WEEK SEVEN: To Always Be With Us

Visiting June a Rest Home. We sang hymns and talked about light

Hi everyone! I thought I'd start out with describing the typical life of a missionary so those of you who haven't served can get a good idea of what it's like and those of you who have can step back into the good ol' times.

•wake up, 6:30.

•go for morning exercise. Run around the same small block 40 times because you don't know where else to run...while listening to the one and only EFY music

•eat the same breakfast as you did yesteday, and the day before. Get ready, then daily plan.

•1 hour personal study of The Book of Mormon and Preach my Gospel

•take bus to a lesson at noon...person doesn't show up. Find other meaningful things to do with your time, smiling and saying hello to every person you pass

•try to strike up a conversation with the guy next to you on the bus then bring up the gospel in the most natural way possible (which I'm still working on)

•give away some pass along cards, go to another lesson and pray that your friend will show up.

•Have tea (or dinner), then companion study

•Get ready for bed w/lights out at 10:30.

•Then repeat, Every. Single. Day.

This week was the first that I've faced repetitive rejection. On my exchange with Sister Kenagawa in Barnsley, we went hours without finding a single person who would listen to us. It was really tough. Imagine the homeless guy on the street that is begging for money...that is what I felt like. I had a small glimpse of what the Savior felt when he came to Earth.

I want to end on a spiritual insight I had yesterday. On my mission, I have had a hard time feeling the peace that the gospel brings because of all that is going on. That seems silly, because I am focused on the gospel 24/7. But we are running place to place, and I'm thinking about so many things at once. In all of the commotion, I'm struggling to find the peace I normally feel in the gospel. But today I discovered that you CAN feel that peace no matter how busy your life is. In the sacrament prayer, we are promised that as we remember God and keep his commandments, we will ALWAYS have his Spirit with us. I've been trying to understand more about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how I can use it beyond repentence. And today I found one way! Because of Christ's Atonement, we always have a constant companion. The Holy Ghost doesn't change what happens in our lives, but it makes our busy days doable. It makes us feel lighter.

This week, I challenge you become in tune with the Spirit. When you wake up, kneel down and ask Heavenly Father to help you to recognize its presence. Then take a moment of stillness, and let it fill you. As you do so, your busy tasks won't change, but the way you feel will. Life will become more enjoyable.

Have a wonderful week, Cheers!
Sister Jones