week 29

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week my companion and I found a couple people who we are super excited to start teaching this next week and hopefully longer. I know God answers our prayers to lead us to people who need us. Sometimes I struggle to know what to write about by the time Monday roles around because so much happens!

I would like to mention a talk I got to read though from the Priesthood session given by M. Russell Ballard. It is amazing and includes several questions that I will copy into this letter that help us gauge our spirituality.

1. Do you search the scriptures regularly?

2. Do you kneel in prayer to talk with your Heavenly Father each morning and each night?

3. Do you fast and donate a fast offering each month—even if you are a poor, struggling student who can’t afford to donate much?

4. Do you think deeply about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for you when you are asked to prepare, bless, pass, or partake of the sacrament?

5. Do you attend your meetings and strive to keep the Sabbath day holy?

6. Are you honest at home, school, church, and work?

7. Are you mentally and spiritually clean? Do you avoid viewing pornography or looking at websites, magazines, movies, or apps, including Tinder and Snapchat photos, that would embarrass you if your parents, Church leaders, or the Savior Himself saw you?

8. Are you careful with your time—avoiding inappropriate technology and social media, including video games, which can dull your spiritual sensitivity?

9. Is there anything in your life you need to change and fix, beginning tonight?

Anyway, I just really loved the talk, especially the above questions and I think I will be using those questions often with myself. I know I can always do better. I love the scriptures, but I realize that I really don't know them that well so I'm going to study with more focus and intent to find answers to questions i or others might have. I pray, but am I always praying with real intent and sincerely?

I am so grateful for modern day prophets and apostles to help lead and guide us in the way we should go in order to return to live happily in the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ after this life. I know that it's the little things like studying the scriptures (not just reading), praying often- sincerely, and going to church that will help us remain faithful and true in the Gospel. If we find ourselves struggling those are the 3 basic things we need to make sure we are doing. Also go to your leaders! The bishop is there to help as well as your home teachers and/or visiting teachers! Also for the youth, go to your young men and women leaders. I know they love you. I am so grateful for all the teachers and leaders I had that were such wonderful examples, who loved me and encouraged and helped me.

One more thing, do missionary work! I have learned that full-time missionaries can not do much with out the members' help. Reach out and offer to help the missionaries. See if their investigators need rides to church or other activites, or if you could accompany them to a lesson. Take the missionaries to see your friends. If you don't have friends you think would accept the gospel, think again! You never know who might be ready. I read a talk about that in the Ensign the other day. About how later on in life someone reconnected with a friend from high school that had later on found out about the church and gotten baptized, but he asked his friend who was a member in high school why he hadn't told him about the gospel sooner. So moral of the story is basically you won't know if someone will accept the gospel unless you invite them to. So my challenge to everyone is to reach out to the missionaries in your ward or branch and see what you can do to help them.

Well I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Brighton