Monday, November 24, 2014

Because I have been given much, I too must GIVE.

Happy Thanksgiving week family of mine!

How are you all doing?  Staying warm and happy and healthy?  I hope so! 

Well you'll never guess, I learned new things this week, felt the spirit, worked hard, prayed hard, struggled some days, laughed others, and it was a really good week.  Sounds like a week as a missionary right?   Hope you're not bored to death of adventures in Nebraska, it's the greatest place on the earth right now.  North Platte.  Such a cool place to learn.  I have no doubt that I am supposed to be here right now.  It's been a week of struggling to know that, struggling to know how I can give my all in this area without throwing other peoples efforts out the window.  It's a place where I'm learning more than ever to be humble, to serve better, to love more, to work the best way I know how and to TRUST that that's what the Lord needs.  TRUST that the Lord will provide.  

So here I am a missionary serving in Nebraska.  Being a missionary is such a time warp that you sometimes need to stop and realized how incredible it is.  It really is incredible. And it's incredible that all of you are where you are doing what you are doing right now!  The Lord has a plan for you and he's guiding you and helping you become a little bit better than you were yesterday.  For all of this we have so much to be grateful for.  I decided the thing I am most grateful for is the Book of Mormon.  That is the one thing in this world that I cannot imagine living my life without.  It's changed my life.  I hold it in my hands and it's like an old friend waiting to share more light and knowledge.  The power in it is more than I'll ever be able to put into words.  This week I found a new scripture that I love.  I flipped to it on a day that was hard... and it was exactly what I needed to hear.  

Helaman 3:27-30-

 27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call 
upon his holy name.
 28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the 
name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
 29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and 
powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and 
lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf  the wicked—
 30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of 
heaven, to sit down with Abraham,and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.

verse 29 is my favorite because it paints this picture in my head.... there we are like a little person tied to a Balloon that just began letting out air... zooming around loop-de-looping up and down through the wiles of the devil and the cunning snares.... and BAM.  We land there. Our IMMORTAL souls Land at the right hand of God.  And why did they land there?  Welp. it was because they read the Book of Mormon.  They held on to the Word of God which is quick and powerful.  So that is why I am most grateful for the Book of Mormon.  It has the power to literally tie us back to our Heavenly Father.  That is incredible.  So we have decided everyone in the whole world needs to understand know and feel this power.  So this week we are going to be giving 25 people a Book of Mormon.  Because it's what we're most grateful for.  So here's your challenge.  Join the cause.  Share a book of Mormon with someone because it's what your grateful for.  If you don't feel grateful for it today... read it,, and keep reading it until you feel the power in it that is tying you back to the very being that created you, I can absolutely promise you that you will feel more gratitude for that little book than you have felt for anything in this whole world.

I learned this week that miracles keep happening when you do your best on the Lord's errand.  We saw miracles at 8:48... the last person we felt prompted to see... She cried on her doorstep as all we could tell her was that the Lord was aware of her at that very moment.  How grateful I felt to be able to love her at that moment.  I needed it probably more than she did.  
This work is incredible. So much bigger than we are.  Do not doubt your own influence in the Lord's work.  He needs you.     So go be the best you that you know how to be.  

I love you all so very much!  Have a beautiful Thanksgiving and know that I truly am grateful for you.  I'm grateful that the gospel has made our family strong.  I know that Our Savior's love is real and that he has blessed us so very much. Press forward!  
Love Always,


Sister McMaster

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