6 months and going home!

Hello Everyone! 

I hope your weeks have all gone good. This week has been a harder one. I found out that I'm going home early this week because with my type 1 diabetes I am in the high risk group with the Coronavirus. But I got to serve an amazing 6 months that I will forever be grateful for! I met some amazing people and served with some awesome missionaries! Woods Creek will forever have my heart! ❤ 

Something that I learned this week is that God has a plan for each of us. It may not be our plan that we have for ourselves, but His plan is so much better than we could ever imagine, even if we can't see it at the time. He knows us and He loves us and He wants the very best for each of us. He knows what we need, although it may not always be what we want. I also learned that when we give our wills over to God we will be able to have the peace that everything will work out. As we align ourselves with Him and His will we will be able to find joy in every circumstance. 

I was also pondering this week some things that I have come to learn on my mission and I wanted to share a few of those will you all: 

1. Our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ are ALWAYS there for us. At each moment of our lives we can turn to them and they will be right there to help us and meet our needs. They love you even more than you can imagine, and that love is always there. Their arms are constantly outstretched and they never get tired. 

2. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that as we read it we can be filled with peace, comfort, and joy. I know that the Holy Ghost can speak to us through its words and that we can receive the guidance that we need as we read it. I know that it can help us in our trials, our struggles, and our good times. The Book of Mormon is powerful and as we read it we can be filled with power to overcome all things. 

3. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored church on the earth. I know that Joseph Smith really did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that spring day and that they answered his prayer. I know that they gave Him power to restore their church and translate the Book of Mormon. 

4. I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers. He wants to talk to us. It's just up to us to listen. 

5. I know that missionary work brings joy. I know that as we labor with Christ and serve those around us that we will be filled with an indescribable joy that can't be found anywhere else. It is the joy that comes as we help Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ fulfill their purpose of "bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). 

I invite each of you this week to take some time to ponder the things that you know or believe and to write them down and pray for an opportunity to share those things with others. 

Love you all! 

Sister Carlson