First letter from the MTC

Hi this is Whitney's mom, posting for Whitney because missionaries can't post on blogs.  

September 28, 2015 (First letter from the MTC)

My beloved people!!!

HOLY COW I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

For those of you who don't want to read a long email, just know that I am LOVING the MTC and I am doing really well. Also that I love you all a whole bunch... for everyone else, here is my novel;

I have two companions, Sister Brown and Sister Ives. Sister Brown is the one I met on instagram a few weeks ago who is also going to Orlando, and Sister Ives is going to Perth Australia along with the rest of the missionaries in our district and the other district in our zone that also got here Wednesday so we are two Floridians in a sea of Australians but it is a blast and a half. We are rooming with sister Beardall and Sister Campbell who are also so funny. Sister Ives and Sister Beardall seriously have me laughing until my stomach hurts every night. The other two sets of elders in my district are Elder Bacca who is the district leader, his comp, Elder Rose, and Elder Johnson and Elder B who are the zone leaders. We get along pretty well and we have been having a lot of fun.

I got Briana's letter yesterday and I got the cookies and stuff from my familamilie today and they made me so excited! If missionaries love one thing it's mail. So thank you so much for sending those!

This week has been crazy and I have so much to tell you guys so hopefully I can fit an ounce of it in!

Wednesday they whipped me from you guys, sent me through a line, and before I knew it I was sitting in class with a name tag going "HOW IN THE WORLD DID I GET HERE!?" But about an hour into it I just couldn't stop smiling because being a missionary feels so great!

Our teachers are Sister Thayer and Sister Olsen and they are the cutest RMs EVER. They are basically both the epitome of EFY counselors so we party hard. They are both young reticently returned RMs and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

Thursday was a good day of classes and the usual MTC stuff.

Friday night Sister Brown started to get sick so we missed our evening stuff so she could rest. Sister Ives and I studied that night in our rooms. Then on Saturday she was still feeling sick so we spent a lot of the morning trying to get a hold of doctors because the health clinic was closed. But she got a priesthood blessing from the elders in our district and felt a lot better later in the day. We are all happy and healthy now and starting to get back to normal.

Saturday night me and Sister Ives lead an impromptu discussion on the Plan of Salvation and it was crazy amazing. We did this huge thing on the board that I will try to send you a picture of. It was one of the best moments of teaching up to this point.

Our teaching (where we practice teaching our teachers who pretend to be investigators) have been going progressively better. Our first appointments were rough, but we have learned so much about following the spirit. We are teaching "Channy" and we got to skype an actual member named "Joy" that was my favorite lesson so far. We will also start teaching "Ivy Wang" for Progressive TRC tonight so we are praying that goes well!

Sunday was GREAT! We had fast and testimony meeting and there is nothing like a testimony meeting of missionaries! We also had several other "missionary meetings" which were all also very good. After the meetings we walked up to the temple to take pictures. And then last night we got to watch the Sunday night Devo that was really good and then we got to watch the "Characters of Christ" MTC talk by Elder Bednar and that was AMAZING!

Last night when we were all in the shower, Sister Beardall was tempted by donuts and WE LOCKED ALL 5 KEYS IN OUR ROOM! It was so funny because one by one we all came out and realized we were in our Pj's and couldn't get in our room. So me and another sister from another room ( I was the only one that had flipflops from our room.) had to walk all the way across campus to get a spare key. It was the most awkward funny thing ever. All these elders were staring at me like "why is she wearing her Pj's in here?" haha good times.

Today we got to go to the temple and I realized something SO COOL! We have been studying the story of the Brother of Jared a lot the last few days and I just kept thinking "there has to be something more that I'm missing that the Lord wants me to know because people keep bringing it up!" And when I was in the temple I totally learned something way cool! For any of you have gone through the temple I want you to read Ether 3 and think about how the brother of Jared saw the finger first, and then all of Christ when the veil was lifted, and then I want you to think about how that is similar to the temple.

After the temple we watched Elder Richard G. Scott's funeral and that was amazing. If you haven't already watched that I highly suggest you watch it. And if you don't have enough time to watch the whole thing at least listen to the closing song because HOLY COW it had us almost in tears.

I love you all a whole bunch and will try to send some pictures if I can. (The internet has been spotty today so I will hopefully be able to do that.) Have an AMAZING week!

Make good choices, say your prayers, read your scriptures, brush your teeth, Remember who you are! I love you!

See you in 18!

Well my friends, this is my last post for 18 months! 

I will be set apart as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tonight! I am so excited for this opportunity to serve God's children in Orlando Florida! 

Even though I can't post for a while I won't leave you hanging! My mom will be posting my weekly emails so check back here every week to stay up to date with all my adventures as a missionary. 

You can also find all the information you need to keep in touch with me (email, address, etc.) under the "contact me" page. (And I'd LOVE to get mail from all of you so PLEASE send me some love!) Thank you so much for all the love and support over the last 19 years. I feel truly blessed to have so many amazing people in my life. I love you all more than you could ever know. 

I know The Church is true and it has brought me more joy than anything else ever has in my life and that is why I want to share it. I know the Book of Mormon is the most true book that we have on the earth today and that Joseph Smith was indeed a true prophet and that he really did translate it. I know God loves His children and that is why he sent his son, Jesus Christ to atone for all of our sins, our struggles, and ultimately to die for us so that we might be able to return to live with him again. I know he loves me and I know he loves each of you. I know that through Jesus Christ all families can be together forever. This is a magnificent time to live on this earth. How blessed we are to be able to experience it.

I love you all!

Read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church, remember who you are, and so on, and so forth, and what not, and what have you. See you in 18.

-Sister Reid

Farewell Talk {Jesus Christ}

I am going to be a missionary in a WEEK!! A WEEK I TELL YOU! I am a little bit of a roller coaster right now, but that's ok because roller coasters are fun right?! I'm very excited for this awesome adventure and I'm ready to get out there and work. I had my farewell on Sunday and because some of my friends and family and awesome blog followers weren't able to attend my farewell on Sunday I decided that it would be a fun idea to post a copy of it on here. Enjoy!

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Now I know most of you know me, but for those of you who don't.... or those of you who forgot I guess.... My name is Whitney Reid and I have been called to serve as a missionary in the Florida Orlando mission. 

Now, I know that this is commonly referred to as "my farewell" but I want to remind you that this church service isn't about me. The night before Christ died he gathered together with his Apostles one last time to teach them and to give them what was then called the "last supper" this was the first "sacrament" as we know it today.

In a sense this was Chirst's "farewell" from the earth. We partake of the sacrament today to remember what he did for us and to promise to always follow him.

I think it is no coincidence that the sacrament table, when the cloth is covering the trays It resembles a body covered in cloth symbolizing Christ's body as it lay in tomb after he died. This is a meeting for Christ to remember his life, to remember why he died, and to remember that he lives again.

So instead of thinking of this as "my farewell" before I go on a mission I want you to think of this as Christ's farewell. Remember what he did for you. Remember what he is still doing for you. And decide what you are going to do for him.

The other day I was in my car listening to a country music radio station. Now President I apologize for quoting Keith Urban over the pulpit, but a song came on of his that had a line that said

"I learned everything I needed to know from John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16."

I think John Cougar is a singer... I don't know.... he's a child of God.

John Deere; Tractors and stuff. Cool.

But John 3:16 is what I really wanted to focus my talk on today.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And if you read onto verse 17 it says;

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

When I read this scripture I can't help but think about the sacrifice of the Father to send his son. And this scripture also reminds me of the fact that each of us are children of a God that loves us more than we can even comprehend.

In the children's hymn book there is a song that testifies of this great act of love. Now, I would sing it for you, but I wasn't in the line when they handed out great vocal talent in heaven so I'm just going to read you the words;

How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?
He sent His son, a new-born Babe, with peace and holiness.
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?
He sent His Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.

God sen't his son to earth so that we might be able to learn from him. He wanted us to be able to have an example to follow.

One of my friends that is currently serving a mission sent me an email this week. In this email he shared his testimony that I think really illustrates how the Father feels for us, and what our Father has done because of it. He said;

"God did not send us down to earth to fail. He sends angels to assist us; He has given us the Holy Ghost to testify of truth and bring comfort, and to warn us of pain and sin; and above all, He has given His Son, even Jesus Christ, as a ransom for us to satisfy the demands of justice, and to SAVE US from sin and death, and through His eternal atonement, we can receive happiness and forgiveness, and eternal salvation. He didn't send us to fail. He sent us, and has given us all everything we need in order to, succeed."

I want you to think about the examples that have been set for you; both good, and not so good.

The world wants to set examples for you that will lead you away from Christ. I predict that it would take any of you a total of two seconds to sift through the hashtags and facebook posts on your phone before you are able to find an example of one of these things that the world is using to lead you astray.

I also think that in two seconds any of you could pull out your phones and be able to find an example of something that was put on this earth to help guide us in the right direction.

There are so many things that are here to distract us. Some of the greatest of which are idleness and temptation. Idleness is especially prevalent in our culture because Satan knows that he doesn't need to start by making us do bad things, he just needs to start by making us do nothing. And if he can do that, he can tempt us to do anything. 

While there are many things to distract us, there are also many things that will guide us to the right path. We are blessed to have been born in a time when every person can have access to the scriptures whenever they want. With the memory of 9/11 last week we were reminded of how blessed we are to live in a place where we are free to worship and pray whenever we want and however we want. We have been blessed with modern technology that allows us to share the gospel. The amount of gospel material that fits onto your smartphone would have taken truckloads to carry not very many years ago.

We also have the opportunity to be one of these examples for good.

In the 2008 October General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson shared this in the general priesthood meeting. 

"Ours is the task to be fitting examples. We are strengthened by the truth that the greatest force in the world today is the power of God as it works through man. If we are on the Lord’s errand, brethren, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Never forget that truth. That divine help, of course, is predicated upon our worthiness. Each must ask: Are my hands clean? Is my heart pure? Am I a worthy servant of the Lord?"

I love that he says that if we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to His help. He will help us, he wants to help us, but he can't help us unless we let him.

When I was thinking about this I was reminded of the story of the three little pigs. Now, I know you all know this story, but I want to put a twist on it.

The first little pig built his house out of straw. When the big bad wolf came he huffed and he puffed and he blew that house down.

When we build our house out of straw, we aren't going to church, we aren't reading our scriptures and we aren't preparing ourselves for when Satan comes to blow our house down. 

That's the thing about Satan, he doesn't have mercy on the weak. He's not going to look at you and say "oh, you're not very strong, I'll go easy on you." He's going to huff and he's going to puff, and if we aren't prepared our house will fall.

The second little pig built his house out of sticks. Sticks are pretty strong when the weather is nice and the sun is out. I think of the second little pig as the person that comes to church and can say all the right answers, but who isn't really looking to apply the atonement into their lives. Now, the house out of sticks might be strong when nothing is happening, but as soon as the big bad wolf comes a house made out of sticks isn't strong enough. We must learn how to apply the atonement in our lives or our testimonies will fall.

The third little pig built his house out of bricks. Now, in the world of house building bricks and rocks would both build very strong houses so I am going to use them interchangeably. 

Helaman 5:12 says;

"and now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundations; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storms shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

I LOVE that verse and I love that it says that Christ is a sure foundation. If we build our lives upon him we cannot fall, no matter how hard the big bad wolf huffs and puffs.

The second verse to that primary song says;

2. How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?
He sent His Son to die for us, and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way.
What does He ask? Live like His Son.

He has given us everything, all he asks is for us to live like his Son.

Testimony:

I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I know He once walked the earth with the saints and he taught the truest doctrine of love. I took a few sign language classes in high school and the signs for "Jesus" and "Christ" taught me a few things;

The sign for "Jesus" is done by motioning to the palms of your hands. This is done in remembrance that he died for each of us so that we might be able to return to live with Him and our Father again. This was the greatest act of love the world has ever known. This was what He came to earth to do.

The sign for "Christ" is done by making the same motion you would for "King" or "Queen" except with a "C" hand shape. Kings and Queens are placed before us to direct us and to teach us what to do. They are also there to protect us. When I learned that the sign for "Christ" is done in the same way I learned that He is our King. We are meant to follow Him. And if we do, He will not lead us astray.

I know that He Atoned for all of my sins, and that He also Atoned for all of my pains and afflictions. I know that He died so that we might all be able to return to live with Him and our Father in Heaven again. I also believe that if I had been the only person that needed this pure act of love that He would still have done it because He loves me that much. I also know that He would have done the same for each of you. I know he was resurrected and that because of Him death has no sting. I know that He loves me so much more than I can even comprehend and that He wants what's very best for me. I know that He will direct my path as long as I'm willing to follow Him. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is in fact, HIS church and that He is the head of it which is why it is the only church with His complete gospel on the earth today. I know that He lives. Because I know that He lives I will prepare to dedicate 18 months of my life to His service by serving a mission. I will also dedicate every second after that to loving Him and building his kingdom. I will do this by not being afraid to share my testimony, by loving everyone around me, and by letting His light shine through me (hence the blog name...."feel my sunlight.") I promise to do my very best, and because I know that alone I will never be enough, I also promise to rely on Him everyday. Because He is almighty, and all-knowing. He is ever loving and everlasting. He is Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father. He is my Savior, And He is my Redeemer.

And I love Him.

Studio C Extra!

Raise your hand if you're a fan of Studio C! Good. Now that you are raising your hand stupidly while staring at your little LCD screen I want to tell you about a super awesome experience I had.

For those of you who aren't raising your hand, Studio C is an awesome and hilarious family-friendly comedy show that plays on BYUtv every Monday at 10pm ET/8pm MT and is always available on YouTube. I highly recommend you all go watch some of their videos.  (Also read this blog post about the time I went to a fireside by Mallory Everton.)

The other day I had the crazy opportunity to be an extra on the set of a Studio C sketch! We filmed all night long in a dark creepy (probably haunted) abandoned warehouse in Provo. Filming began at 11:00 pm and I was on set until 6:00 am the next day and I must say that I have gained so much more respect for the filming process that takes place to make these clips. Talking to the cast members we learned that it can easily take 14 hours to make one 4 minute video and sometimes that means filming in the middle of the night. These guys are rock stars and pretty much the nicest people ever. Many of the cast members took time to talk to us and take pictures with us in between takes and it was so much fun to be able to get a little bit of the behind the scenes process. 

We were asked not to post pictures that we took while filming until after the skit airs, but here are a few pictures we got with a few of the cast members before filming started as well as a picture of the abandoned warehouse. 

Everybody watch Studio C season 6 which airs this Monday and watch out for my very average dance moves later on in the season!

Aside from occasionally hanging out on TV sets in the middle of the night, I'm quickly getting closer to Orlando! I report to the MTC in a whopping 17 days and I am definitely in crazy mode. There are so many thoughts and emotions going through my mind at a million miles an hour and it seems every other minute I feel different about leaving. Currently I'd say I'm excited to go, but not quite ready to leave.

Next week is my last week of coaching tumbling which I have been doing since I was a little thirteen year old and the kids I coach mean the world to me. I'm so grateful that I have been able to have this job for the last 6 years and leaving the gym is going to be one of the hardest parts about leaving. But that being said, I know it's my time to accept my call to serve so I want my tumbling kids to know that I love them to pieces. Tumble hard for me okay?

My farewell is next Sunday on the 13th and I am very excited to see everyone! If you want information about that check out my previous blog post. 

So I will see you all soon! And in the mean time here are a few of my favorite Studio C sketches for you to watch. 

I love you all!

-Whit

23 days until you can call me "Sister Reid"

Isn't little Ave just the cutest? Congrats on getting baptized on Saturday little one!
Thanks for letting me take your pictures and for letting me be your tumbling coach.

I thought I'd do a quick blog post to give you guys an update and let you guys know about my mission farewell which is in two weeks. It will be on Sunday September 13th at 9am and anyone is invited to come join me in worshiping in this church service. While I will be speaking, I want you all to remember that this church service isn't about me, it's about our Savior Jesus Christ and I just hope that all of you that come will be able to feel of His love for you. So come hear me speak at my church and after church we are having breakfast at my house afterwords and I would love to see all of your bright smiling faces there so I can hug you all before I leave on my adventures in Florida. The address to my church is 1480 Phillips Street Kaysville Utah 84037-9672. See y'all there!

So... here's the update! As you've probably noticed this blog is slowly being converted to a mission blog. Which means as soon as I'm a missionary I won't be updating it anymore, but will hand it off to my mom who will post my emails on it for 18 months. I'm very excited about it and I hope you all keep checking back here every week to hear about my missionary adventures in Florida! You can also stay updated by typing your email in the 'bloglovin' box on the right hand column. You'll get emails letting you know about new posts every week! Since I won't be able to see comments on here you will only be able to contact me by sending me letters or through email, the addresses of which can be found under the "contact me" page at the top of this blog.

I have 23 days until my MTC report date. Many of my friends are already out serving missions and the rest of them are back in high school or in college now which means I have a slight obsession with emails, hand written letters, and FaceTime calls. I miss my friends a tenfold.

I had my wisdom teeth out on Thursday and I survived! After a few painful sick days I can now say that I just have super sore lower jaw and slightly fat chipmunk cheeks, but according to my little sister my "cheeks don't look as fat as they did yesterday" so that's good! I really just want a hamburger now.

The other day I was having a really rough day (having all the wisdom taken away from you can do that to a person.) and I was just feeling really down. When out of no where I received this message in my inbox from Dawn Armstrong (for those of you who don't remember who she is she's the mom from the movie Meet the Mormons.)

It was a simple gesture but it went a long way and I just wanted to give her a shout out and say thanks for being the person to reach out when I was having a hard day even though you didn't even know it! This was such a good reminder to me that a small act of kindness can change someone's day. And for all of you reading this you ought to go watch Meet the Mormons right this second. It's now on Netflix!

This week I'm going into mission crazy mode. Buying clothes, a bike, a bag, shoes, and all the other things one needs to be an effective sister missionary. Anything you RMs wish you would have brought on your mission that I don't want to forget?

So since I don't have a super uplifting post for you today I thought I'd share with you some of the music on my current playlist. Enjoy!

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is indeed the true church and that it does indeed contain the fully restored gospel. I know we all have a purpose on this earth and I find my greatest joy in trying to find and fulfill that purpose. Right now that purpose is taking me to Florida to share the gospel and to serve God's children and I can't wait! I love you all!

-Whit

 

Someone else's trial

I walked into a room full of people from every walk of life. I was unknowing as to what kind of a meeting this would be I was surprised to notice that the chairs were laid out in a large circle all facing the center. My aunt with her young children running around in circles was seated a few seats to my right. My neighbor who had reticently set out on his mission on the other side of the globe was sitting across the room. As I sat there I noticed a lady who's husband had died of cancer only a week before sitting next to her daughter who was now left fatherless. Seated next to me was the girl from my math class that did't have anyone to eat lunch with and on the other side of her was the girl with bright curly hair who reticently stared in a movie. As I sat and observed the dynamics of the situation I watched as all the people I had met through my life as they began to file into the room. Each with their own unique trials and concerns.

But I didn't notice those concerns on the outside. I began to think about how cool it would be if I could have that curly hair and star in a movie, I looked at the girl who ate lunch by herself and thought "well if she wanted friends to eat with she would come over and ask if she can sit with us." I looked around each person in the circle and looked at how magnificent their lives were. I was jealous of the girl was sitting by her mom because she had the nicest car and the widow because she had a nice house. 

As I sat their noticing everything that these people had I began to want what each of them had. I wanted their cool houses and their nice shoes. I wanted to travel like they did and I wanted a job that paid better. I wanted to have their money and their home lives.

While sitting in my covetous state as each person settled into their seats a man stood up and welcomed us and thanked us all for coming. I, still not knowing what this meeting was for, assumed it would be like any other church meeting where we would sing a song, say a prayer, and then listen to a teacher for a few minutes before going home.

The man in charge said that we would be singing hymn number 241 Count Your Blessing and then we would have an opening prayer by sister Parkin. I opened up my hymn book and muttered through the versus and then closed my eyes for the prayer. Sister Parkin stood up and prayed that during this meeting we would all be able to pick new trials that would be easier for us. She also prayed that we might be able to have a good rest of our Sabbath day and that we might be able to drive home in safety when the time came. 

After she said amen the man that was conducting stood up again. He said that today we were all going to pick new trials. He asked us to take out ours and place them in the center of the circle. I was more excited than I had ever been. I thought for sure I had the hardest trials in the group and felt relieved that I would be able to get somebody elses. I quickly opened up my purse and pulled out my trials and tossed them in the center. After everybody had put theirs in the middle he said that one by one we would take turns picking new trials. As I waited for my turn I sat in anticipation about what new trials I would get. I watched as each person would get off their chairs and begin to dig through the large pile of trials and pick out the ones they wanted.

When it came to my turn I got off my cold metal chair and knelt on the hard blue carpet. I began to sort through the pile. While on my knees I read about a trial of having your husband die of cancer and how hard it would be. Because this is a more public trial I knew exactly who had thrown it in the circle. I decided I didn't really want that one so I threw it back in the pile. I pulled one out that said that their family was in pieces and that they couldn't remember the last time they did something as a family without someone getting into a fight. I for sure didn't want that one so I threw it back. I read about the teenager who struggles with a pornography addiction but doesn't want to tell anybody. I read about a trial of a first grader who got picked on at school for his lisp and a fourth grader that was reticently diagnosed with epilepsy. I read about the lady with lots of kids and not enough money to buy them Christmas presents and the sixth grader who had recently found out she was adopted. I read about the lady who desperately wanted another child but wasn't able to have one. 

As I dug through this pile I began to think about how none of these trials fit me. I quickly found my original trials and stuffed them back in my pocket and sat down.

After all of the trials had been taken from the center the man conducting stood up and read a quote by Regina Brett that said;

“If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.”

We all sat in shock as we realized that that was exactly what each of us had done. I stuck my hand in my purse and felt my trials between my fingers.

He went on saying that while on the outside we all think we want what everybody else has and that we must surely have the hardest trials when we begin to look at the bigger picture we realize that these trials we've been given were designed specifically for us so that we might be able to become stronger and have joy.

I raised my hand and asked "how in the world do trials bring us joy?"

He smiled as he opened up his scriptures to 2 Nephi 2:25 which reads "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." 

He then pointed out that under the footnote for the word "joy" it said that joy is the potential to become like our Heavenly Father.

It was then I realized that joy is not found in a big house or in becoming a famous YouTuber. It was then that I realized joy meant becoming like our Father in Heaven. 

Then another man walked into the room. He was wearing red and had a beard and He looked at each of us with kind eyes. The man conducting the meeting introduced him to us as our brother. Our brother went around the room and collected each of our trials from us and told us that he would go through each of them before we had to. 

He did this so that we might be able to have somebody to ask when we have questions about our trials, so that we might be able to have a shoulder to cry on when it feels like it's too hard to move on, or a hand to squeeze when the pain gets too bad. He told us that he would carry us every step of the way and that he would always be with us silently waiting for us to ask him for help. He then promised that if we endured our trials well that we would be exalted on high. 

I realized that to be exalted on high meant that we would become like our Heavenly Father and we would return to meet with Him in heaven. I realized that this was the ultimate joy that everybody was speaking of. I discovered that we needed these trials to become perfected and that while this man they said was my brother couldn't take them away, he would help me.

He then told us that his name was Jesus Christ. I remembered learning about Him in my primary class. He showed us his scars from where they nailed him to the cross so that we might all be able to live again. He also told us about how he suffered for each of our sins so that we could be made clean and how we can be cleaned by that atonement through repenting and being baptized.

At the close of the meeting after Brother Wall said the closing prayer the Savior hugged each of us and told us that He loved us.

When I left that room I knew that even though on the outside we all feel like others have better circumstances, that each of us were given trials that would make us strong. I also knew that the Savior was indeed our brother and that he loves us each so much that he was willing to suffer for all of our trials and afflictions so that we might be made whole. I also know that He died for us so that each of us would be able to live again.

Our Savior loves us. He is our brother and He wants us to return with Him to live with our Father in Heaven and that He will do anything to help us get back. While the story of throwing our trials in a circle was just a story, I know that the fact that we have a brother that did these things for us is with out a doubt true. I know this because I felt it. I learned this through reading the Book of Mormon and praying for my own testimony of these things. I know He is there and that He loves us more than we will ever comprehend. My testimony of Jesus Christ has brought me more joy and happiness than I have ever felt from anything else in my life. This is why I write this blog, It's why I have chosen to serve a mission in Orlando Florida in 38 days, because I want everybody to hear about how great their brother is and how much they are loved. I hope that I can follow in His footsteps and be his disciple. I hope that you come unto Him.

feel my sunlight

p.s. I went through the temple on August 1st! It was amazing and I loved every second of it! It is defiantly the Lord's house and his spirit dwells there.

p.s.s. Shout out to all my friends starting college next week! I love you all to pieces and will miss you bunches. Goodbyes are hard, but it will all be worth it in the end. The best is yet to come.