April 27, 2015

Hello good morning family!

Well we are back to emailing on monday again! Hopefully we won't have any more holidays that keep us from emailing on monday. I don't like doing p day on tuesdays haha. So the plan for zone conference is that today at around 5:00 pm we're all gonna go to the Manzini Elder's apartment and we're all sleeping there tonightbecause then tomorrow we are leaving at 4:30 am. We have to go over the border and sometimes they complicate stuff and its about a 3 or so hour ride and we need to be there by 8:00 am. Then we will have the conference and then whenever its over, probably around 4:00 or 5:00 pm then we will come straight back to swaziland! It will be a long day for sure! Then, Wednesday, it is back to normal.

I'm proud to know that I have such a strong little niece. She has been an inspiration to me. I pray for her daily.

My thoughts for today... There are many. But I guess the best way to focus them would be to start out with my time here in Swaziland. My time here has truly been a blessing. As I look back and think about all the miracles that were and are happening in Mozambique, I also realize that as missionaries we had started to get almost, complacent. Maybe that's not the best word, but what I'm trying to say is that, the miracles were happening so often, that I think we started to forget who was really running the show. It wasn't because of our efforts that made those miracles happen, but its the Lord that was doing it. And coming to Swaziland has helped me see that. Sometimes, we need a minute to sit back and see the whole picture. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me this chance to see the whole thing and realize that it was His hand, not mine that made these miracles happen. Along with my time here in Swaziland being a humbling period, I have had a lot of time to really get back to the basics. Really think about what is most important. And something that David A. Bednar said in his talk on saturday was that "The things that matter most, last in time AND eternity." I have been thinking about that a lot recently. And then on Sunday, as we finished conference, I had a really spiritual experience. When President Monson was announcing those temples, I felt something... It was weird. A good weird. I felt somewhat emotional thinking of the blessings that those wonderful people will receive. I could feel the spirit testifying that those places were inspired by God and that those people would be eternally blessed by the temples. Obvious right? But for some reason it hit me really strong. I can't seem to convey what I really felt at that moment, but it was something special. Temple work will continue on for time and eternity. I could feel the spirit really helping me know of the importance of temples. I have felt a true longing to go to the temple recently. I feel as though my spirit is wanting to go there so badly! I anticipate the day that I can enter into the House of the Lord to do His holy work once again. Another Gospel principle that has been on my mind a lot recently is families. Clearly, the family and the temple go hand in hand. There are so many things I didn't realize before the mission that I have come to see so plainly and clearly now. One of those things is the centrality of the family to the plan of salvation. We can do so many things alone... but when it comes to entering the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom, that can't be done alone. Its no wonder that Satan is making a concentrated attack on the family... Anyway, I don't really know what I'm writing now. I'm kinda just rambling, but what I am really trying to say is that I'm so grateful for the plain and simple truths of the gospel. The foundation of our lives.

In terms of our work.... The family that we are really working with looks like they are finally making some progress once again. They have been pretty stalled because of the wife's work and it has been a little bit of a stumbling block. But the Lord is removing the barriers and making the ways possible. I don't know if I will see the family baptized, I hope and pray that I will, but everything will happen in the Lord's time.

Ok, one more random thought that has come into my mind right now. And that is the gift of repentance and the Lord's patience with us. I have thought a lot about how when I come home, how are people going to look at me. I honestly pray that anyone who i might have offended before can forgive me. I hope that those who I have done wrong to or have spoken mean to can realize that I am no different than them. Its funny how if we really  look at things, we are all kinda like Dieter F. Uchtdorf once said, awkward toddlers stumbling through life, trying to become better. Is it not incredible, absolutely incredible that the Lord allows us this period of life to repent. He never gives up on us. He looks on with patient loving care, waiting for us to realize that all along, He knew better. He doesn't say, "I told you so!" when we fall. He simply rejoices in the fact that we are progressing and learning. I don't understand it. It doesn't make sense. Yet, the Lord loves us, imperfections and all. The gospel is good. No, the gospel is great :) I think I could continue to write about everything I learned at General conference, or some of the millions of crazy thoughts I have, but I know that you are all probably tired of reading this email already. So I will end it with this. The gospel is true. Miracles are happening every day wherever we are. I love you all! I hope you have a wonderful week and that each of us can see the miracles and the hand of the Lord in our lives!

Elder Lynn