Be a Little Better Tomorrow

Hello!                                                                               September 9, 2013

Zone Conference was AMAZING! President Scott talked about comfort zones and how we need to leave our comfort zone if we want to grow and improve. We talked about why we need to stretch and how to do so. He said that people ask him his secret to being successful in life, and he always tells them, "I just try to be a little better tomorrow than I was today." I love that. He said that if we live by that everyday of our lives, we'll be amazed at what we become. He also talked about testimony vs. conversion. He said that those with a testimony have membership and priesthood authority, while those who are converted have discipleship and priesthood power. We talked about how conversion only comes through "many trials and much testing." Life is hard because it's supposed to be! How else are we going to become converted?! I loved this discussion from zone conference! President Scott is definitely an inspired man. We had workshops about helping investigators come to church and working with members. Then Sister Scott spoke :) Always a highlight. She definitely has a way with words. Her whole talk was about Moses 1 and how we can apply it to ourselves. Some of my favorite quotes that she said were, "God is real. He is eternal, and so are His words." "Consistency casts out mists of darkness." "Satan is miserable because of his choices-Don't let the same happen to you!" "Christ has paid the price and paved the way." She's awesome :) At the end of the conference, the departing missionaries bore their testimonies. There was one testimony that struck me really hard. It was a Spanish speaking Elder that was a convert to the church. He talked about the miracles he's seen in his family since he's been on a mission and then he bore a powerful testimony about the Atonement. Two of my favorite things that he said were, "It's through our agency that we can give our heart to Him. There is no other way." "As you do missionary work with your heart, you will find yourself." It's so true. The principle of finding yourself by losing yourself is real! And you don't have to serve a mission to lose yourself by the way. You just have to exercise your agency and give your heart to your Heavenly Father.

We also had Stake Conference yesterday and there was a visiting General Authority! Elder David S. Baxter. It was an incredible conference! President and Sister Scott both spoke. How lucky am I?! That I got to hear them speak twice in one week :) They both talked on the Book of Mormon. President Scott talked about the prophets who wrote the Book of Mormon bearing their testimonies of it's truth and divinity. He read some of their accounts and it was powerful! Then he added his own testimony and there was no denying that it was true. All of it. It was powerful! Then Elder Baxter spoke and one of the first things he said really impacted me. "To be counted as one of His servants is one of the greatest privileges of my life." I looked down at my nametag and felt extremely privileged in that moment. I always knew it was a privilege, but knowing that Elder Baxter and I shared the same title as "servant" held a lot of meaning for me. Who knew that being called a servant would ever feel so rewarding? :) He then gave his address which was packed full of doctrine! He talked about the true nature of the Godhead, he talked about covenants, he talked about why we don't use the sign of the cross as our symbol, he talked about prophets, he talked about the Book of Mormon. It was so good to hear the foundational fundamentals of the true Doctrine of Christ! He didn't mince words either :) I loved it! One thing that he said was, "We practice the highest form of Christianity in the Temple. We perform ordinances there that bless ALL of God's children."

I had an interesting experience yesterday though. The whole morning I felt feelings of inadequacy, discomfort, and just couldn't shake it. I can't explain why, but I knew it was Satan and I knew I didn't want to feel that way. I couldn't fulfill my role as a missionary without the spirit, and I couldn't feel the peace of the Holy Ghost. I prayed in my heart all morning for help to shake this feeling and to feel peace. It wasn't until half way through the meeting, right before the intermediate hymn that I received an answer. And it didn't come in the way I was expecting. A small girl, probably five or six, was sitting right next to me and her family was on the other side of her. She had been coloring quietly next to me throughout the whole meeting. Right before the hymn, she tapped me on the arm and started to tell me about her picture. It was a picture of her standing next to a grape tree and a flower. She had drawn the sun and birds and clouds in the sky with her bold Crayola crayons. She handed the picture to me and explained she had created it for me. Then she leaned over and wrapped her small arms around me and hugged me. I immediately started to cry. I felt an overwhelming feeling of peace and felt God's love for me through a six year old girl. She was an answer to my prayers! Isn't it amazing how God sends his love through the simple acts and small arms of a child? They are so close to the spirit! It was amazing :) I had her write her name on the picture and I'll keep it forever as a reminder.

Know that God loves you. This church is true because it's Christ's church. It's built upon His Gospel. It's the only way to be truly happy in this life and to be with our families in the next. Have a great week!

Love and Prayers, Sister Felix