Miracles happen every day! Pray for missionary opportunities and YOU WILL RECEIVE THEM.

Tonight I was blessed to witness and be a part of the baptism of a dear friend. Loretta is from main land China. She came to the United States for work and got a lot more than she bargained for. The first thing Loretta said to me when we officially met was "are you a Mormon too?! Everyone here is so happy!" I just smiled and told her I sure am! 

She was going to be alone in her hotel for Valentines day so I invited her to come to a singles ward activity. On the way there we talked about her and her life and her family. I told her what we believe about eternal families and temples. She looked at me and told me that she had never heard that before, but when I talked about it she felt good inside. 

That is how it began. 

We formed a friendship, we did things together almost every night. As we talked and she shared her beliefs, questions, and observations about life, I shared Gospel principles that I know to be true. 

It was not hard. 

It was natural. 

I asked if it was OK with her if I invited the missionaries over so she could learn more. 

She said yes. 

We had talked about a lot of the stuff in the lessons at different times so when she heard it from the missionaries it was not new. They pieced it together for her. On the way to institute one night we passed the temple and talked about how to prepare to go inside. Baptism is one of those steps. 

I asked Loretta if she would ever think about getting baptized if she got an answer and knew it was true. 

She said yes. 

So I asked her if she would consider being baptized before she went back to China in two weeks if she knew it was true. 

She said yes. 

She had a date from the missionaries the next day.

Loretta was prepared, she ate up everything I said and everything the missionaries taught. That doesn't mean she didn't have questions, concerns, and doubts. She had all three. It was a matter of lovingly and confidently teaching and inviting her to act. The confidence doesn't necessarily need to be in yourself, but in the Gospel message that you are sharing, and in the Lords ability and promise to hear prayers and give answers.

Sometimes you have to just move forward even if you don't have a clue how it will work, only that it can, and it will. 

In the three weeks she has been here, Loretta heard the Gospel for the first time, was taught by the missionaries, had SO MANY incredible experiences, and was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints. She has become part of our family and her goal is the temple. She will be returning to China to a great branch who will take care of her. 

I am posting this because if I can do it, you can do it too! This church is true, it is easy to share true things, things that make us happy with our FRIENDS. It is a collective community effort. It can not just be one person. Loretta's experience included so many wonderful people, examples, and friends. There is nothing like the feeling you get as you watch someones life light up with and because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God loves each of us. And to those if you investigating the church. I invite you to find out for yourself. Ask your Mormon friends. Ask the missionaries. Read The Book of Mormon, and ask God. You will receive an answer, and it will change your life. The church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth in it's fullness. That means all of the truths are here. It is true, it is all true.

The Value of Communication

Communication: or the act of communicating, being communicated, (ha funny) interchange of ideas or thoughts.

I would just like to add my own definition of the word "communication."

To successfully share an understanding with another person or thing in such a way that expands their view of that understanding, and creates a oneness in your view of a specific idea, thought, or knowing.
-Brittney Stirling

(you may quote me if you ever feel so inclined) (also this particular definition is most definitely subject to change) ;)

I just spoke to a very dear friend about a situation she just experienced in her life. The great importance of communication was once again reiterated in my mind. It is critical to seek for an understanding of the way the other person views or understands a situation.

So often we come up with our own preconceived notions about why someone is the way they are, or why something happened the way it did. We decide in our minds what someone "must" have been thinking, or that what they said "meant this to me."

What would happen if we stopped for just a moment and thought about what it was that person was trying to communicate?

What are they currently experiencing in their life, and what are they feeling on the inside?

Now think for a moment what would happen if we actually talked to that person about the situation? Not only talked, but sought to understand where they are coming from. What if we listened, and heard? Not just what we wanted to hear, or what we were expecting to hear, but what if....

...we listened, and heard what it was they really were saying?

There is truth and there is untruth.

What we are able to see is largely because of where we are currently standing.

I live at the base of several big beautiful mountains. One of the mountains stands directly in front of another. The mountain in the back is very much taller than the mountain in the front. However,  because I am at the base of the mountain in the front all I can see is the enormous mountain in the front with just a small part of the very top of the mountain in the back.

We seek truth. We seek light, We seek to see.

In order to truly see, we must first step back and find a place to stand that will allow us to see the whole picture.

Communicate

Today was a miracle

I hope ya know I had a hard time.........

Today was that day. That day that just is. When your heart hurts and you are unsure and afraid. When you feel like something small just happened that was really big because it just changed everything.

But do you know what I discovered?

That it really wasn't.

I woke up today and determined to be happy, I PRAYED to be happy. There was a weight in my heart that just wouldn't go away. The questions pressing on my mind, the doubts and fears that were trying to push there way in as I tried so hard to push them all out.

My heart hurt.

I walked up to the gardens at the school (something I haven't done for a long time) and laid down under the willow trees in the grass and just breathed. I looked at the beautiful world around me and for a moment I felt better, a peace for a moment.

Then I had a miracle.

It happened rather unexpectedly actually. I had a series of miracles:

The thought for FHE was simple and short, and touched my heart...

and then I met Aubree.

Aubree is blind.

We were walking to the park for an FHE activity and I noticed a blind girl waiting to walk across the street. I didn't think much about it, the thought just came to talk to her so I did. I asked her how her day was going and found out that her day was going worse than mine.
So funny how quickly things change.

The path split and I found myself walking to the swings with Aubree as my FHE family followed the other path.

I thought about what Aubree was telling me, and I asked the Lord to help me. He did. I asked her to name 10 things she loved about life.

She did.

She loves the sky, she can see a little of the sky, and a little of the trees. She has never seen the stars.

I found myself singing "Rain drops on Roses" at the swing set with Aubree.
I shared a scripture and told her how much she means to her Heavenly Father.

We have the same CTR ring.

Aubree cried.

I gave her a hug, and I said, Thank You.
Aubree was an answer to my prayers.

Sometimes the hurt we feel enables us to love someone else. Sometimes reaching out when our heart hurts is the healing we seek.

Today was a miracle.

Let the Adventures Begin

I have decided to start a blog. The title, inspired by my sister Jessica, is from one of her favorite movies. We lived together for the last 3 months and "20 seconds of insane courage" became something of a theme for her.

It is an interesting thought....What would I do if I wasn't afraid? A lot can come from just 20 seconds of insane, unthought of, impossible courage.....Well we have decided to see just what will come of it. We are seekers of adventures, and of course, every good adventure deserves to be documented in some way. That said...let the adventures begin.