There is not one person in the world exempt from challenges, and heartache. We all have mountains to climb and lessons to learn. One of my challenges in life has been on my mission learning, slowly but surely, to speak Spanish.
I came on my mission with a desire to run. There were things to be done and souls to be saved. I only had one little set back. All I could say was "Can I go to the restroom?" and that wasn't going to convert anybody. How was I going to help people come unto the fold of God when I couldn't speak to them? Well, I studied! Anytime we were in the car driving to appointments I would pull out my study materials and learn phrases and vocabulary words. While I did exercises, I would learn more words. Any extra time I had, I spent studying. During my first transfer, I clearly remember going to teach a man named Israel. It was a beautiful day. Blue sky and sunshine. Exactly the opposite of how I felt listening to the rapid Spanish exchanged between my companions and our investigator. I wanted so badly to be a part of it. How could I express my deep feelings for the gospel through my broken Spanish? I tried with all my might to hold back the fountain of tears but it was a losing battle. The tears came and the embarrassment took over. I knew that all I could do was study and pray to the Lord for his help.
I am now 9 months in my mission and I can hold a decent conversation and teach the gospel with confidence and a greater trust in the Lord.
I have learned that trials are about the process. Why would the view at the top of a mountain be so gratifying if it didn't hurt a little to get there? While I thought I was learning Spanish, the Lord was teaching me patience with myself, hard work, diligence, to think optimistically, and most importantly, to rely on him. Through trials we learn to be more Christlike. While I had in my mind I was learning Spanish, the Lord always saw the bigger picture.
Nadie en esta mundo es libra de desafios. Todos tenemos montañas para escalar y lecciones para aprender. uno de mis desefios en mi misión ha sido aprendiendo como hablar en Español.
Vine en mi misíon lista a correr. había cosas para hacer y almas para salvar. Pero tuve una problema. Todo pude dicer fue "puedo usar el baño" y nadie sería convertido porque de eso. Como pude ayudar personas venir a Cristo si no pude hablar con ellos? Puse, estudié! Cuando estabamos conduciendo a nuestras citas yo aprendí nuevas palabras. Durante mis ejercicios yo estudié. Cuando tuve un momento librado yo estudie. Durante mi primero traslado recuerdo yendo a ensenar un hombre se llama Israel. Era un dia hermoso. Con sol y cielos azul. Era el opuesto de como yo sientí escuchando a español rapido cambio de mis compañeras y nuestra y el hombre. Yo quise ser parte de esto con todo mi corazón. ¿Pero Como pude expresar mis sentamientos profundos mediante mi español poco? Yo trataba con todo mi fuerza no llorar pero las lagrimas venieron. El solomente cosa que podria hacer fue estudiar y orar por la ayuda edl Señor.
Hoy tengo 9 meses en mi misión y puedo tener una conversación buena y enseñar el evangelio con confidencia y más valor en el Señor.
He aprendido que desefios son parte el proceso. ¿Por qué sería gratificante la vista encima de la montaña si no fuera doloroso para llegar allá? Mientras que estaba pensando que estaba aprendiendo español, el Señor fue enseñandome paciencia con mi mismo, trabajo duro, diligencia, optimismo, y lo que es más importante, confiar en él. A travéz de nuestros pruebas aprendemos ser más como Cristo. Mientras que estaba pensando que estaba aprendiendo español, él Señor vio más que nosotros.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Thanksgiving
Today is Thanksgiving a day set aside in my country to remember all that we have to be thankful for. In my life I have been so blessed to have so much. I was born into the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints where I have been taught about God's love for me and how to have peace in life. I am also very blessed to be part of a wonderful family that loves me very much and have always been a great support. I've been blessed with health and education. I am so grateful for all that I have been given. I know that it is all because there is a merciful God who know's each of us and loves us all.
In Thanksgivings past, I've sat with my family relaxing and eating as much food as I could possibly squeeze into my stomach. This Thanksgiving has been different. I arise early, get ready for the day and do my usual scripture studies. We then leave to go serve people a thanksgiving lunch who would not have had the means of providing one themselves. I feel a sense of gratitude come over me that I have been blessed with food throughout my life. We then go to a veterans care center to sing to them and lift there spirits. We begin with Christmas music and then branched into patriotic songs not usually associated with the day of Thanksgiving. I thought it was an odd choice at first. Then I remembred where I was, at a vetrerans home where so many had given so much so we could have the freedoms that we enjoy today. Freedom of religion, Freedom of speech, freedom to chose what we want to study and how we want to live our lives. What better songs is there to sing than the familiar My Country 'tis Of Thee or The Star-Spangled Banner? What a blessing it is to live in this Country and to enjoy the freedoms that many have given there lives for us to have.
As we remember our blessings we are happier people. I remember growing up when I was feeling a sad or discouraged my very wise mother would give me a hug and happily say "lets play the thankful game!". The rules to this game were simple. Each person takes turns saying one thing that they were grateful for. We would play one person would say "I'm grateful for food" the next would say "I'm grateful for water" it would go on and slowly the bad feelings would start to dissipate, the gratitude would take over and the bad day was turned into a happy one.
In the Bible in the book of Ephesians 5:20 it says "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." When we are grateful to God for the things that we have we remember that we are loved. We remember that we have been blessed by a loving God. I know that as we look for the blessings in our lives we will be happier.
In Thanksgivings past, I've sat with my family relaxing and eating as much food as I could possibly squeeze into my stomach. This Thanksgiving has been different. I arise early, get ready for the day and do my usual scripture studies. We then leave to go serve people a thanksgiving lunch who would not have had the means of providing one themselves. I feel a sense of gratitude come over me that I have been blessed with food throughout my life. We then go to a veterans care center to sing to them and lift there spirits. We begin with Christmas music and then branched into patriotic songs not usually associated with the day of Thanksgiving. I thought it was an odd choice at first. Then I remembred where I was, at a vetrerans home where so many had given so much so we could have the freedoms that we enjoy today. Freedom of religion, Freedom of speech, freedom to chose what we want to study and how we want to live our lives. What better songs is there to sing than the familiar My Country 'tis Of Thee or The Star-Spangled Banner? What a blessing it is to live in this Country and to enjoy the freedoms that many have given there lives for us to have.
As we remember our blessings we are happier people. I remember growing up when I was feeling a sad or discouraged my very wise mother would give me a hug and happily say "lets play the thankful game!". The rules to this game were simple. Each person takes turns saying one thing that they were grateful for. We would play one person would say "I'm grateful for food" the next would say "I'm grateful for water" it would go on and slowly the bad feelings would start to dissipate, the gratitude would take over and the bad day was turned into a happy one.
In the Bible in the book of Ephesians 5:20 it says "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." When we are grateful to God for the things that we have we remember that we are loved. We remember that we have been blessed by a loving God. I know that as we look for the blessings in our lives we will be happier.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Happiness
The biggest question many people have is "where can I find happiness?". So many people in the world are looking for hope, peace and happiness. But don't know where to look. The secret is it comes from within in us as we strive to follow God's plan for us. We can create happiness through the choices that we make. We can choose to be happy when the situation would suggest otherwise.In this video Stephanie Neilson chooses happiness when so many others would lose all hope. She is in a terrible accident that leaves her with scars that cover her body. She is able to find peace by turning to God .
Although she suffers physically and emotionally she is able to be healed through Christ. Christ did not choose to heal her outward scars but healed the emotional more damaging scars inside.
All of us have scars. All of us are on a our own personal quest for happiness. Through Christ we can be happy. Through him we will have Joy. When we seek Christ and follow his commandments we are blessed. happiness is a by product of following Christs way and the only way to hope peace and ultimate happiness.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Deep Beauty
My name is Rachel Rickett I am serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Chirst of Latter-Day Saints. In Ogden Utah. We have an opportunity to use the internet to share our beliefs and uplifting thoughts. With so much degrading things on the Internet I am grateful for this opportunity share thoughts about Chirst and his love for us.
Today my companion and I were talking about the pressure woman have to look a certain way. We are constantly bombarded with images of how we should look and feel bad about ourselves when we don't look how the world expects us to look. We see images on the internet, magazines, TV, in all the clothing stores billboards. We have a constant pressure to be beautiful.
As I thought more about this I realized what a cunning plan of the devil this was to make woman feel insecure about themselves. As we obsess over our outward appearance we no longer focus on who we are trying to become. Our spirituality is weakened and and our identity as a daughter of God lost.
Growing up in the LDS church each week the young woman would recite the young woman theme.
Young Women Theme 
WE ARE DAUGHTERS of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him. WE WILL “STAND as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:
Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue
WE BELIEVE as we come to accept and act upon these values, WE WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.
Each Week I was reminded that I am a daughter of God and he loves me more than I know. He wants his beloved daughters to be respected and loved as he loves us. He wants us to remeber our divine potential and remember that we are supposed to be striving to be like him. Not like the photos in the magazines. We are taught that the person we become inside will leave a greater mark on the world than the layers of makeup and expensive clothing we put on. I learned that my faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, integrity and virtue should define me.
This video talks about what true beauty is. Something that can not be purchased, painted on or surgically created. It is the beauty that comes from our knowledge from how we live our lives and who we choose to become. It is a permanent beauty. One that can not be washed off. The beauty God sees in us.
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