Drum Roll Please . . .

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages, presenting the incredible (...drum roll...) Hermana Escalante!!!!

Sister Escalante and I have been working together for just over a week now and we are having lots of fun, sometimes too much fun!

This picture is right outside our front door! Las Cruces is just like Hawaii, without the ocean.

If I've learned one thing on my mission, it's that the Lord is ALWAYS closer than we expect. To be that's a comfort, and also makes me want to stand a little taller, be a little better.

So do you want to hear a miracle story? Every night, we take time to plan for the following day. When we do it with the right attitude, it can be a time for God to direct us and put us where He wants us to be. The other day during planning, an interesting thought came to us that we ought to walk down a specific street, Stull, and talk to whoever is outside. Normally our plans are a little more specific than that, but we felt like that's what God wanted us to do.

The next day, we drove to Stull, parked the car, and went for a walk. The first man we talked to told us how his mother recently passed away and he wants to know where she is. We began to explain how death is a part of life and how there is more to come after this life. He was eager to listen, to read about the Plan of Salvation, and to learn more about God's plan for him.

Miracles happen every day. We just have to look for them!

Have a wonderful day!

No Time This Week

"Well everyone, I wish I could share powerful mission stories and impart great words of wisdom today, but I just don't have the time. For a great mission story, read http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/16?lang=eng

For details on my own missionary adventures, you'll have to wait until next week. Patience is a virtue!"

The Great Plan for Making Us All Happy

I think we all have a goal to be happy. Sometimes we'll even make plans on how to achieve happiness. But why rely on our own plans when the One who created the heavens and earth "and all things that in them are" has also created a plan for us that He calls the Great Plan of Happiness or the Plan of Salvation?

That's right! He sent us here from His presence with a purpose. Life has a purpose. Death has a purpose. So this past week, we got together with some other missionaries and drew a step-by-step of the plan of salvation on the sidewalk in the park!

 

I couldn't capture it all in one picture, but you can find more details at http://mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation

Also, the mountains here in Cruces are beautiful, especially at sunset!

And here's my lovely companion Sister Rivas! Isn't she great!

 

In a world where the answer to all of our problems seems to be in the medicine cabinet, here's an alternative solution to those trials in life. Enjoy!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

A Bit of Traveling!

This week we went to Venice for pizza!

Okay just kidding. But we did go to a fantastic pizzeria!

Does your life need a little more sunshine? James Barrie said, "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

Speaking of sunshine, New Mexico is one of the few places we can teach lessons outside in the park by the duck pond or on the tailgate of a truck in the middle of January. Gotta love it!

Have a good one!

A Pirate, a Chile Pepper and a Thought

The other day, the costumer in me just came out! I put together what I thought was a really cute outfit in the morning until I looked in the mirror and I realized I looked like a pirate! Somewhere in my subconscious I must really miss teaching Drama Camp every summer!

If you've never been to New Mexico, you're missing out! New Mexico is famous for it's chiles. The other day, we saw the world's biggest chile!

I've been studying in Jesus the Christ, which synthesizes the four gospels and other scriptures to tell the life of Christ. This week I'm on Christ's trial and crucifixion. Have you ever wondered about Simon the Cyrenian, who was asked to carry the Savior's cross? Many believe that he and his family were faithful followers of Christ, though no one knows if he was already a believer at the time that he carried Christ's cross. Can you imagine? Wouldn't that be an honor to be able to carry the cross of He who "has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows"? 

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

A Day in the Life

Have you ever wondered what missionaries do all day? Well let me tell you, we have the best lives!

Every morning, we get up early and do some exercise. In our case, that means a combination of hula, Charleston (to the band Lower Lights), and yoga. We get ready for the day and we get to spend a whole hour studying the scriptures. If you've never studied the scriptures for a whole hour, you're missing out. It definitely centers your chi. Then we study together for an hour - we share what we learned and prepare for the day. After that we study Spanish, eat lunch and head out. All day we get to visit with people and share with them how the gospel of Christ has made us happy and can make them happy too. Then we head home and make plans for another exciting day! We have the greatest life!

This morning in personal study, I learned that if you want to ALWAYS be happy there are just four things you have to do. Do you want to know what they are? Mosiah 3:11-12 http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/4.11-12?lang=eng#11

Happy New Year! When you're setting those goals, remember that "Goals are a reflection of the desires of your heart." My philosophy on goals has always been, go big or go home! So try to astonish yourself this year!

Have a great week!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

We got a new apartment for Christmas! With a fireplace for our stockings! 

And a washer and dryer for the rest of our clothes.

Big Christmas plans - play with children at a shelter. Make tamales. Give people Christmas oranges and teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Have a happy Christmas and remember who's birthday we're celebrating!