True and Lasting Joy

Sorry for the lack or no emails for a while. Hopefully this emails makes up for all the writing I haven't been doing... And really there isn't much of an excuse except here in Gresham zone we work hard and play hard, so p-days are full of fun adventures that don't leave much time for writing.

Columbia Ward is the Ward of miracles. Here I have found the greatest joy! And it makes me smile and talk to everyone and just feel so happy.  As I was reading in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin (he's a super cool guy) tells the people what an angel told him to share about "the glad tidings of great joy." (Mosiah 3:3) King Benjamin goes on in the rest of the chapter talking about Jesus Christ and His sacrifice and how great our joy can be as we continually "yield to the enticing a of the Holy Spirit. (Mosiah 3:19)

I love that! Every day, about 10 hours a day, we go around proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, or the good news and joy that comes from knowing what our Savior has done for me, individually. We share the peace that enters our lives as we accept Christ by following His example and living His gospel. It's done through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by proper priesthood authority, and enduring to the end. It's through living the gospel of Jesus Christ that we develop the character that makes us comfortable and happy living in the presence of God.  This "becoming" thing or conversion doesn't happen instantaneously either. It takes a continual, conscious choice to serve the Savior and follow His example.

The Columbia Ward is full of miracles. I already said that. But it's true! And it's true because I finally made that decision to choose to follow the Savior- whatever He asked of me. It took about 10 months on my mission to decide that, but I know that the almost three months I have spent here in Columbia have been the happiest months of my life as I place the Lord and His work first. Missionary work is still hard. I don't think it will ever be easy, but I know I am on the Lord's side.

I know His grace is sufficient for all those that are weak that come to Him. I know that placing my faith in my Savior has helped me overcome fears. I saw how faith replaces fear as an investigator, who hasn't stepped foot outside of her apartment for 10 years, took a piece of hope she had felt from a priesthood blessing, along with her testimony of the Book of Mormon, and went outside in a warm summer rain with us. I saw peace return to a man's broken world as he started the repentance process. Light filled his eyes and hope of a brighter future illuminated his soul. I saw how as we follow the promptings of the Spirit, we become others' tender mercies. I'm still an imperfect servant of the Lord. Every day I still have to choose the Lord's side. But I've realized, as I do, I'm happy, despite what is happening.

My favorite scripture right now is in Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." I have a testimony of grace- the enabling power of Christ's Atonement. I know it's real and works as I've called upon my Heavenly Father in prayer. I know this is His work and it's not finished yet.

I love you all! Thank you for all of the hand-written letters and things!

Love,

Sister Frisch

Time to Leave Seaside...

"We aren't human beings having spiritual experiences. 

We are spiritual beings having a human experience." -Unknown.

Just think about it :)

Half of this week I was sick, so we didn't go out and about doing missionary things, but I have had time to reflect on my first half of my mission. (My nine month mark is on Friday). I've also had time to reflect on things here in Seaside. (I'm getting transferred on Wednesday).

Transferring is always bitter sweet. I'm excited for a new adventure, new experiences, and new people, but I am going to miss all of the people I've met here.

Like the Erdt's.

Puppy Love!

Dnice was baptized.

 This Huge Dog. It is a Saint Bernard and Poodle mix.

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 

Miracle Week!

A lot of miracles happened this week, but I want to focus on the greatest miracle in the history of the world- The Resurrection of Christ. This event is the last act in the three part play of Christ's Atonement that includes his suffering in Gethsemane and his death on the cross.

The resurrection of Christ overcame the bands of death.  The resurrection made it possible for all of us, it doesn't matter if we are good or bad, believe in God or don't, would one day have immortal, perfect bodies. The resurrection overcame one of the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve (when they were cast out of the Garden of Eden)- a physical death. And that is incredible! Only a complete, whole individual could do that, our Savior.

One of our eternigators (somebody who has been taught by the missionaries for over two years) has been having a hard time with hearing us at lessons (she is 75) and just found out she has breast cancer. We decided she really needed to feel the peace and comfort that comes from the Spirit as that is where her greatest understanding and conversion will stem from. So we planned a lesson centered on Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Since Betty can hear a loud speaker and enjoys visuals we chose three short videos on the Gospel Library- "For God So Loved the World," "None Were With Him," and "He Lives."

The first was a brief depiction of Christ's life, the second was a testimony from one of our modern-day apostles, Elder Holland, and the third was the Easter video from a couple years ago. Betty felt the love from her Heavenly Father and it was a beautiful thing to witness. Heavenly Father loves us so much that he sent his only Begotten Son to be tried, feel pain, distress, our sins, sadness, so he would know how to take care of us. Betty felt some of the enabling power that comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

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 :)

Hail!

The calm after the storm.

Sister Frisch and Sister Mortensen

There is a part in the New Testament in Mark where Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles are sailing on the Sea of Galilee. Christ is asleep, very exhausted from his day's labor, and a storm has risen on the sea. Winds are crazy, waves are scary, and I'm sure the torrent of water seems endless and frightening. By this time the apostles are full of fear that their boat is not going to survive the storm as they battle to keep their boat from capsizing . So, they wake up Jesus, and in verse 39 of Mark chapter 4 it says, "he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."

Lately it's been super stormy in Seaside. Like 80+ mph winds and high tide warnings, power outages, and trees and signs (metal speed limit signs being completely bent to the ground because of the wind) falling all over the place, and hail. Lots of it. So it's been pretty awesome. Right now though, as I type this, the sun is peeking through and I am actually seeing a blue sky. How beautiful. 

A week ago- Monday- as our district was playing gatorball (a mixture of soccer and rugby) I received a call from the mission office. It was Sister Burgoyne calling to tell me Bonnie, someone I taught for six months in Vancouver was getting baptized this weekend and I was going to give the talk on the Holy Ghost! HOLY MOLY !

Backstory on Bonnie. Missionaries first came in contact with her two weeks before I came as a newbie missionary to Vancouver. She was the very first person I invited to be baptized and she downright told me, "no." Well, over the course of six months, her answer to that question

became a "maybe", to a "when it will happen, not an IF it will happen." She has a huge testimony of her loving Heavenly Father and has faith. As Alma puts it in the Book of Mormon, "And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."

So, in the past month and a half I've been gone, she found her faith and has been growing it and was baptized on March 12th. Sister Mortensen and I were able to receive permission to travel the 2+hours from Seaside, OR to Vancouver, WA to participate in her baptismal service.  Sister Tauala and Sister Nilson (my two previous companions) were also there because they taught Bonnie. It was a joyous reunion. I started crying because I was so happy. I love something Sister Tauala said. It went something like this, "I pray that if the reunion in the Celestial Kingdom is just like what all of you witnessed today in the gathering of all these missionaries, I pray that all of us may be there." Man, we tasted a little bit of the happiness and joy found in the Celestial

Kingdom and the love Heavenly Father has for each and everyone of His children.

This moment- Bonnie's baptism, is just one reason why the mission is worth it. There are so many hard, trying moments on the mission and in life that often leave me to cry out, "Lord, save me." In contrast, the calm afterwards is so sweet as I do reach out to my Heavenly Father who has been there all along, and he says, "Peace, be still." Right now I can feel that peace as I continue to look to my Savior and see miracles taking place.

True peace and happiness are found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know God lives and loves. The Atonement is real and works. How grateful I am for the Atonement, especially the enabling power which allows me to feel of God's love and heals my soul. As we look to our Savior, we can always find peace.

All my love,

Sister Frisch