Wedding Week and Work Week! - April 20th, 2015

Hey family!

So first off, thank you soooo much for the updates! Pictures, words, you guys are so awesome and I wish I had time to respond individually to everyone, but know I loooove reading and seeing what you guys send me! Very appreciated. Also...I hear it's wedding week over there a' ne? Sounds like it is going to be a blast! I hope someone puts my face on a cardboard obama or something. Preferably something like that that looks really natural. I'll be praying for and with you all. There in spirit!! Also, I am confident that the only thing that ever makes me want to be home (aka my family being together and laughing and what not) is exactly the thing that motivates me to stay out here every day. I think of how happy I am and blessed I am to know I will have my family forever and I am more motivated to go share that with others. So...shout out to you all.

So quick update of my current status: WE HAD ZONE CONFERENCE! Yay! This means we got to go to Ljubljana and see the president, get spiritually fed, and physically fed...with (this proves that God gives us tender mercies) Indian Food! It was quite the day. So when I cam into Maribor, we had one investigator. She is really awesome and always willing to do what we ask her...it is just hard to make someone converted. And when I say 'hard' I mean 'impossible.' That is only a job that the spirit can do. BUT she came to church! Which is so awesome, because she goes home every weeked (Maribor is a biiiiig college town. Tons of students) and that is about an hour away. So she got to stay here for the weekend and at church we got to watch a few more general confernce talks. Too great. Also, contacting on the street and the weather are so connected. Peole loooove their weather. Good weather = happy Slovenes=better contacting opportunities.

We also experimented with praying for very specific things last Monday, and saw the results. It was truly a miracle. We prayed specifically, went out, and two people (one right after the other) took book of mormons, talked to us, AND one of them set up a return appointment. Which....is really awesome. We felt like we had just eaten a prime round of sladoled (gelato, ice cream, goodness) as we walked home after that. So. Much. Joy!

Random thoughts of the week: If you could take Lizzie, shrink her a size and a half (height wise) and add 10 more pounds to her...that is approximately what we see every time we walk to the church. This little dog, is sooo fat. Haha, I oddly feel really attached to it. I'll send a picture soon. Also, I got a dread lock this morning. Quickest made dread ever.

Aka, european blowdriers...they have some strenght! Whilst I was blow drying my hair, I turned to look at the time...and my hair got sucked into the wrong end of the blow drier....ha, if only I had a picture of my face/reaction. I fortunately, was standing infront of the mirror, so I got to see the whole thing. Hahaha, Sister Robertson had to come cut me loose from my blow drier. Gave for a good laugh, and not too much damage was done.

We also have a suuuuper awesome senior couple here in Maribor. They, drove us home from Ljubljana and since it was his birthday, we stopped at this famous place for a gorgeous view and some Krof! (Amazing, donut type things....) They make us dinner on Sundays and feel like a little missionary family. So grateful for them!

Well. Big week for all. No matter where you are, make it count! I am so grateful to be out here, to be learning, and to have the opportunity to focus on how I saw the hand of the Lord every day. I encourage you all to do the same, because it is there. We just have a hard time seeing it sometimes. Enjoy the cake. Dad said he'd save me an Italian sandwich. He's the only one to have offered surprisingly.

Love you all! xoxoxo

Sestra Rhodes

Sister Robertson (trainer) and me

Self explanatory. 

April 12th, 2015 - Find, Find, Find, Find, Find

Zdravo everybody!

I'm affraid I don't have tons of time today, so here's the quick update:

My companion, Sestra Robertson, is awesome. She has been out here for 6 months and has a lot of courage in talking to people...which is always helpful. We have already found our nerdy similarities and get along great...good laughs have already been had.

The coolest part of my week this week was probably when we went tracting further out from the city to the most adorable houses ever. We came accross the two NICEST Catholics I have ever met. They were working out in their garden and invited us for a glas of juice. WE chatted and it was sooo fun and great. The only problem is that they are convinced that all mormons are slowly  becoming catholic...so that was awkward. But they are so kind and it was great to drink a little oj with the natives. We do a loooot of finding finding finding. Were just trying to get it to a solid 'found.'

The language? Haha, the language. Sometimes I feel great, other days I feel like I am not in Slovenia. Ooh, but I did give a talk in church yesterday and it went great! (I also got a native to help me out) but it was so fun! And church was amaying! We had a high of 21 people there and a random boy show up who was contacted on the street a couple weeks ago. investigators don,t really come so that was soo cool and we got to have a lesson with him! Such a blessing. I loooove being around the members. The people are different, the language, the culture, but the gospel is always the same. I love hearing their testimonies so much. It strengthens mine every time.

  Random facts about Slovenia: Every one is so concerned about the weather and when we shake hands with people..every time they tell me how cold my hands are and that I need to warm up. Haha, they are a very considerate people.

  Anyways, I have to go...but I love and pray for you all! Good luck with the pre wedding plans and work and life and everything! Christ lives and is the message we share and we live. Don,t forget that. Without His healing power, life would look a lot different than it does.

xoxo

Sestra Rhodes

April 5th, 2015 - Lemons and Languages

Hey Family!!! I'm in Slovenia!!! And once again (I feel like a narcissist) I will attempt to tell you all about me and my life in the limited amount of time allotted. Culture shock? Food? Really the biggest difference upon arrival? I have just entered a world of Selfies. Only one other companion problems. Hence, you'll probably all see a fair  amount of long arm. 

Moving on. GENERAL CONFERENCE! It was my first Sunday here and so cool! We went to church and watched the sat morning session on a tv with slovene translatio non the side then had a lunch together afterwards.5 SLovenes were there. And three stayed for the food. Also, there were multiple awkward pauses in the internet connection, so after about 2 full talks of that, we went right to lunch. Also, every pause, was not actually silent. There was a fair amount of foot  stomping and singing and electric-guitaring at the church just one thin wall away. I really wanted to laugh...but I was new. Already am the odd one out. But I got to  meet four members!!! It was so amazing to meet them and  know that they exist. ONe in particular is the most faithful, kind, and happy man in his 60's or 70's. He showed up in his suit and tie, wakes up at 6:30 every Sunday in order to catch the bus to church to prepare the Sacrament. And every time I  see him, he has the BIGGEST smile on his face! These few people inspire me so much. They REALLY KNOW what is important in life. 

We also got to watch the Sat afternoon session as missionaries and the senior missionaries apartment. They are so kind and helpful and do so much around here! It was so awesome to sit down on a couch for a minute and listen to the prophets  and be fed spiritually....and literally. 

So what i do everyday? Study in the morning  until 10:30...then contact contact contact! We've had one lesson since I've been here, which went AWESOME. But we are searching for someone else who is ready. Best contact story? In the same day, a drunk man would not leave us alone until we took his gift...aka 'lemon.' and we happened across to people  from Austria (better English than I have) and after a long conversation ended up praying in the middle of this adorable, cobble stone street. Per THEIR request. They are Christian Evangelists, and each said their own prayer of gratitude that they got to talk to us...it was the most  sincere prayer ever and very casual sounding with some mmhmms. So flipping awesome. 

I prayed in the middle of  a street in the middle of Slovenia. What the? 

Something that was kind of shocking?

PEOPLE ARE SO FRIENDLY HERE! No one ever says, 'NO.' THey just say 'hvala.' Aka thank you. And when someone does stop to talk, it cracks me up because they say 'I don't have time. Literally, I have no time in my schedule.' But then they stand and talk to us about God for 20 minutes...they just don't have time later? Haha, it's funny.

I stand by my first impression of Slovene..sometimes it sounds Russian, sometimes it sounds Italian, and sometimes it sounds like the yellow guys on Despicable Me.I have sooooo much to learn, but I am already learning so much and loving it! 

So to sum it up, Slovenia is awesome. Beautiful. Friendly. But the most important thing, I am wearing it. My name tag! I have the opportunity to work as hard as I can as a representative of Jesus Christ and I have already felt the challenges and seen the blessings that come with it. My favorite thing from what I heard of conference?? 

Twas I. But 'tis not I. 

The best part of my mission and our missions here on earth, is that we can be a different person tomorrow, than we were today. That is the power of the Atonement. We CAN become what Heavenly Father has planned, if we simply keep trying. I have a feeling that is going to be a motto for my year  and a half here. "A saint is a sinner, who keeps on trying." So keep on trying family! Try to do as Christ would. Pray  a little harder. If you believe in God and Christ and His atonement, how can we look at anything with fear or doubt? 

I love you all so much and miss you. I put a little picture of us all on the wall next to my desk and it reminds me as I study, of the happiness that God offers everyone. Stay safe. Send pics. Ice cream here rocks. Peanut butter here rocks. I have so much love for all the people I see and know that is the love that comes from God. So while first week was weird and my first impression to   my mission president was me about to barf on his shoes...it is so awesome here and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for these people. 

\

Love you all!! Have an amazing week! 

Love,

sestra Rhodes

The German influence here is  unbelievable...and I'm loving! 

Pics for the week!

My First area is Maribor, Slovenia. Such a beautiful area!

March 26th, 2015 - Alllllll Abooooooooard!

Ej živjo družina! 

I figured I'd quote my little friends' favorites 'Thomas' and 'Polar Express' . . . aaaaall aboooooard!! That's right. After over 2 months, singing 'Called to Serve' 14 times, eating approx 42 boiled eggs, cleaning 405 windows, teaching approx 50 lessons, playing in devotionals 7+ times, watching 7 groups of English missionaries come in and out of here, receiving a plethora of awesome letters and packages, learning approx. 2000 Slovene words, and offering 987987676527136547812634918723y48??287346 prayers . . . my time has come! This is my last email in the mtc and I am sooooo excited to get to Slovenia, meet my mission president and his family and start this amazing work in Slovenia.

I am extremely grateful for my time here at the mtc. I feel like Dad in my feelings of how awesome this place is. I have been tested in ways I did not expect and have grown in others. It's an opportunity that I treasure and will treasure forever. 

In a pre-field interviews with out Branch Presidency I got asked some rather normal questions and told some rather normal information. However at the end Brother McKay asked me something that I have think a lot about in order to answer. He asked how I had seen MYSELF change in these past two months, or what i have learned that is different about myself. I may have already told you guys this, but I came into the mtc and a mission expecting it to be a spiritual smack down, like I was constantly getting hit in the face by a frying pan from the holy ghost. Basically, I expected something different. After going through the temple for the first time, getting set apart, living in the mtc, the most important realization I have had, is that it is not different at all. The feeling I have here is the exact same I have felt all growing up; the frequency might have increased, but it is ALWAYS up to us when and where we want to feel the spirit. If you build it, they will come. Aka, if you seek it, IT WILL COME. Heavenly Father will never turn away a seeking child. He says that He will come to us. We just have to put forth the effort and allow him to do so. 

This has also given me hope going out into the mission field. How am I supposed to teach someone what the holy ghost is and teach them how to get answers or how it feel? The good news: I don't. It's NOT a new feeling. Just as it wasn't a new feeling being in the mtc. Everyone has felt the love of Christ, everyone made the choice to follow him and come to earth. I am just reminding them of what they already know. 

I love and miss you all so much. The Lord is truly watching out for me and for you. I will keep you all in my prayers as always. Go to the temple, stay strong, be happy and grateful no matter the circumstance. Also . . . study Christlike attributes with me and we will all see our lives blessed! We will be happier and more confident in our paths in life if we are constantly becoming more like Christ. And when you have thoughts or impressions, please share! He lives. I promise. He truly said:

"I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." 

Across the seas I go! Love you all! 

Sestra Rhodes 

Pics of the week!!!

Zone Picnic on P-Day, Too Good!

Travel plans!!! Freak out!! Germany here we come! (And Chicago:) ) 

March 19, 2015- Zdravo moja družina!

Well, the longest five days have approached and almost passed. . . We get our travel plans tomorrow. TRAVEL PLANS! We are all so excited. We have watched people come in and out of this and hosted new missionaries TWICE. . . who will all still be gone into the field before we are. Hence, I am reeeally getting excited! One can only get excited off of granola for so long.

So, quick update: This week we had THE best devotional I've had since I've been here. Elder Clarke from the 70 came and I wish you all could have been here for it. Spiritual slam dunk if I've ever felt one. One of my favorite parts? He told a story about two missionaries (he was their mission president). One of the missionaries was a really big, tongan elder. The other was short, skinny, and . . . take a guess.  . . white as they come. (Just to show the contrast.) The little elder was training and he assigned it to the new giant missionary to recount the Joseph Smith story. All in a different language and fresh out of the mtc, this Elder worked reeeeally hard to memorize and be able to teach it well. So they taught. He nailed it. Everything he practiced, everything he studied, he performed well. Well following the lesson these two elders left and just after they got one house away, the small elder grabbed the big elder by is tie, pulled him down and said, 'Don't you EVER tell the Joseph Smith story like that again! Because it. really. happened." 

  Testimonies are a thing, and a good thing. But conversion is completely different. When we are converted, we act on the testimonies we have. This Elder KNEW that the Joseph Smith story is not just a story, it is the start of God' gospel brought back on the earth. His work. And oh boy, do I love it. He also talked a lot about personal revelation. Which if that was not a real thing, I would not be out here. Because if that were not a real thing, I would have to be the one to teach people; and I did not sign up to teach by means of convincing anybody. I have the EASY part over here, I speak what I know, in a language I don't, and somehow (aka through the Holy Ghost) people believe. I speak what I know, in a language I don't . . . but people still believe. That is the power that this gospel has. The power to make us better and to become the kind of people God intends, by believing. So . . . let's cheers to the fact that we all speak the language of the holy ghost; and if you don't? Learn it. Learn it now. 

  The rest of my week was also great. Our zone has become good friends. One of the other Elders (approx 4 ft. . . give or take a few inches) also has a passions for accents, so that makes for a fun time in the cafeteria. I played for another devotional on Sunday and got asked by my friends (the older people who run the mtc) if I would help conduct one of the pre-devotional songs. Luckily, it wasn't fast sunday, because I was already a wee bit shaky. I've never been particularly fond of standing infront of 1000 people with my face blown onto a big screen next to my elderly sister. 

  We also got to skype again this week! We skyped with one of the earliest members in Slovenia. His son is the branch president now and said he has been working on our visas so I'm thinking we're pretty good to go! He was sooooo kind and funny and I genuinely love the people over there so much already. I just did I spiritual kart-wheel I'm so excited. He also told us something awesome . . . as we talked about prayer we talked about how it is very easy to get to busy. He said, "Do you know what busy stands for in English? Being Under Satan's Yoke. So go ahead and ponder on that! 

  Imam vas rada! Molim vsak dan za vas! 

Until next week, where I will be approx. T-4 days until take off! Love you all and appreciate your updates and pictures sooo much!! Stay strong! 

Love, 

Sestra Ceste (Rhodes)

So fast  cuz I don't have time . . . thanks for the package and shower message and the dandelions paper! That jerkey was quite the thing I needed. And the green lemonade thing? Score!

Also big favor....we want to do something for our teachers before we leave to say thank you. Because we looooove them so much and they are always with us. So, we took these two pics. There are three teachers and we were wondering....

could you take the cute picture and the funny picture and put them both in one frame. (Like a dollar frame or something.) We want to give each teacher a frame with those pictures side by side. Or one on top. So three frames, two pics in each. You can make them whatever size you need. Is this a possibility? We'd be reeeally grateful. 

Also, a thought to think and study on. When Nephi has his vision of the tree of life, he wants to know the meaning of the tree. So he asks. The angel then shows him the cities, the virgin Mary, her being overshadowed, and then Christ as a child. THEN The ANGEL asks Nephi what the tree means and Nephi knows instantly. I have some theories  myself, but let me know what you two find. 

i LOVE YOU TWO SO MUCH. MY PARENTS ARE AWESOME! XOXOXO

Sestra Rhodes 

March 12, 2015-pics. 'feast yur eiyes.'

Oh what a beautiful week it was. And when I say beautiful, you could also replace that with 'frustrating, rewarding, bumpy and or remove the adjective.' We had our first trc (supposed to just be a member lesson) over skype. That's right. We chatted it up with a Slovene, freshly baptized convert. We learned very quickly, these people are a people of bluntness. And she's already a member, what are the other Slovene's going to think when we try to tell them about God? Basically, it went really rough and there was a lot of correction and words of 'no one will believe this.' However, I can take correction in the language. I can make mistakes and be corrected vsak dan cel dan. . . every day, all day. What was a little frustrating to me was that this sweet member didn't understand our role completely. If we signed up to learn Slovene and CONVINCE people the church was true, this mtc stay would be a lot longer than 9 weeks and the amount of missionaries would drop drastically. We try to speak the language yes. But what we are trying to speak is THE LANGUAGE OF THE SPIRIT. Not fluent in that either but we can just go ahead and call the holy ghost a translator. I'm ready to go to Slovenia tomorrow, not because I feel awesome with sentence structure and past participle placement, but because I know God will prepare someone for me and the holy ghost will teach people. EVEN IF IT IS ONLY ONE PERSON, I'm ready for the next 16 months.

Cool thing of the week: Elder Cook came to the mtc this week! Woohoo! I love all our devotionals, but is it so much to ask for a 9 1/2 weeker to ask for an apostle? I was starting to get a little worried. But it was SO AWESOME! It's not even that I got some amazing doctrinal principal or anything, but just being in the presence of an apostle and hearing HIS witness of Jesus Christ strengthens my testimony every time. Without a doubt, my favorite part of the lessons is teaching that just as Christ had apostles when He was on the earth, WE HAVE THEM TODAY! These men truly have Bozji pooblastilo. God's authority. (Minus an accent over the z that I don't know how to do on this . . . or any computer.) 

My other favorite part of every week: Well, usually bed time. BUT ALSO, walking out of the temple in the morning. We have a fairly early temple time so we walk out when the fountains are on and the air is still crisp (definitely not classroom air) and we can see the whole valley. Then I remember, there is life beyond these brick walls. OH MAN IT'S GOING TO BE SO BEAUTIFUL IN SLOVENIA. Minor freak out. Sorry. 

Anywho, truly not much new happened this week. Language learned. Prayers sent. Testimony built. Apostle seen. Auditions accomplished. (Two this week.) 

One quick insight. (Well quick depending on how fast you read really.) I have tried studying Lehi's vision many times, but this week. . . . it was so different. I found so many new things, but here is just one that I notice that I feel applies especially to us. We talk of the meanings behind the tree, river, building, all of the above. But I have never noticed, the dream does not actually start with Lehi at the tree. Lehi, the prophet, started in a terrible darkness. Before he speaks of anything he tells how he was in this darkness for multiple hours before he plead to be let out. Similarly, once he was at the tree he looked for His family and Nephi, Sam and their mother all stood, looking as if they knew not where to go. I'm confident that before we even see the path let alone step foot on it, there are many times we honestly don't know where to go. Let it be an hour, let it be a day, month, sometimes years. How are we supposed to know the beauty of the tree and of the Atonement of Jesus Christ if we can't compare it with something and plead with God to make it better? The good knew? No matter how long we think it takes to get an answer, God hears our prayers immediately. He'll come. 

"I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you." 

I thank you all for your emails and dear elders and what not! I LOVE hearing from you and throughout the week when something happens, my first thought is always, "I've got to write that down to tell my family!" I love you all so much and hope all is well. I pray for you guys, rather fervently. Elder Cook also promised us all on Tuesday that our families are being blessed right now. Which was rather comforting this week considering I really wanted to face time or just talk on the phone. Stay safe! Love you will all my heart! 

Sestra Rhodes 

6:30 am every tuesday morning. Sack breakfast on the floor before breakfast. One of my favorite times of the week. 

If you build it they will come? If you send it, they will be gone. Dang it. #redlipsandfingersfordays

The current sisters in our zone. Bulgaria, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia. 

Me, Higgins, Redding 

March 5, 2015

Most popular question of the week: are you ready to go?

This is because (as many of you will have been counting) I start week 6 in the mtc today! Crazy. And my response . . . no! Oh man, thinking about being on a flight right now to Slovenia makes me rabim wc. I am way pumped and excited but am mostly looking forward to cramming my brain full of every bit of knowledge I can for the next 3 weeks. If I was a sponge that soaked up knowledge, I would be huuuuuuge. (Feel free to quote that. Pretty powerful.) 

Other than mentally freaking out that I leave to Slovenia . . . SLOVENIA this month. Here are my random thoughts that come out of doing almost the exact same boring things every day. 

   You see, my wise sister Stephanie and I have a motto: protect your youth while you have it. Unfortunately, I feel (don't get offended at the following paragraph if you're over an age you deem 'young'.) how I imagine I will feel after retirement. cough. Dad back me up if it's true. ;) Exhibit A-we eat dinner in the 4 o'clock hour daily. Exhibit B-I always forget to get a fork in the morning so I eat a bowl of cantaloupe with a spoon every morning. Exhibits 3-8: I wore a shawl in the temple and will prob do so every time for the next 3 weeks. i got way more enjoyment out of that than I should have. LOVE. I shuffle everywhere I go. Because one of us has to drag my 4 foot companion around and that is what my tall body naturally does when attempting to match her pace. My other comp is a flipping rocket-paced walker. (Haha, walker . . . appropriate for the topic.) Further examples, we count 4 square as exercise. I look forward to boiled eggs for brksfst. 

 I fall asleep in places one does not normally fall asleep in . . . leave that one to your imagination. 

 In a personal interview with my sister training leader I may or may not have(completely unexpectedly) let out a tiny toot in the middle of our prayer.I say hello to all the old people in the cafeteria (outcome of playing the piano at every meeting.) And I forget english words mid sentence. Makes for an awkward pause. 

  Proof you see. The mtc is aging me in very unexpected ways. 

Other than that . . . once again, I made it on the big screen this week! This time without the nervous-vibrating leg- syndrome. I played with a cellest 'O divine redeemer.' In humble terms: we hit it out of the park. Then someone cancelled for the new missionaries welcome and they asked me to quickly accompany a singer for an efy song . . . gag me. Just kidding. That was rude. I love playing the piano and I love helping whenever I can. But some efy songs don't really bring it home for me. I feel somehow like I need to wear pig tails, three layers of eyeliner and play with my shoulders next to my ears. (Disclaimer: I promise I'm not a hater. Just some songs.) I really do love playing when I can though and I've had plenty of opportunities! Yay! 

Another highlight of my week? I don't always eat mtc desserts. But when I do, I eat : warmed cookie so it's a little mushy with byu creamery peanut butter, chocolate ice cream on top. Invented by myself. I'm not about to let my dessert be just a plain cafeteria cookie. No. I handled last sundays dessert marvelously. 

  Last Sunday was movie night too! We finally got to watch the Joseph Smith movie. It reminded me of the time I was supposed to watch Ry's nieces and nephews when he and kar were getting married . . . but sadly, was then unneeded. So I and one older lady sat in salt lake theater and watched the Joseph Smith movie and I sobbed my little eyes out. Now I just sobbed because I got to watch a movie, and there was even a kiss therein. HOWEVER, that's not the point. The point is that I again had a testimony built of Joseph Smith. NOw more than ever I have question this gospel. Investigators ask 'how do you know?' Well that night I came to a conclusion. I don't. I don't know because I haven't seen things like Joseph did, I have not witnessed angels. But I have a fierce hope. And THAT is enough to motivate me. A hope in our Savior Jesus Christ is all that we are asked to have. From simply that and acting on that, we receive our own personal revelation, feel the true power of the holy ghost, and gain our own testimonies. So no, I don't have a perfect knowledge. But guess, what? We're not supposed to. I don't know this church is true from something I have seen, it's from something I have felt. I have felt my Saviors love and it is so real. If you guys haven't recently, find out what you need to do to get this feeling. You won't regret it. 

    Hope that wasn't to long. I love you all and know i am right where I need to be. Stay safe, you are all in my prayers every night! (Which sometimes hurts my knees cuz there's a  lot of you. But I love you so much! xoxoxoxox

Sestra Rhodes

February 26, 2015-

Well . . . when you live in the square footage that I do, you run out of granola and bad grammar stories to share, even after accumulating information for a week. New news? I think after 4 weeks, my companions are hitting the tip of the ice berg of my weird personality. (or quirky . . . two veeeerry different things.) However all of you will know, there is no end. There is no bottom of this iceberg. So good luck sestra redding and sestra higgins.

We got a whole slew of newbies this week again. So our zone is growing. New Polish missionaries, Czech, and we get more Bulgarians and Turkish missionaries next week. So we are officially at the top of the food chain. Which is not very high.

So . . . low on . . . wit right now . . . I'm hurting myself. So let's move on. Here's some things that I pondered on and then studied after a devotional and considering my job is to bring people to Christ (and you guys are more important than just people, you're family) I'll share them with y'all.

Does anyone remember the two consecutive questions Mary Magdalene was asked as she was in the empty tomb of the Savior? (Silence) Great. I'll tell you. She was asked, "Why weepest thou?  Whom seekest thou?" I took the time to answer these for myself and found the following: there are a plethora of reasons that we have to cry throughout life.
1- Luke 22:61-62. Sometimes we are like Peter. We KNOW Christ, we serve Him, we love Him and yet we still manage to turn our backs on HIM . . . no matter the level of our devotion. Peter wept, bitterly. Are these the most recent tears you've had lately?
2-Just as Mary when the Savior is talking to her, she knew him not. (John 20:14). Sometimes we weep. We THINK we don't know where Christ is, we can't seem to find Him. . . when really He is right behind us. She recognized Him when he says, "Mary." Are we listening for our name? Our we looking for the times when Christ is calling to us and trying to tell us, "Hey. I'm right here. Just look, and I'll heal you." (I just made up those words for the record, not scriptural...but still true.)
3- (3 Nephi 17:10) when Christ appeared in the Americas they 'bathed His feet in tears.' At the Lord's feet, looking at the prints from the nails; humble and 100 percent aware of their Savior and the life he lead for us. These are tears of complete joy. I remember once as a little girl walking in on my Mom as she prayed and cried. I asked her, "Are you ok mom? You are crying." She responded something that I have felt many times myself now, "Yes I'm ok. These are happy tears honey." She then hugged and kissed me and I have never forgotten, 'happy tears.' Maybe these are the tears you have felt most recently.

Raise your hand if you're still reading and not bored. Or just if you're still with me.

Regardless of which place you are at currently, newsflash: you will have everyone of those types of tears in life. There are times we turn from the lord, there are times we are looking but can't 'seem' to find him, and there are times when we have the realization that we know exactly WHERE and WHO He is. THAT is the feeling that brings people to change, the feeling of love from our Savior. That is the exact thing and only thing that brought Christ to tears. In 3 Nephi, Jesus had compassion and prayed and wept for the people. He is the advocate with the Father and will do the exact same for us. And when Christ wept with Martha and Mary the people said, "oh how he loved him." I would like to submit a change. Oh how he loved THEM. And when Christ was performing the Atonement, the ultimate  act of love, the scriptures say, "He was sorrowful unto death." Do you think that that deep of a sorrow would have brought a few tears? Christ weeps for us out of love, and no matter where you are in your relationship with Christ and Heavenly Father, I promise, HE IS THERE, watching out for you and waiting to help you the second you ask for it.

So . . . hang in there, almost off my soap box. . . Why weepest thou? And Whom seekest thou? Don't look for the dead among the living. (Luke 24:5,6). Christ did not only rise from the dead, and the tomb was not only emptied, He IS risen and the tomb IS empty. Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives.

I'll try to start an uproar in the cafeteria or something as to make these emails maybe more enjoyable...but I like bearing my testimony so . .. there. Mission rocks thus far. I love hearing from you guys and would love any pictures of your daily lives, breakfast, school, bed time, whatever. (That mostly is directed about little kids but Dylan you can send your bed time story pictures too.)

I love you all and will talk to you next Thursday!

Love,
future wnba player from mtc gym time . . . or some call me Sestra Rhodes. Your pick.

Service