I have been working so hard this week and its been making a huge difference. Our language is really coming along and our lessons have been incredible. Last night we had our first Tuesday Devotional at the Marriott because there are so many missionaries! It was incredible we sang in the choir that was a little rough but still its great. Amazing that there are so many missionaries we are seriously an army.

This week I used my whoopy cushion under the door of a class whoops got in some trouble lol

I don't have a lot to write because we do the same thing all week. On Monday Piggott and I taught a lesson to an investigator about Alma 32 and faith. It went really well the whole time, her spanish is getting SO good and it was great. Then at the end I felt impressed to share my testimony that Christ is our Savior. During it I have never felt the Spirit so strong it was one of the most special spiritual experiences of my life. I wish I could put it into words to explain it but I can't. It was just the sweetest thing and I have been riding a spiritual high off of it since then. Seriously you could feel the Spirit around us wow it was awesome.

On Sunday night we watched an old devotional given by David A Bednar called Character of Christ. Oh my gosh it was so powerful I wish ya'll could watch it but you can't because it is an MTC devotional. If you want my notes from it let me know because it is the best thing I have ever heard in my whole life. He talked a lot about losing ourselves and turning outward towards other people in service, and then the Lord will find us. I am trying my very best to lose myself and focus on the future. I hope that as I devote my whole mind soul everything to the Lord one day I will come home from my mission knowing I gave it my absolute all and the Lord will help me figure out what is next. I don't need to worry about it now. He also said Saint means becoming more like the Savior not just working hard. I have been trying to focus on that too. To not just work hard to learn the lang or understand the lessons but to develop Christ like qualities and be the most like Christ I can possibly be. This Gospel is seriously incredible.

Also we had a really great devotional last night by someone from the 70 Elder Arnold. He gave a great talk about the things we need to do to be great missionaries. He talked about seeing the best in others, seeing our investigators not as they are but who they can be through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Everything he said was awesome and I hope I can start doing this more especially when sisters or elders in my district drive me a little nuts lol.

This morning the elders switched over our laundry for us... we are obviously a litttle to comfortable with each other. We are actually all like family haha. Can't believe I will be leaving in 2 weeks I am SOOOO excited to get out to the field but also sad the MTC is almost over which is surprising. The district next to us are our best friends and they leave on Monday we are all so sad it is going to be so weird without all of them here. Also if anyone wanted an update on my VolleyBall skills I am basically a professional now. We straight kill it in gym now. It is so fun I am going to miss everyone so much!! I am the only one going to San Jose so it is kind of a bummer. After the mish we are all going to Lake Powell on one of their houseboats and reuniting its going to be a blast.

Alma 27: 17-18

Hermana Fischetti

 Have a Slothy Day!

P.S. Mom- can you email me the return shipping form from gap.com/shipping I can't access it and they didn't send one in the package and I don't want to have to pay to ship it when it can be free. Also can you send me a laminated picture that can fit in my scrips of my Baptism with Grandpa and also when we were sealed at the temple? thanks!!

  

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Haga jugadas, page derechos (make moves pay dues)

HOOOLLAAAA

Hope everyone is doing well. If you are reading this send me an email or write me a dear elder... I miss my friends and family! Anyways this has been an awesome week. Lots of fun as always and lots of spiritual stuff. For gym time this week we played volleyball everyday, and I am so so bad at it. The first time we played I would run away from the ball because I was scared, but now I am getting a lot better! We have so much fun and we play outside so everyone just yells and we all get our energy out. We are so close as a whole zone and we all do everything together its always a blast. It is crazy how close we are. I never really expected to make new friends on my mission I don't really know why but seriously I have made so many best friends already. We are planning reunions and figuring out where we will all live when we get back to Provo. So much fun. Liz came and visited me at the temple this week!!! It was the BEST seriously THE BEST. Oh I also saw Brookies nana here last night, nothing better than seeing familiar faces. Cant believe they are going to London Brooke that is going to be SO AWESOME. I gave her a big hug for you. She also has a picture of us on her phone I think I helped her text it to you but if not ask her.

We got a new district in our zone last week, and for some reason they all call me abuela (grandma) because I am the oldest by 2 years pretty much. So I call them my ninitos (little children) it is really funny. We are getting a new district of 8 elders today and we are all so excited. It is weird because I am the same age as all the teachers so we are like friends but everyone else thinks they are so old and mature lol. Also the elders in our district are seriously nuts, its hysterical. At night time they have been making videos of making each other pass out... its so weird but so funny. Also kind of dangerous. cualquievs. We have started to make up out own language abbreviating spanish words and making english phrases into spanish. the teachers hate but also i know they love it.

Our lessons have been going well we are so awesome at teaching together, I dont mean it in a bragging way but we just read each others minds in every single lesson its incredible. ill think something and she will say it and vice versa. We are best friends, I could not have gotten any luckier. Everyone has started calling us the twins because we look a little bit alike but also tease each other in funny ways like siblings. We have so much fun together. Seriously every person on earth should go on a mission. First of all you have a holiday every week... P day. Tuesday night is actually Christmas eve and the PDAY morning is Christmas morning. Who wouldn't want that. But also I am learning the best life habits ever. Waking up early, doing work all day, going to bed at a normal hour... I hope I am like this the rest of my life. And  I go to bed and wake up grinning seriously everyday. No matter how hard the work is or how frustrating at times it can be, I have never felt so much joy in my whole life. It is the best! Everyone should read the talk Road to Damascus by Dieter Uchtdorf. I am really working on applying this principal in my life. The only times I get down is when I start looking back and missing things or people or fun times we all had. But as soon as I change my view and look to all the amazing times to come, I get so happy again. No reason to dwell in the past.  Also when we are dwelling in the past we miss opportunities to teach serve and meet new people. Life is full of endless possiblities don't lose them.

On Sunday we had fast sunday... kill me. But because of that we had mission conference where we heard from the entire mission presidency here it was awesome. President Nally spoke about the Doctrine of Christ, but at the beginning he spoke about 11 missionaries who serve here at the MTC for 2 years because they are mentally and physically challenged. They have had 110 baptisms this year alone, seriously on fire. He had 2 of them bear their testimonies and I think the whole room was in tears. It is amazing to see their dedication to the Lord, if they can do it I can do it. It made me think too of all the fun times we had with Brandon Logan and graysons other boys. So much fun, I really want to do something with handicapped children in the future. I am so glad michael got to participate in the special olympics, that is so cool!! I was just so touched by the experience I wish everyone could have heard their testimonies.

If someone could please send me the lyrics to hot cheetos and takis I would love you forever. And when I say please I mean do it ASAP.

Finally, I was studying Alma 17 yesterday. I remember reading vs. 2 when all my friends were out on missions and thinking I can't wait to be reunited with them. Now its the other way around. So you all better be working hard and still be my brethern or sisters in the Lord when I see you in 17 or so months!!

Sorry if my english is very poor, we try and only speak spanish so I am actually forgetting the language i spoke for 22 years.

"I don't know how to get anything done except getting on my knees and pleading for help and then getting on my feet and going to work." - President Hinckley

Love you all to the MOON AND BACK!

Hermana Fischetti

P.S. Aly if you read this send me your email so I can email you

P.P.S. Michael Watterson if you read this and don't write me soon I will come home from my mission and kill you

P.P.P.S If someone could find me an instrumental version of Taylor Swifts 22 put it on a CD with other songs by the Piano Guys then send it to me I will love you forever

Week 2 straight killing it

What's up?! So this week was same as always. Nothing really too exciting since last week except that time is flying by. I feel like I was just sitting at this computer last time. Sundays are my new favorite day because we watch Music and the Spoken Word and it's basically like a nature video. I feel like I am actually watching Planet Earth - it's the best. Two nights ago, we were telling scary spooky demon stories - it was nuts. Like people in my district have cast out evil spirits before I am not sure if this is okay to post but whatev. So yeah that was super crazy. We also spend a pretty good amount of time talking about clones, zombie apocolypse and what not so nothing new has really changed for me. Don't worry, I am super focused, but sometimes you just need a brain breather after learning how to conjugate irregular verbs amiright?! Someone tell Erin that I literally walked by her house on the way to the health center the other day, I kept praying I would see her but alas, I did not. Spanish is coming along, we have 2 new investigators, which are just teachers, but it is still cool to feel the Spirit and start to learn how to teach. It is so exhausting though. The past few days have been really good, I am finally getting used to the schedule and what not. My companion is seriously the bomb.com. We get along soooo well. We are going to live together when we get back until her missionary gets home and they get married. Oh, one funny thing - I don't know if this is appropriate or not, but again cualquier (whatever). So in devotional last night, the speaker talked about the example of his grandson and how he always slept with a picture of Christ next to his bed. So in the testimony meeting after, Elder Miller bore his testimony and said I hope we can all sleep with Christ in our bed every night. Me, Hermana Piggott, Hermana Tracy and Elder Tipton almost peed in our pants trying to hold in our laughter. It just sounded so funny. Luckily, no one actually started laughing because the Branch President was giving us the evil eye lolol. The things that make us laugh nowadays lol. Another thing that is funny is that some Elders asked me on the first day if I was Italian and I said yes, but then they told other people that I am from Italy... lol so for like a week, everyone thought I was some awesome exotic Italian... obvs they still think I'm awesome, but it was just funny when they found out I am just from New York and my family left Italy like 3 generations ago. But I guess I look exactly like someone in my zone's best friend who was born in Italy. So that is cool. When I get home, I am moving there to be among my people. Elder Miller, sorry I always tell stories about him but he is really the only funny one, but he was trying to get us like happy about the day, I dont really know anyways. So his mantra is now "another day, another dollar... celestial dollar". Everyday we earn dollars towards our salvation. whenever anyone is getting down in the district we always say that and everyone starts laughing and it's happy again. Also, I haven't tripped once since I have been at the MTC - serious blessing for being a missionary!!

I have really been focusing on just turning my will to the Lord's. Some days it is really hard because I just want to be me and do what I want, but I can't because this is what I chose to do. But I am learning that if we can give up our desires, our wants, and even our sins, see Alma 22:18, then we truly can be blessed and become what God needs us to be. And when we can become what God needs us to be, we will be so HAPPY. That is what it is all about, finding true, enduring happiness and peace about our lives, choices, families, and everything. I know that sometimes we think it is easy to do fun things now and forget about the Lord. But the thing is those fun things go away and you are left with nothing. But, when we are close to the Lord, he never forsakes us - through thick and thin. Sometimes it's hard learning Spanish because we don't spend as much time learning Gospel principles, but there is balance in everything and my testimony has grown more in 2 weeks than it has in 21 years. I love this Church and I love the blessings it provides in our lives and the comfort it can bring during times of trial. Everyone read 1 Corinthians and study Paul, I just love it. Especially chapters 13 and 15. Man so good. This week I also read Jacob 5 in the Book of Mormon, and never before have I so clearly understood or wanted to understand the allegory. It is so beautiful!!! My favorite verse is verse 50- I can just imagine Christ pleading before the Father saying spare Caitlin a little longer. She can do it. She will be better, I know it. I love the scriptures in a totally new way now. They really can be our personal liahonas.

During the funeral of Sister Monson, Eyring quoted President Monson saying "memories provide the June roses of the Decembers of our lives." I love that. Whenever I get sad or down or tired, I just think about all the wonderful people and memories I have at home and school and know that I can do this. I love you all so much! I miss you all even more than you probably imagine!

Can someone in the family please print out a few photos and give them to Grammy? Thanks! I told her I would send her a few, but we don't have a photo printer here! Also, I am really worried I am getting fat so everyone please send me workouts especially insanity workouts.

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!

Hermana Fischetti

First week down!

Hola mis familias y mis amigos. I have finished my first week in the MTC. The first part of the week was pretty rough. They just kind of throw you into it and you just have to deal. Everything was Spanish, which was overwhelming! By Saturday, I was like why the quan am I here, I just want to sleep in and watch some TV.  But then Sunday came, everyone always says make it to Sunday and it is so so true. It was the best day. I seriously felt the Spirit all day and just had so much time to study my scriptures. Then we went to the temple to hang out on the grass, I took a nap and it was just so great. Our district is awesome also. My companion's name is Hermana Piggott and she is so awesome! She is from Provo and just turned 19. We get along so well and we both help each other a lot- I help her with Spanish, and she helps me stay obedient. It is so great. So on Friday night, we started teaching lessons in Spanish. It was so stressful, but it is amazing how much came back to me. We taught our investigator, Armando, about prayer.  So they use fake investigators, they are just teachers at the MTC- anyways, so Armando was a student I TA'd last semester. funny right??  The first couple of lessons were rough because we don't speak Spanish very well.  But then our last lesson, which was yesterday, was AMAZING.  Seriously, Hermana Piggott and I straight killed it.  Our Spanish was so much better and we taught about Joseph Smith and the doctrine of Christ. When I taught about the Atonement, I have never felt the spirit so strong in my whole life.  It was like my heart was just on fire, it felt amazing. The Atonement is such a beautiful thing and it's the most important thing we can teach because without it, we have no hope for a life after this.

Anyways, my district is super fun. everyone is super obedient which can at times be exhausting - but it is good for me.  One Elder, Elder Miller, is really funny and goofy so it keeps everything light. We talked about Game of Thrones, LOTR and Zombie Apocalypse for like 2 hours yesterday.  It was great.  We all have a lot of fun together.  One morning, I woke up, forgot where I was, and nailed my head on the wall. I was so dizzy all day after that. lol

Last night, we had a devotional from a member of the 70. I forget his name, but it was incredible. He talked about the doctrine of Christ mostly, but at the beginning he said "you are not alone. those that are with us are more than with them." I sort of started crying, I could just feel the love of my Heavenly Father so strongly, but also the love of those that have passed to the other side so much. Like I could just feel Grandpa and Uncle Bob and even Scott just cheering me on, telling me I can do this. It gave me so much hope as I do this great work.

Everyone please write me more letters. I get the least amount out of my district and it is not okay. Write me on dearelder.com or please send me handwritten letters.

Today is p-day (preparation day).  Last night was like Christmas Eve getting ready to email. I exercise every day now so basically I'm super shredded. I am very afraid of gaining weight, but I haven't yet. woohoooo. We are going to do a session at the temple today at like 3:20 so that is great!  And also we are going to nap outside and work on our tans.

I am pretty much fluent at Spanish already... lol JKKKK It is so hard but also really good. I love learning Spanish, it is so fun.

One funny thing that happened this week. We are only supposed to go on email on p-day, and no Google or Youtube or regular music ever.  Anyways, Hermana and I are studying on the computers with this language program, and all the sudden 4 Elders come in like yelling, slam the door shut, start throwing chairs and it was a ruckus. Then they get on the computer, start playing Macklemore and are on Facebook and doing crazy stuff. Seriously crazy. Hermana and I were like SO freaked out and so scared. We are so innocent lol. We laughed after it but it was actually frightening, I can't even explain why, but it just goes to show how awkward and weird I am going to be when I get home.

Also, if someone could please stay on top of sending me news updates I would appreciate it because for some reason outside rumors are crazy here. Like someone said yesterday that Obama is being impeached, Americans blew up an Arab embassy in the US and all this other stuff... I don't think it is real so I need some reality, thanks!!!

Here are a couple of pictures from this week.

Love everyone so much!!!!  I am so happy and this work is so great!!

Reppin BYU Lax for lyfe Gray, Mike, Nicky write me!

Caitlin

p.s. I'll email around this time (930-1030 mst) every week I am here so get on and chat with me!

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See ya later!

Here is my farewell talk- I am being set apart tomorrow and will be off to Utah on Tuesday. See you all in 18 months, write me lots!

 

Good morning brothers and sisters. My name is Caitlin Fischetti, and I have been in this ward since I was born. As my mom likes to say, it takes a village to raise a child, and I can definitely say that was true for me. I would like to wish every woman in this ward a Happy Mother’s Day, because even if you don’t have children of your own, you have been a mother to me by influencing our family and my own personal Gospel growth in this ward. I have many mothers in this ward, that have helped me grow and have shaped who I have become. Most importantly though, I would like to wish my mom a happy mother’s day because she is the greatest mom in the whole world. As many of you know I am leaving for my mission this week, so if you could show her a little extra love right now, I would really appreciate it.

Today I have been asked to speak about being a partaker of the divine nature which I heard is also related to the young women’s theme this year. To be a partaker in something means action, you need to actively participate to receive. This scripture calls us to then be active and involved in our divine nature. For us to stand up and do that, we must first understand our divine nature. We are literal descendents of our Heavenly Father, which means our very nature is to be like Him, we inherited qualities from Him just like we inherited traits from our earthly parents. I personally feel that many of the spiritual gifts we receive, are like our spiritual DNA. We know our purpose here on Earth is to use our spiritual gifts, and our heart, mind, and soul to become better and prepare to return to live with our Heavenly Father. This earthly probation is a necessary step in the plan of salvation. I believe this knowledge, the idea that this is a period of trial so we can progress, is a part of our divine nature. We inherently desire to progress, to become better than what we once were. This is the desire of our hearts, to one day be perfected. What is this perfection we can one day reach? While salvation is a wonderful blessing from on high, exaltation is so glorious we can hardly even imagine it. It is the ability for us to continue to learn and create. To be exalted on high, to become like Gods and Goddesses that is our eternal destiny, and this mortal probation is to prepare us for that. Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and his glory- the purpose for this magnificent universe- is to save and exalt mankind. In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.”

We have this unlimited potential! We can become creators of vast expanses, we can do anything, we can become anything! I believe that is why this Gospel is requires so much investment of time, energy, and talents. It is all about progression, learning to better ourselves, and growing and learning even through our trials. We can not, we absolutely must not sit idly by and hope our testimonies grow stronger. We work at them constantly by being active in our wards, praying and reading scriptures daily. Likewise, we don’t take the exaltation of our fellow men lightly either. We believe in being constantly involved in missionary work, and serving those around us. We believe in a community that can work together to return to a loving Heavenly Father. We believe in saving ourselves, but also our families, our ward members, and our kindred dead. What a blessing that is.

My roommate always likes to tell me, “You are doing better than you think you are, but you could be doing better.” This is very true for me. Over the past several years I have grown a lot at BYU. I have had the best four years of my life. As much as I have grown socially and emotionally, luckily not so physically, I have a lot to go spiritually. Many people say your 20s are there to help you figure out who you are and what you want. I have realized how easy it is to get lost over the past few years. I have been very lost at times, far from the light the Gospel can provide. Jeffrey R. Holland said “You are literally a spirit daughter of heavenly parents with a divine nature and an eternal destiny. ¹ That surpassing truth should be fixed deep in your soul and be fundamental to every decision you make as you grow into mature womanhood. There could never be a greater authentication of your dignity, your worth, your privileges, and your promise. Your Father in Heaven knows your name and knows your circumstance. He hears your prayers. He knows your hopes and dreams, including your fears and frustrations. And He knows what you can become through faith in Him. Because of this divine heritage you, along with all of your spiritual sisters and brothers, have full equality in His sight and are empowered through obedience to become a rightful heir in His eternal kingdom” Luckily, I always had the inherent knowledge that I was a daughter of God and He loved me.  I never doubted that, and mostly due to that simple knowledge I never drifted far enough from who I am and who I want to be to not make it back. I am so grateful for the Young Women’s program for teaching me and helping me to understand my divine nature. While a lot of Young Women’s is fun activities, girls camp, and group bonding- the most important thing the program instilled in me is the strength we gain when we know who we are and whose we are. I know that I am a daughter of God, but I also know that every person in this room is a child of God. Understanding that vital doctrine allows us to serve one another and be like Christ. One of my favorite themes of the Book of Mormon is the idea of being an instrument in the hands of the Lord. One of the greatest desires of my heart is to be humble enough to be molded by the Lord so I can be used to do his great work. One of my very favorite stories in all of scripture is of Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah. In Chapter 27 the chapter summary reads, “Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah seek to destroy the church.” They had been on a mission to spread all things wicked, to bring down everything his father had taught as prophet of the church. Yet the Lord reaches out to them and Alma the younger has a miraculous experience in which he says in verse 28, “Nevertheless after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.” What a tremendous experience! Now, look at the change we see in Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah in first in 27:36 “and they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of God.” Then in chapter 28 verse 3, “Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.” We can all be like this! If we learn our own divine nature and that our souls have been redeemed, we can quake at the idea of any soul being lost. We can become instruments in the hands of the Lord to bring all unto him.

The foundational knowledge of my divine nature has helped me realize 2 things. 1) Because I am a daughter of God, I have limitless potential and I need to keep working hard. 2) I need to share this beautiful life changing heartwarming message to every person I can. This knowledge that I gained during the Young Women’s program is what inspired me to serve a mission in the first place. I need to go on a mission to be better to become who I am supposed to become. While I won’t be seeing my friends or family, dating or falling in love, or just relaxing for the next 18 months, I will be dedicating my heart and soul to the Lord. This decision was not easy for me. After I broke my back last year, I assumed that a mission was out of the question. I had great plans of internships that would lead to a future career, and finding someone to marry. I was very content with those plans. Obviously, the Lord had something a little different in mind. It took me a while to really get the whole picture. Over the summer last year I started thinking about a mission, but I would shove those thoughts to the farthest corner of my mind because I was having a great summer and I had the greatest friends anyone could ask for out at school. I got back to school and everything was perfect, I really don’t think I have ever been so happy in my entire life. For the first time I felt like I was in the perfect place. Except for this nagging thing I kept pushing away. As I was watching a friend prepare for his mission, I kept thinking about it more and more. One day I just decided okay I will start my papers, if that is what the Lord wants me to do, it will work out, if not I will stay here and pretend like this never happened. Later that day, while sitting in my Doctrine and Covenants class, I was overcome by the Spirit in a way I had never experienced before while reading D&C 38:7 Which reads, “But behold verily verily I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me.” I knew right then and there that without a doubt it was time for me to go on a mission. I knew that Heavenly Father was watching over me and guiding my life in the direction it needed to go.  It took a little while to figure out my papers and the timing of it all, and it wasn’t easy. But, here I am giving my farewell talk about to head into the MTC. The lord will give us inspiration so we can know what path we need to take. He loves us so much, and as long as we are doing our part He will keep in touch and influence our lives.

There have been times in my life where I have felt very alone and very lost. While I was in Young Women’s I struggled a lot with my self worth. High school was not an easy time for me. But, The YW program was a rock for me. I loved the program and the personal strength it gave me. Understanding my divine nature, and individual worth was essential to my growth and allowed me to persevere through tough days. I was so blessed during some of the darkest days of my life because of the simple knowledge that I knew that I had a Heavenly Father who loved me, who cared about me, and would listen and answer my prayers. I just love the light that the Gospel can bring into our lives. It can illuminate anything that was once dark. Luckily, I was raised in this Church so I always knew of my divine nature and divine right to progression. Yet many people are not so fortunate. The next 18 months of my life will be dedicated to helping illuminate the lives of others. To share the simple message of this Gospel- that He lives, and loves us. As Nephi says in 1 Nephi 11:17 “And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” The most important thing of all is that the Lord loves us! The Lord is mindful of everyone, regardless of how unloved we may personally feel. Each one us has a divine spark, our divine nature is not taken away because of choices we make or where we come from. We can always return. Jeffrey R. Holland said, “I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable (in reference to the prodigal son), but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.” I know that this Gospel provides a way for us to become better than we are now. Spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The Lord loves us, I testify that I have a knowledge of his love and concern for us. I know that this Church is true, and am so grateful to be able to serve the people of San Jose California for the next 18 months. I love this Gospel, I love its message and our ability to eternally progress, not just by ourselves but with our families.

I would like to close with a scripture, a psalm Joseph Smith wrote, D&C 128:22 “Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel… Let the mountains shout for joy and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the tress of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!”