Howdy,
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| happy Monday from Kyiv! :) |
All of my sweet supporters whom I love and adore so much! Thank you for your prayers and kind thoughts for me, I know that they are such a strength to me in this work and I don't think I could ever begin to explain truly how much they mean to me.
I wanted to use this letter to talk about some people I am so beyond grateful for. Our sweet pioneers!
What a wonderful opportunity we have this week to have a day where we can just stop, take our time, and really think about what the pioneers did. I must admit I never have really taken advantage of this day in the past, just another holiday with an excuse to have a barbeque and pool party was really all it was to me. Of course I was grateful for the pioneers but I didn't realize how grateful I was until this past week. In this months Liahona there are plenty of stories of pioneers and I have so enjoyed reading them! After each story I would just sit at my study desk and ponder about them. All of them; the mothers carrying babies in their arms, the fathers driving the ox, the little girls with their hair in long braids walking alongside the wagon, the boys trudging along with the other children waiting for their turn to ride in the wagon. I would think of them and the comfort of the beautiful houses that so many of them had to leave. I would think of them and all of the many hardships they had to over come. From being mocked and rejected and driven away from so many things that they worked so hard for. Their beautiful temple that they slaved over for so long! I cannot even imagine. And then their trek, their long hard trek across the United States. A journey, that most of us would complain if we were driving. And they walked! Wow the pioneers are truly inspiring. As I was thinking about these wonderful people and all they went through I found myself thinking "Why did they do it?" I mean it would have been so easy for them to forget about the church and just stay in their nice homes. Their lives wouldn't have been risked, they wouldn't have lost all of their possessions and they could have continued on in every day life, with maybe not really a care in the world. Why did the pioneers do it? As I was mulling this over in my head. The thought came to my mind "Why are you in Ukraine? Why did you leave your family? Why did you leave the comfort of your home, to go to a land so far away?" Please do not get me wrong, in no way am I trying to compare myself to the pioneers. And I love my mission it is and will be the best decision I have ever made in my life. But the answer is still the same. It is because I know that this church is true.
I wanted to use this letter to talk about some people I am so beyond grateful for. Our sweet pioneers!
What a wonderful opportunity we have this week to have a day where we can just stop, take our time, and really think about what the pioneers did. I must admit I never have really taken advantage of this day in the past, just another holiday with an excuse to have a barbeque and pool party was really all it was to me. Of course I was grateful for the pioneers but I didn't realize how grateful I was until this past week. In this months Liahona there are plenty of stories of pioneers and I have so enjoyed reading them! After each story I would just sit at my study desk and ponder about them. All of them; the mothers carrying babies in their arms, the fathers driving the ox, the little girls with their hair in long braids walking alongside the wagon, the boys trudging along with the other children waiting for their turn to ride in the wagon. I would think of them and the comfort of the beautiful houses that so many of them had to leave. I would think of them and all of the many hardships they had to over come. From being mocked and rejected and driven away from so many things that they worked so hard for. Their beautiful temple that they slaved over for so long! I cannot even imagine. And then their trek, their long hard trek across the United States. A journey, that most of us would complain if we were driving. And they walked! Wow the pioneers are truly inspiring. As I was thinking about these wonderful people and all they went through I found myself thinking "Why did they do it?" I mean it would have been so easy for them to forget about the church and just stay in their nice homes. Their lives wouldn't have been risked, they wouldn't have lost all of their possessions and they could have continued on in every day life, with maybe not really a care in the world. Why did the pioneers do it? As I was mulling this over in my head. The thought came to my mind "Why are you in Ukraine? Why did you leave your family? Why did you leave the comfort of your home, to go to a land so far away?" Please do not get me wrong, in no way am I trying to compare myself to the pioneers. And I love my mission it is and will be the best decision I have ever made in my life. But the answer is still the same. It is because I know that this church is true.
Just as they did.
Just as they knew that they had a living Prophet on the earth that led and guided the church. I know that to be true today. I know that our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson is called of God. I know that he receives revelation for this, Christ's church. They had such a sure knowledge of that, that when the prophet asked them to go, they did, just as I hope I would. Just as they knew that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, just as the Bible. I know that too. Nothing that anyone will do or say, could ever shake my testimony of that. They knew that God is our loving Heavenly Father, who truly wants the best for us. Oh boy do I know that. He loves us so much, He continually is preparing a way for us to return back to Him, how grateful I am for that. And how excited I am for the day that I will be reunited with my Father in Heaven once again! Just as they knew that they had a Savior, Jesus Christ who performed the atonement for them, and then has humbly asked that they follow Him. I know that to be true! Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and oh how He wants us to be happy. He gave his life in order for us to do so. Just as they knew that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. They knew that through Joseph Smith they, our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, restored their church on the earth. I know that to be true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's true church on the earth. Never could I deny that. And the pioneers couldn't deny it either. Their testimony was their drive. Just as my testimony is my drive here. And I hope that you all use your testimony in every day lives.
Life is not easy, use your testimony to help you through. Through every trial, hard time, or just stinky day, use your testimony. Keep the eternal perceptive and think of all you have to live for!
How grateful I am for the pioneers and all that they did, so I could be here today and preach the gospel to my brothers and sisters here in Ukraine. I am so grateful for their example of hard work and diligence, their example of truly sticking to what you believe in, and their example of faith and trust in the Lord. They knew that as they would trust in the Lord everything else would fall into place. I encourage all of you to have this faith in the Lord. Just like one of my favorite primary song says "You don't have to push a handcart, Leave your family dear. Or walk a thousand miles or more, to be a pioneer!" But again just as the song says "You do need to have great courage, faith to conquer fear. And work with a might for a cause that's right to be a pioneer!" I'm not asking you to test your faith by picking up and leaving everything you own to go across the country, just to see how the pioneers felt, or to strengthen your testimony. But think of a trial of a hardship that you have in your life. Use the knowledge that you have to help in this trial and I promise you that your testimony will grow.
I encourage you all to truly think about the pioneers this Wednesday. Be grateful for all they did! I know I am! Think of modern day pioneers too, boy are they incredible! Let's all try to be pioneers one way or another, this week, and the rest of our lives!
I love you all so much. You all are the best! Truly! Thank you for the examples all of you have been to me.
Remember to see the good in life, be happy, smile, laugh, do all that great stuff, because we truly are blessed!
Пока пока!!
All of my love,
Your sister, Sister Lee
Just as they knew that they had a living Prophet on the earth that led and guided the church. I know that to be true today. I know that our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson is called of God. I know that he receives revelation for this, Christ's church. They had such a sure knowledge of that, that when the prophet asked them to go, they did, just as I hope I would. Just as they knew that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, just as the Bible. I know that too. Nothing that anyone will do or say, could ever shake my testimony of that. They knew that God is our loving Heavenly Father, who truly wants the best for us. Oh boy do I know that. He loves us so much, He continually is preparing a way for us to return back to Him, how grateful I am for that. And how excited I am for the day that I will be reunited with my Father in Heaven once again! Just as they knew that they had a Savior, Jesus Christ who performed the atonement for them, and then has humbly asked that they follow Him. I know that to be true! Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and oh how He wants us to be happy. He gave his life in order for us to do so. Just as they knew that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. They knew that through Joseph Smith they, our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, restored their church on the earth. I know that to be true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Christ's true church on the earth. Never could I deny that. And the pioneers couldn't deny it either. Their testimony was their drive. Just as my testimony is my drive here. And I hope that you all use your testimony in every day lives.
Life is not easy, use your testimony to help you through. Through every trial, hard time, or just stinky day, use your testimony. Keep the eternal perceptive and think of all you have to live for!
How grateful I am for the pioneers and all that they did, so I could be here today and preach the gospel to my brothers and sisters here in Ukraine. I am so grateful for their example of hard work and diligence, their example of truly sticking to what you believe in, and their example of faith and trust in the Lord. They knew that as they would trust in the Lord everything else would fall into place. I encourage all of you to have this faith in the Lord. Just like one of my favorite primary song says "You don't have to push a handcart, Leave your family dear. Or walk a thousand miles or more, to be a pioneer!" But again just as the song says "You do need to have great courage, faith to conquer fear. And work with a might for a cause that's right to be a pioneer!" I'm not asking you to test your faith by picking up and leaving everything you own to go across the country, just to see how the pioneers felt, or to strengthen your testimony. But think of a trial of a hardship that you have in your life. Use the knowledge that you have to help in this trial and I promise you that your testimony will grow.
I encourage you all to truly think about the pioneers this Wednesday. Be grateful for all they did! I know I am! Think of modern day pioneers too, boy are they incredible! Let's all try to be pioneers one way or another, this week, and the rest of our lives!
I love you all so much. You all are the best! Truly! Thank you for the examples all of you have been to me.
Remember to see the good in life, be happy, smile, laugh, do all that great stuff, because we truly are blessed!
Пока пока!!
All of my love,
Your sister, Sister Lee
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| My life be like ooooh ahhhh ooooh :) |
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