Monday, April 4, 2016

Today is April 4th

This is the Lord's work. His work is hastening and Sister Mortensen and I are doing all we can to keep up with His hastening. It's awesome :)
The poem that was in my last email was from Thomas S. Monson's talk in October 2015 General a Conference. (Thank you dad J)
First off, probably everybody else has heard, but still, ELI GOT HIS MISSION CALL TO NAGOYA JAPAN. When did he get that old? He is going to be an amazing instrument in the Lord's hands out there. This morning when I started reading emails I heard the awesome news that my younger brother had received his mission call. He reports June 22nd. I was reminded of two things 1) I was called to the Washington Vancouver Mission for a specific purpose(s) and the Holy Ghost has confirmed that to me. 2) one of the sacrifices I made while coming on a mission was knowing I wouldn't see my brother for 3 years. 

I've started a list in my journal of all of the different lessons I have learned on my mission. Some are spiritual, some are common sense-they range all over. For example, I have learned to never, ever, EVER let the influence of drugs in my life because I have seen too many families broken up and lives ruined over silly drugs. 

A lesson I learned this week or a purpose why I know I was called here, to the Washington Vancouver Mission at this time was to know the importance of obedience. We have an obedient mission. It's not one of those "apostate" missions. The white handbook is the rule, not the exceptional missionary. Our mission president trusts us. We are in the trust box. When we loose our president's trust, we move to the not trust box which is shaped like an airplane. Okay, so the lesson I learned was as to why I, Sister Savanah Frisch want to be obedient, not just on my mission, but for my whole life. Yes, I am an obedient missionary. Of course I make mistakes. I'm imperfect, but I strive to live up to my Heavenly Father's expectations. For a while I have had an issue with the whole, "obedience brings blessings. Exact obedience brings miracles," saying because perfect obedience is unattainable since we aren't perfect and I was thinking, "well that's dumb, because other people's salvation is dependent on how obedient I am." That's false. Anybody involved in missionary work knows that it's the Holy Ghost that converts and that we have agency and at the end of it all, it is up to the individual to choose to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized and enter onto the path towards eternal life. So I didn't like that phrase and because of it I had an internal pride conflict on the issue of obedience (I know, such a childish thing). So, the lesson I learned: I want to be obedient to be one with God. As I willingly submit my will to His, there is no internal conflict, rather there is a unification in will as well as goal. We are one in heart and mind. 

Sounds a lot like Zion. The cool thing is, as I create Zion in my heart and become one with God, I can help others listen to the spirit and cultivate a sense of hope, purpose, and direction in their life and help them become one with God as well.  

Relating to the second thing Eli's mission call reminded me of: sacrifice helps us see the importance of God over self, or God over other "graven images." Yeah, I won't see my brother for three years or my family for 18 months, but I have the wonderful blessing and promise of being sealed to my parents and knowing because of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as I am obedient, I will live with them for eternity. Others don't know that and haven't been sealed. Because of this time consecrated to the Lord, other's will have that same blessing. Obedience brings blessings. That is truth, but that is not the reason as to why I am obedient. 

Okay, I'm off of my soap box now. 
 10 things I love right now besides the obvious... (These are not in any specific order)
1. I love Oregon a lot more with the sunshine.
2. Miracles in missionary work.
3. General conference.
4. Bubbles
5. The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
6. Revelation 
7. The ocean
8. My companion
9. Scriptures. All of them!
10. My family 


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