Sunday, June 22, 2014

LETTER 45: The one where Tessa sings her way into hearts

6/19/14

A lovely week, the usual. Sometimes it's hard for me to differentiate between what's worth sharing and what's not. A lot of the times, the days just blur together and it all seems the same to me haha--it's missionary work! So I'm doing the work. Teaching and knocking doors. We've tried out singing hymns a lot this week which has been fun. Sis Turley has a strong Soprano, and I'm able to sing Alto along with her. We've sung to people at their doors, before lessons, and at service projects. It's been a popular request now, so we've kept doing it! That's been fun (:

Speaking of music, I read a talk this week called "On Dealing with Uncertainty" by Bruce C. Hafen. AMAZING talk, I highly recommend it. But one thing he points out at the end is the lyrics to 'Lead Kindly Light:'

'Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom;
lead thou me on. …
I do not ask to see
the distant scene—one step enough for me.'

These lyrics really hit me, they're so profound. Do we sometimes focus too much on the encircling gloom and forget the light? And how often do we want to see the whole picture before we follow the light? I know I do that. There's sometimes a bad connotation about 'blind obedience.' In this talk, he points out some things I like. Here's some exerpts:

"My experience has taught me always to give the Lord and his church the benefit of any doubts I may have when some such case seems too close to call. I stress that the willingness to be believing and accepting in these cases is a very different matter from blind obedience. It is rather, a loving and knowing kind of obedience. ...
All I ask, then, is that we may be honest enough and courageous enough to face whatever uncertainties we may encounter, try to understand them, and then do something about them. Perhaps then we will not be living on borrowed light. 'Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind.'"

When we are bound to the gospel, and bound to the church, following the teachings even in the midst of uncertainty is not about blind obedience. It's out of love and dedication. The uncertainties that come make us uncomfortable, but this very discomfort is needed in order to help us grow and sink our roots deeper into the gospel soil.

I love being able to wake up in the morning and know I am right where I need to be and doing exactly what God wants me to be doing. I love being in Southern California, representing the Lord and sharing His love with everyone. Sometimes I just look around and am in awe about how blessed I am. There's nothing better! Loving every minute.
--Sister Bishop

Another Universal Studios trip!



Just a slight difference between our desks (; can you guess which is mine?



On a rooftop!


this sums up our area--apartment complexes and palm trees, love it. (:


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