How About Today?

Jessica & Judy

This is Julie.  On Saturday afternoon I received a text with this picture.  Here is my texting conversation:

Julie:  Thank you for sending this picture of my daughter!  It made my day!  Who is she with?

Judy:  Me.  My name is Judy.  Your lovely daughter has been doing service for me.  I have needed help with some health problems.  In the process we talked and to make it a short story, I am being baptized October 8th.  

Julie:  Oh  my goodness!  Judy, thank you for taking time to share this with me and my family!  We are so excited with your decision!  I hope you have felt how much God loves you.  I hope we can meet you someday!

Judy:  That would be nice.  Your daughter is an exceptional young woman.  I love her.


Now here is Jessica's letter this week:

So.... JUDY'S GONNA BE BAPTIZED ON OCTOBER 8th!!

I'm super excited if you can't tell. So Judy worked with Sherry as school teachers.  Sherry happens to be LDS.  They became close friends and Sherry started talking to her about the gospel.  Judy was receptive and loved to learn so Sherry went ABOVE AND BEYOND.  She took her to temple open houses, she read the entire "Work and the Glory" with her, she bought her dresses for church and they went on church tours. The lesson here is simply this- DO NOT CHECK YOUR RELIGION AT THE DOOR. Be bold, and talk about what you believe with everyone.  

We have a lady in our ward right now that does just this!  She loves her religion more than anything in the whole world and she shares it with literally everyone because it is what she is thinking about all the time and she isn't scared to talk about it. I admire people like that, but you don't come across very many.  This is what I want to be like for the rest of my life. 

I've been thinking this week about the process of a mission.  According to my UVU mission prep teacher (love him- he's the best), there are people who "go on a mission" and people who "become a missionary".  The words "BECOMING" have been stuck on my mind all week and I've been praying that God will help me get over my mountains and valleys so I can become who He wants me to be.  In very personal ways, I've been given an opportunity this week to "become" even more of what Heavenly Father needs me to be.  Hopefully I can make it through with a lot of faith. I want to become the kind of person who will not be afraid to share the gospel and stand up for Christ in any circumstance and especially when I'm released as a full-time missionary.  I continue to change in my process of "becoming" and it's not always easy.   

Thanks for the prayers and keep them comin!  I could use all the help I can get! 

Love, Jess