Always

As I sit & think about all that I have experienced to this point on my mission, my heart is overjoyed. It has not been easy. I knew it wouldn't be. My patience is tested, we get rejected, our lessons fall through, our friends forget to come to church, my body begins to hurt, & members don't get along. All the things that make up our days & more. Yet, each night as the day comes to a close, I still find myself happy. I think the hard is what makes it all so worth it. To get to the moments when you're in a lesson & the spirit is speaking through you, the people begin to cry, they accept the invitations, actually do them, & choose to follow. To keep coming. I think that's what is the most important. To keep going. Keep giving all you have, with hope knowing that there's something so special ahead. That even when things don't go as planned, there is a greater plan in store. & that's what God has given us. Happiness. He gave us happiness. A plan, even with the hard, where we can find happiness. I found it. It is this gospel. The people I have met. The companions I have had. The missionaries & all who I serve with. & of course, my dear family & my sweet friends. So keep going & find your happy.

On exchanges, we knocked a door & a lady came out. We began to talk to her & she started to cry. She spoke about how she had faith, lots of faith, but she lost her brother & with that, lost her faith. As we taught her about the plan of salvation, I knew that the spirit spoke to her. I felt it. We shared faith for a moment & that brought me happiness.

So many moments this week where the spirit spoke to my heart. Although, there may not be a ton of success right now, I know that the promise still rings true. "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." I have felt as the Spirit has guided my words as people have spoken harshly to us & also as we have been testifying to inactive members to come back. He is with us!!! That is my happiness.

It's been a while since I've really shared all that I'm learning & reading in my studies. So here goes!!! The Savior has used the word always in two settings that must have caused you to wonder. The first setting is in every sacrament meeting. The word always is used in a covenant, a sacred promise with God, that you are making. "To always remember Him & keep His commandments which He has given them; that they may always have His spirit to be with them. Amen." Another setting in which the word always is used is in a commandment. "Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch & pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat." You promise to always remember Him. & He warns you to pray always. You know from experience how hard it is to think of anything consciously all the time. As has always been true, there is an opposing power. It is the power of sin, & it is visibly accelerating. The Master not only foresees perfectly the growing power of the opposing forces but what it is like to be mortal. He knows what it is like!!! He knows how our human powers to cope are not constant. He knows the mistake we can so easily make. And so, he offers us the covenant to always remember Him & the warning to pray always so that we will place our reliance on Him, our only safety. It is not hard to know what to do. The very difficulty of remembering always & praying always is a needed spur to try harder. As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient will not be enough. Do the simple things with determination that you will move forward spiritually. Start by remembering Him. You will remember what you know & what you love. The Savior gave us the scriptures, paid by prophets at a price we cannot measure, so that we could know Him. Lose yourself in them. Decide now. The Lord hears the prayers of your heart. The feelings of your heart of love for our Heavenly Father & for His Beloved Son, can be so constant that your prayers will ascend always. Jesus Christ is the light & the life of the world. If we do not choose to move towards Him, we will find that we have moved away. If you will let your heart be drawn to the Savior, to always remember Him, & to go to our Father in Heaven in prayer, you will have put on spiritual armor. If you do, you will have the assurance that God lives, that He answers prayers, that Jesus is the living Christ, & that He loves you. There is another sure promise. It is this, whether or not you keep your covenant to always remember Him, He always remembers you.

Lose yourself & give your life to Him. Think of Him always. Pray always. It will bless your life. I am not perfect, I am working on these things myself. But I am trying, & I invite you all to do the same.

I love you all & I pray for you.

With all my heart,

Hermana Morley <3