March 19, 2013

Hi family!

This week was much different than other weeks I've had...much more humbling. I've come to a new understanding of the song "I need thee every hour". The song goes: "I need the every hour in joy or pain. Come quickly and abide or life is vain." I have completely felt that way. When people used to tell me that missionary work was hard, I never understood what that really meant? like physically? or spiritually? or what? But now I get it. Going on a mission is hard because I am constantly battling discouraging thoughts and trying to improve myself so that I can better feel the blessings that The Lord has in store for me. It's WORK! Not necessarily only working at the language, or working on preparing a lesson, but it's also work to keep my Spirits up. Work to keep my faith strong. Work to keep my thoughts focused on serving the Lord. Work to have patience and love for those around me. It's this inward work that is the hardest thing for me. But it's also so rewarding at the same time! Because I can see how the Lord blesses me from working so hard! 

For example, this week the language was coming a lot easier! It's still...work! haha but things were just clicking and making sense! BLESSING! Another example, I was really praying to know something. I really wanted to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon for myself...not just because I have been told my whole life. So I prayed harder than I ever have before. I wasn't really receiving an overwhelming confirmation that it was true like a lot of people do, but I had a thought (that I know came from the Holy Ghost which testifies of all truth) to open my scriptures. They just fell open to Alma 32 which talks all about how you don't always know things right away. How sometimes you just have to start with hope. Have a hope that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Then that will lead to faith. If you have faith in the word of God, you will know that it is good. And when you continue to nourish that faith, more and more truth will be shown to you that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. And then eventually, you will just know! These are my sincere thoughts and they're very personal...I am on this journey to know that it is true. But I know for sure that this is good! And I am working on nourishing myself to know that the Book of Mormon is the true word of God (of course in addition to the true and beautiful Bible) But anyone who is reading this... I encourage you to go on this journey with me! Find out for yourself (whether you've been a member of this church all of your life or if you have never heard of the Book of Mormon before). But anyways, that was another great blessing that I have seen this week!

It has been so sunny and beautiful here! We've been studying outside a ton and it's been so nice!

Funny moment of the week: I was walking up the stairs to go to my classroom and who do I see?? (Elise Ellison...you would've passed out! I nearly did!) Harry Styles and Zayne Malik (spelling?) from One Direction!! Attached is a picture! It was hilarious! What was more hilarious was that every time I saw them I would gasp because I kept just for a split second thinking it was them!! ahhaha

There is such a great quote that my companion told me: "Bloom where you are planted. You need both sunshine and rain to bloom." This is hard work here, but I know that I am not alone. Not only do i have the support of all of you and from the missionaries that surround me, but most importantly from the Savior who know exactly what I'm going through and is walking beside me in all that I do in His name.

I love you so much!!! And thank you so much Grandma Nancy for the packages! I've been getting them all!! Thank you thank you! :)

Love love love from the MTC :)

-Siostra Kendall Blake

With "Harry" and "Zayne" from One Direction ;)

Poland Group with reflection in temple windows

Kendall and Anne Collins

Kendall and Jacob Peterson

Kendall with her District