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

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