Unicorns, Candy, and Mormons

This week is the week it became clearer than ever that this is God's work, not mine.

This is also the week it became clearer than ever that God loves each
of His children, and has a specific, fascinating, and perfectly
applicable plan for the salvation of each of His children. He's
interested in getting us home, granting us light and enlightenment,
peace, hope, celestial expectation, and joy.
He wants us to be happy now and for eternity.

Contrastly, sometimes I'm over here like....hmmm I want me some chocolate.
I think although chocolate has its place in mortal joy, there's no
denying that, I learned that there is something greater.
In the spirit of General Conference and Zone Conference, I was trying
to figure what I could do to honor the Sabbath Day a little bit more.

Wear Sunday clothes all day? Do that every day
Only read scriptures and church books? CHECK
Don't watch inappropriate movies? I don't even WATCH movies
Don't listen to inappropriate music? EFY, anyone?

Then the inspiration came. Don't eat chocolate or candy or treats on Sunday.

Oh. *quickly chews and swallows the Christmas rittersport I was eating*

Folks, it works!! My Sabbath was more powerful to me because I didn't
eat candy or chocolate yesterday (after I got he inspiration)...until
I hopped the fence and gave in to cereal. But the cool thing was, I
really felt a difference! I urge you to try it, too. Pray and listen,
act, and then celebrate the difference. I'm excited for next Sunday,
so I can do it again!

Two best reactions ever:

First: We were meeting with this really cool guy for the first time,
and Sister Megli was doing a fabulous job of "how to begin teaching"
and setting expectations with him, and she asked why he chose to meet
with us.
He's like
"I've never met a Mormon in real life before...you're like unicorns!"

Why, thank you, Charlie.

Second: We were doing some doors in a student apartment complex, and
we started talking to this super neat guy. We said who we were
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
talked to him a bit about who we are and what we do, and then asked
him if he wanted to meet and learn more. He was a bit tentative, but
agreed to meet.
We gave him our card and he looks at it and is like all excited
"You're the MORMONS? Why didn't you SAY so before?"
In that moment, I felt a little more like a moron, than a Mormon.
That's not the typical reaction, folks, I've never had to respond to
that before! And it made my entire week.



We were challenged by our Mission President to read the Book of Mormon
all the way through by the end of the year, so I've been trying to
semi "speed read" through the Book of Mormon in German.
Wish me luck!
But, there has been one thing that I noticed. You know how every
president of the church has a theme?
Pres. Benson was The Book of Mormon,
Pres. Hinckely was temples,
and Pres. Monson is following the Holy Ghost.
Well, as far as I can tell, Nephi had a theme too. (In 1Nephi, anyway.
I'll let you know what I find as I go further.)

Evidence.

Again and again, Nephi takes about being "shown" or something along
those lines. Even in the chapters from Isaiah that he quotes in 1
Nephi, Isaiah says again and again something like "damit sie wissen"
or, "that they may know".

Cool, right?

I realized that sometimes I don't imagine God so excited to show me
evidence of His truth. I get so caught up in being ok with not getting
an answer right away, or I feel trepidation at the change that might
be in store, I forget just how much God loves me and all of His
children.

Also, awesome quote from Zone Conference:
"Don't try to change yourself on the mission...let the mission change you."

So my challenge is this:
Pray for something you need, like an answer, or hope or peace, and
then let life answer you. Let God answer you.
In a very hippie sort of way, let the good flow to you.
You'll avoid lots of pitfalls that way.
I can promise you.
Simplify, like President Uchtdorf suggested, and know that the Master
and Creator of Heaven and Earth is able to do His own work, He is able
to answer you.

Our job is to look for His answer, not only in the simple things, but
in everything.
I promise it will change your life. And you too, can go skipping down
the path of life, like a pioneer girl in a painting.