It's the New Year!!
So, you ask, what do missionaries do for new years? Party obviously!! But not in the way you'd expect. You see, I was sick this New Year's Eve. Of course, the new year would bring new sickness with it. No, this New Year's eve, at about 8pm, I dragged myself from my bed to my companion who was in our living room. I grabbed our bubbly ;) (sparkling grape juice!) and sat on the couch, groggy (and dramatic) and we sipped away at our juice as we watched The Testaments. It wasn't a traditional new years for me, but I really enjoyed the presence of my companion, Sister Reid, and the new tradition we created together. The next morning, we had the opportunity to sleep in! An extra hour is more than enough for me. We continued our regular routine as missionaries! P.S-The plague is back... only this time instead of just hitting a companionship, it is ruining an entire zone! Will this never end?
This season we've been sharing a special video with others called New Year's; Look Not Behind Thee. I absolutely love this video as they talk about Lot and his wife. The Lord told Lot to take his family and leave, "And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." He gave simple instructions not to look back and who looks back? Lot's wife. And POOF, she becomes a pillar of salt. The video is pretty comical at first but then becomes a video about perseverance, hope, and love. One man in this video says, she never really considered that her future could be better than her past. This can be true in all of our lives. We sometimes get so caught up in the lives we used to have or the fun we thought we had in the past that we long to be there again. We can most certainly look back on the past experiences again to see what we have learned or to learn from them but let's not dwell on them. Look to the future where our future can be so bright if we include our Heavenly Father. When we walk by His will, and have faith in His love, we can look forward to a bright future! Thomas S. Monson said, "The future is as bright as your faith". Have Faith!!! We can do all things when we have faith!! I leave this message with you to encourage you! I am so ready for a new year!
We celebrated the new year today by going to the temple. We had the opportunity to do child proxy sealings (a first for my companion). It was beautiful!! I enjoy each time that I have at the temple. This time, however, as I was kneeling at the altar with an older couple, I could see the love that they had for each other as they were proxies for those that have passed on. As they said the vows, it was as if they were doing it for the first time all over again! As I knelt, the woman looked at me and then to her husband and said, "Now we get to have a girl!". I felt as if I were being sealed into their family and felt the acceptance as the ordinance was performed. Was somebody else on the other side of the veil saying the same thing?.. "Now we get to have a girl!". As that thought passed through my mind, I heard a whispering that said, "This will be you one day". Not so much as a temple marriage as I am already determined to have, but as a daughter to my parents. One day I WILL be able to be sealed to my parents. Whether I am kneeling with them or kneeling for them, our family will be sealed. I am so blessed to have the security and the hope for a bright future. I am blessed to be in a mission where there are temples EVERYWHERE! We decided that today would be a companion date! We also ate at one of our favorite freebies, Chubby's!
We sincerely enjoy eating there and enjoying each other's company. Though I may not always be loving this area, I still love my companion and the time we spend together. She is super supportive, kind, loving, and obedient! She is BeaUtIFuL in every way and I admire her so much! Heavenly Father has blessed me in so many ways!
On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to go on exchanges with our sister training leaders. One of the lessons we taught was the Book of Mormon. We read the introduction and the first 12 verses of 1 Nephi. Usually I use my iPad during these kinds of lessons but for some reason, this time, I decided to pull out my paper scriptures. On the front on my triple combination is my name tag clipped to the cover. As I looked at that tag attached to the most important thing in my life, I began to remember my journey to where I am now. I am reminded each and every day, when I put my tag on, where I have come and where I am going. 3 1/2 years ago I joined into this family, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I didn't fully understand what covenants I was making, I didn't know exactly where this would take me, but I knew that Heavenly Father had a plan and as I lived according to his precepts and commandments, I was going to have a bright future! I don't need to be afraid or nervous for my future because I know that as I act in faith and do my part, Heavenly Father will do His. I need not fear because He's got my back! I want to live my every day for Him. I continue to draw closer each and every day. I am a DAUGHTER OF GOD! And you. You are His child as well. I don't care what race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or anything else you are.. YOU. ARE. A. CHILD. OF. GOD. Live it, Love it, Be it.
I love you very much. Sincerely. Always. Forever.
Sister Maren Rose Schultz
P.S-- Along with the new year comes new work outs ;) I'll be enjoying mine.
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