Monday, February 16, 2015

grateful.

february is half gone!
can you even believe it?
 
dad once told me,
"if you're exhausted that means you're growing."
well this week was a week of GROWTH for sure.
seriously... it was one of the hardest weeks I've had in a long time.
and it completely blind sided me.
buuuuuut the Lord needed to teach me a lesson.
and i am GRATEFUL.
i have gained SUCH a testimony of God's priesthood power.
this transfer has been so hard for me.
having to sign up for BYU classes, figure out housing, future plans, etc.
took my head outta the work and THAT, coupled with complete exhaustion...
no bueno.
and this week it just all piled up.
we "walked and walked and walked and walked" this week. (*pioneer primary song)
seriously. MILES of walking.
lists of people to visit.
aaaaaaaaaaaand NO ONE was interested or ready for the gospel.
or they all were SICK. #fluseason! ;lakjdfs;lkj
BUT two weeks ago,
I was preparing for a talk that I had to give in sacrament meeting...
my topic was "eternal life"...
so naturally I turned to all my conference ensigns and starting reading talks on the subject...
one article was titled
 
"This Is My Work and Glory"
thiiiiiinking it was talking about eternal life
("for behold, this is my work and my glory- to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man.")
I read it....& come to find out...
the title is somewhat misleading
(but I feel like that misleading title was just for me...)
because really it talked all about the Priesthood.
and this is what got me:
 
"The same priesthood power that created worlds, galaxies, and the universe can and should be part of our lives to succor, strengthen, and bless our families, our friends, and our neighbors- In other words, to do the things the Savior would do if He were ministering among us today." - Elder M. Russell Ballard
the minute I read that,
I felt prompted to get a blessing.
BUT being the independent spirit I am,
I procrastinated, thinking I could do it on my own.
then... this week happened
and I finally came to realize
WE CAN'T DO IT ON OUR OWN
and the Lord never intended us to.
 
the priesthood wasn't just restored
to bless our lives with saving ordinances...
but to SUCCOR, STRENGTHEN, and BLESS us.
yesterday, as soon as I received that blessing,
it was as though this "burden" had been lifted-
i felt lighter, and happier...
the sunshine broke through.
i felt LIKE ME, again...!! (#halle-freakin-lujah)
all because I finally asked for Divine help.
 
And then to look back..
the inspired Bishop who asked us to speak...
the topic I was assigned (it was different then my companion's)...
the misleading title that caught my attention...
the words of prophets that touched my heart...
this HORRIBLE week of pure rejection (haha)....
then the incredible peace that was restored through a priesthood blessing.
 
i love the priesthood.
i know it's been restored.
i'm so grateful for this experience that has strengthened my testimony.
we aren't meant to do this whole MORTALITY THING, alone, people.
 
I know God lives.
I know He loves us.
He is in the details...
sending us love notes all day.
love you loads.
 
we got help, ya'll.
SIX WEEK SPRINT TO THE FINISH.
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?
(me and meyer dyin in burley)
 
xoxo,
sister ramsey

Monday, February 2, 2015

we should be FEARLESS

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED!!!
 
have i ever told you how much i LOVE burley?
the people? the wards? the WORK?
things are so good here.
& since i've been MIA
(due to figuring out school lawlz sorry)
i'll fill you in on all that has happened...
in like the last....
three weeks? oops.
 
ELDER M. RUSSELL BALLARD
came to our mission little over a week ago.
absolutely amazing.
he spoke with such power and authority
my zone was the choir for the meeting so we got to be on the stand for a portion
aaaaand then front row,
so that was sweet.
 
what i took most from his remarks was that
we should be happy.
because we KNOW what we KNOW.
because of the message we share.
and because we KNOW...
we should be FEARLESS.
 
he taught us how to be good missionaries
good teachers.
he said we gotta learn how to
"cut through all the CLUTTER that swamps the human family...
cut through and get spirit to spirit
so that you can teach them boldly....
and then we we gotta be good.
we gotta be really good at teaching our message...."
"you have to internalize this stuff.
you find differently and
you teach differently
when you KNOW that you KNOW how to teach."
 
i. loved. every. second.
i could've sat and listened to him all day.
his remarks have inspired me all week!
best thing to help me finish this thing strong.
Elder Nash of the Seventy came with him
and he shared a few remarks about Elder Ballard
and he called him the Parley P. Pratt of our day.
loved that.
they both were remarkable.
it was such a powerful meeting.
 
we are teaching some hilarious people..
i'm tellin' you.
we teach this guy named PAUL (mexi. 60 yrs old)
and he is one of my favorite people.
he calls us with the funniest concerns!
and he's soooo serious.
 
like yesterday.
he called and said,
"Sisters! I gotta tell ya....
I've been practicing in the mirror...
for like 30 minutes today...
and I CANNOT CRY.
Is that going to be a problem?"
HAHAHA it was fast and testimony meeting yesterday.
obvs we told him you can't practice that
because it was the spirit.
then it all clicked.
and then he said "Ohhh ok, So I can stop lookin' in the mirror?"
 
seriously.
he sends the funniest texts, ever.
its awesome.
he is doing so much research and is just seeking TRUTH.
 
reading the Book of MOrmon with lots of families
and it's amazing!
it's powerful to watch people illuminate as they read and study as a family.
speaking of...
hows your reading going?!
we're supposed to be at the end of Mosiah!
I just read about Alma's conversion today.
LOVE IT.
so life is GOOD.
me and meyer are great!
receiving our trunky papers will all sadness this week
weird. i'm glad we are together for it.
we are crossing our fingers we die together!
i love you all.
time is flying.
this work makes me the happiest.
xoxo,
sister ramsey
 
ps someone told us defacing government property was illegal?
i told them obama is defacing our country soooooooooooo
oops? #justified
 
 

Monday, January 12, 2015

no excuses.

life is so. good.
like SO GOOD.
i've been reunited with so many people in Burley this week
and I'M SOOOOO HAPPY.
 
ALL of the winmills.
rick and heather.
momma poulsen.
the stake presidency!
oh i LOVE these people.
 
mookie (winmill boy) gave his farewell talk in sacrament yesterday
so i got to go see him speak and he did SO good!
i'm so proud of that boy.
he's leaving on the 21st for his mission to Tallahassee, Florida!
 
so. we are back on bikes.
woooooof.
it's currently dumping snow.
and my bike tires keep going flat.
 
but i feel like God popped my tire the other day
aaaand gave us serious ice cream cravings.
because that's how we found a new investigator!
 
haha we were trying to find a road in my old area
but i could nooooot remember exactly where it was.
it was like 20 degrees and we were walking with our bikes (flat tire)
riiiight past dairy queen....
so naturally...
we rode through the drive through with our bikes and got us a mini blizzard
...cause that makes sense when you're already freezing?
the DQ girls gave us directions and we were on our way to contact a referral
wheeeeen we met two young men on bikes
i made a joke about them lookin' like one of us
proceeded to ask if they were LDS. one of them was, the other wasn't.
we asked if he went to a church and he said
"no one has ever invited me"
hahahah CONSIDER THIS YOUR INVITATION DUDE.
long story short we're meeting with them this week!
and he is living with rick and heather's sister. #doublewin
i love how God works.
 
we spent most of our time this week out meeting people in our ward.
LOTS of work to do to build up our area.
i'm excited though.
the people here are so good.
 
so happy to hear some of you are joining me on the BOM reading!!
I love love love the Book of Mormon.
soooooo much to learn.
today i was reading about how Nephi "delighteth in proving unto my people that save Christ should come all men must perish."
how grateful I am to know that he HAS COME. that we won't perish. that we have scriptures that testify of Him and His gospel and the key is to remembering Him, always, and sticking it out till the end. NO EXCUSES.
 
i love you guys.
we're in this together.
 
xoxo,
sister ramsey
 
ps: ME: 0 ICE: 1
toooooootallly ate it riding to church yesterday. sidewalk near the seminary building was pure ice. hahaha i'm tellin you. this mission is SOMETHIN ELSE

Monday, January 5, 2015

TBT? TBM?

throw back monday?
i'm getting transferred...
 
BACK TO BURLEY BABY.
no place could ease the sting of leaving jerome like burley can
same stake i served in last time
different ward.
winmills are close
IM SO HAPPY
totallllly called this when i left over a year ago.
when i got transferred out, I said,
"well maybe this means I'll just get to end my mission in Burley."
hahahahaha God is so good.
 
this week was amazing
we got to go to the temple with Jackie and Jake!
two of our recent converts! (i forgot to take a pic :(...sad day!)
and our ward invited a few recently reactivated families to come and participate.
it was a powerful experience for everyone-- perfect way to start out the new year!
i just love the temple so much.
i'm so grateful for the covenants we make
and for the church that reinforces what the Savior taught:
"when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
 
as soon as we make covenants for ourselves,
we are asked to go and serve and help others receive those saving ordinances...
whether in the temple, for those who have passed...
or to strengthen those around us and help people here find faith in Christ
and feel the hope and joy that comes through repentance.
 
repentance.
sometimes its just little changes.
that make a BIG difference.
this new year, our mission began reading
The Book of Mormon
together...until the end of April. (beginning for me!!)
and I am so excited about it.
we focused on the five gospels as a mission before Christmas
and I would only have time for a short study of the BOM each morning
...oh I've just been craving it.
read it with me, ya?
finish before I get home?
 
i know of NO BOOK that can bring more happiness and peace into your life then the Book of Mormon. it will bring you closer to God and Jesus Christ and the spirit will fill your heart and mind and help you find your way along this crazy journey of life. it's rocked my world, time and time again. read it with me!!
 
i know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.
i love being apart of His work.
may this new year bring you closer to Him
and fill your heart with HIS LOVE.
love you all.
xoxo,
sister ramsey
 
pic: sorry sister draper looks....out of it. i only took one? haha