CoMfoRtaBle

Scenario:
Two adorable sister missionaries knock on Sally's door. Sally shuffles to the door and peers out only to see two young women standing out in the cold holding books. They seem nice enough. Oh wait! Sally looks closer: Not the tags... They're missionaries! After the missionaries introduce themselves they begin to explain their purpose. Sally interrupts, "I'm not interested! I am already comfortable in my religion."

Key:
Two adorable sister missionaries: Sister Eddy and I 
Sally: A representation of half of the people we meet knocking doors. 

*******

It's taken me awhile to figure out what it is about this response bothers me. It truly doesn't bother me that people belong to different religions. If I wasn't a Latter-day Saint, I'm sure I would have another faith. After all, we, as missionaries, come to help others add to the truths they already know. We DO NOT come to tear down anyone's beliefs. 

I'm Already comfortable in my religion...

Already comfortable...

comfortable 

Now I realize that 'comfortable' is the culprit word.

I am confident that being comfortable is not the best way to live life. Comfortable is sitting on a couch watching actors and actresses pretend to go through awesome events while munching on potato chips, Milk Duds, and McDonalds and probably gaining a few pounds. That's what comfortable is. Comfortable is a good time, it really is. But, when a person decides to get out of the comfort zone, when they decide to get off their lazy bum and start using their glutes for something adventurous, like scaling a mountain or diving into the ocean, that's when life really gets interesting. That's when new heights are reached. That's when life is not just good; it is stunning. It is brilliant. Being comfortable is actually a crutch that keeps people from reaching their full potential. DON'T GET COMFORTABLE.

I know that if all the Sallys out there knew that there was another life than just being comfortable, they would get off that silly sofa and start hitting the trails. I know how to reach new heights spiritually!!! I wish Sally would hear me out. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contains the fullness of Christ's gospel! Because of it, everyone can and reach new heights, spiritually speaking... if they are willing to trust God and get out of their comfort zones! People who do not know about the church have to step out of their comfort zones to learn about the message we share, but the stretching doesn't end there. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are invited to do many things throughout our lives that are meant to expand our zones of comfort. 

I love being a member of the Church of Christ in the latter-days. God asks me to do things that I am absolutely not comfortable with, however, it is exactly those things that have shaped me into a better person. I don't feel comfortable being a missionary most of the time! I don't feel comfortable saying that I am a representative of Jesus Christ. (It's such a bold thing and I often feel inadequate.) I don't always feel comfortable interrupting people's nights by spreading God's word. I don't feel comfortable getting called to speak to a congregation spur of the moment. I don't feel comfortable sharing my personal spiritual experiences to people I just met, or preaching to people who have acquired more knowledge, but not necessarily more wisdom, than me. I'm not comfortable trudging around the streets in the dark looking for people who may need the gospel. I don't feel comfortable eating in front of people that I've never met before. I don't feel comfortable spending every second of every day with another human being (aka a missionary companion.)  Sometimes it is uncomfortable to pray in public...but all of this said:  I LOVE THESE THINGS!!!! I do not always love them in the moment; I seldom do, but I look back and realize how grateful I am that God gave me these experiences to grow. The wonderful thing is that I know even when I get home from my mission, God will ask me to do things that make me step out of my comfort zone. I will keep becoming what he wants me to be. 

God will require us-- no matter what point we are at in our lives-- to be uncomfortable, to stretch. The blessings will be great. They will be eternal. I invite you to  step out of your own comfort zone in your service and devotion to our Heavenly Father. He will be with you every step of the way. 

73 Things I've Learned On My Mission

This is what I have learned on my mission so far: 

1.      I talk in my sleep.

2.       Silence is not uncomfortable.

3.      No one in Virginia knows how to drive.

4.      There is power in kneeling prayer.

5.      I like guacamole.

6.      I look good in yellow.

7.      God is in the details.

8.      Going to bed early is the greatest blessing.

9.      I love everyone.

10.               I rarely like Wreaths.

11.  I owe everything to Jesus Christ.

12.  I am not entitled to anything.

13.                    It's okay not to be happy every minute of every day.

14.  Planning is necessary.

15.  Erasable highlighters exist.

16.  I can bike in a skirt without flashing too many people.

17.  I am always hungry.

18.  General Conference should probably just be holiday. (That's how great it is.)

19.  The DC North Mission actually doesn't include any of DC.

20.  Change is hard, but can be sooo beneficial.

21.                   Gospel is not spelled like "gosple"

22.  Time is a lie.

23.  I want to be in love.

24.  I am beautiful.

25.  Everyone is unique.

26.  Scriptures really do tell us all the answers.

27.   Missionaries still tract.

28.         Few gifts compare to a hand-written letter.

29.  Earrings don't have to be super bulky to be adorable.

30.     I will gain more knowledge on my mission than I could learn in a classroom.

31.  I crave praise.

32.  I have more fears then I care to admit.

33.  I am brave.

34.  Thanksgiving Eve is a really great day!

35.  It's selfish to be a perfectionist.

36.                      Grace is the enabling power of the atonement.

37.   I love my family more than words can comprehend.

38.                     Service is the best way to get rid of stupid self-pity.

39.   Faith is power.

40.  The priesthood is manifest in covenant keeping.

41.  Every calling is so important.

42.  Visiting teaching is vital.

43.   I like being alone, but I feed off of other people's energy.

44.  Repentance allows us to access the atonement.

45.  Riding bikes in the rain is the funnest thing ever!

46.  I am not alone.

47.  I love white chocolate.

48.  I'll never be normal.

49.  I will succeed because I refuse to fail.

50.  Technology can be a very positive thing.

51.  I am a little better at directions than I give myself credit for.

52.  If I continually keep my focus on Jesus Christ, I won't be held back by anything.

53.  I can repent for my own mediocrity.

54.  Satan wants to destroy each of us.

55.  All my strength is weakness. God's strength is endless.

56.  Depression is real.

57.  Criticism is a tool.

58.  I take offence too easily. 

59.   Testimonies have power. 

60.              The spirit is what allows me to sympathize, empathize and relate with people. 

61.   Faith should be centered on Jesus Christ. 

62.  I need to be a stand-up person.  

63.     My debt to God only increases, because as I become better, he blesses me even more. 

64.   I don't have to be close (physically) to my family to become closer with them. 

65.   The first step in heeding spiritual promptings is recognizing them. 

66.  Sometimes a girl just needs a bouquet of flowers.

67.   Carving pumpkins is a dangerous hobby. 

68.  It's important to check the resolutions on pictures before printing them. 

69.  I'm judgmental. 

70.                    I can fix my natural tendencies. 

71.  There are many Latter-day Saints in the Northern Virginia Area. 

72.  When I work on one Christ-like attribute, I improve in them all. 

73.  The basics are the most important. 

I'm Hungry

I'm always hungry. ALWAYS. I wasn't like that before my mission. I don't know what it is. Maybe I'm just shredding up so much energy because I am so anxiously engaged in the work of salvation, just wasting and wearing out my life in the service of God... I guess... I'll go with that option until I come up with something better. :)  I eat breakfast at 7, but by 11 I'm this hungry little demon who just needs a gold, old sandwich. By the time 5 rolls around I'm crazy-craving for dinner. What's magical about being a missionary is that oftentimes, someone else will prepare food for me. The food is normally superb!  It's really interesting, though. As much as I enjoy the scrumptious calories I am downing, there is something about eating dinner in people's homes that I love even more. You see, most of the time they aren't just feeding me physically, but also spiritually. It is easy to pay attention to the signs that I am physically hungry. ( The growling of my empty stomach can be heard from a few feet away.) It is harder, however, to realize I am spiritually hungry. The signs that my soul is yearning to be filled are often still, and quiet. I have come to realize I need spiritual nourishment as much as I need physical nourishment. I am ALWAYS spiritually hungry. These dinner appointments (The good ones) feed me in both ways, and some of them have provided me with memories that I won't soon forget. Here are some examples: 

Company: Family home for the Christmas holidays. All children were grown and starting families of their own.
What fed my belly: Warm home-made chili in a giant bowl, cornbread and apple-butter.
What fed my soul: We said a kneeling prayer together at dinner. I don't know why this struck me so much, but it did. Kneeling while praying shows humility. I could tell these were people who truly understood the greatness of God.

Company: A Lutheran family. A mom, dad, grandmother, teen son, and teen daughter. The mom and dad moved from West Africa 20 years prior.

What fed my belly: Liver, Strawberries, and Bamboo Shoots (Not gonna lie... I ate lots of spaghetti at this one. :) 

What fed my soul:  Their charity and appreciation for spreading the word of God. We knocked at their door by a miracle. Immediately, the father of the household invited us in. The mother was so happy to see us there and said we simply must stay for dinner. "An African's house is everyone's house!" She said. The kids joined for dinner and the family proceeded to ask what it was we were hoping to accomplish by knocking on all the doors in the neighborhood. We told them that we continuously invite others to come unto Christ, hear about his restored gospel, and begin to live it. They were shocked, especially the father. He began trying to search for ulterior motives. He asked us if we were forced to do missionary service, to which we smiled and said no. My companion and I explained both our personal stories of how we came to feel God telling us we should serve missions. We explained the process in filling out mission papers and sending them into church head quarters. We also bore testimony that this is the place that God wants us, because a prophet of God sent us to this area. He was dumbfounded. He started pleading with his kids to listen to us. We taught the restoration of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith that night. The spirit was so strong. It enveloped each of us in that room. We left a Book of Mormon for them to read. Although, they did not want to learn more at that time, the father told us over and over again what a great thing it was we were doing-- spreading the word of God. He told us to never give up. He told us that even if we don't find anyone who will get baptized into the church, that we have done an incredible work. (All of this coming from someone who is a member of a different church.) This little pep talk really effected me that day-- It really has effected me every day since. I don't really remember the taste of the bamboo, but I definitely remember the spirit that I felt that night.

Company: A mother and her two children, People I became close with, Catholic background
What fed my belly: Spaghetti, Broccoli, Salad,and Cheesy bread
What fed my soul: This family knew that my companion and I had been working really hard, and they wanted to help us in any way that they could. They knew our favorite foods, because we had been there several times before. Even after a really long day of chaos that only mother's would truly understand, this mother still went to the store, bought all our favorite foods, and made us dinner to enjoy within their company. This was an act of service that made me feel so loved! It lifted my soul. This effected my attitude and how I talked with everyone the rest of the night. Charity is contagious.

Company: The entire ward and their friends. Consisting of lots of crazy kids, older people hobbling around and every age in-between
What fed my belly: Delicious pulled-pork sandwiches. (Um... Yum!)
What fed my soul: There were so many smiles and laughter. There was a huge sense of community and belonging. Even the people who generally enjoyed being loaners were swooped into the group. I know this is how God wants us to be: unified.

Company: A mother, father and two little children. Native Virginians. Members of our ward.
What fed my belly: Pasta and bread
What fed my soul: My companion and I were deeply grateful for this family. They were always willing to help us find people to teach, let us teach them in their home, and give us ideas of new things to try. At the dinner we wanted to ask how we could serve them, but immediately following the prayer on the food, the mother and father of the home began asking us about how our work was going. They began asking how they could help us. They both began to share stories from their own missions. The father told a story about one companion who had incredible faith. He said they would set really hard goals, and they would do anything to attain them. They had set a goal for 5 lessons that week. (I made up that number because I don't remember the real one.) It was the last night of the week and they had taught 4 lessons. They got lost and offered a prayer. As soon as they opened their eyes they saw a man's eye through the hole of a fence. He beckoned them to come around to the front of the house. They did. He had been seeking out missionaries and didn't know where to find them at this time of trial in his life! It was a miracle! They were able to teach him and uplift him. This story meant a lot to me because it was on a week that we set really high goals, and I was a little worried we wouldn't reach them. This reassured me that I was able to reach all goals with the Lord's help.

Company: Big family. Lots of very cute kids. Members of our ward.
What fed my belly: Broccoli Cheese Soup
What fed my soul: The oldest of all the really cute kids shared his feelings about the church. he bore his testimony during dinner that was very simple. "I know the Book of Mormon is true and helps us get close to Jesus. I want to share it with my friends." The fact that he was such a great missionary made my smile permanently stuck to my face the rest of the night. He prayed before we left that night. His prayer was made up of only grateful phrases. "We are thankful for a Bishop. We are thankful for the true gospel. We are thankful for families. We are thankful for missionaries. We are thankful for a temple so close...." he went on and on. What a good example he is! What strong parents must have raised such a son!

I hope after reading some of my experiences, that you are a little more spiritually fed! Now, go out there and help someone else who is spiritually famished!