Happy Valentine's Day from OK!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!


On Sunday one of the ladies in the branch who we don't even know that well brought us valentines. It was a glass cocoa-cola bottle with peanut m&m's and paper stuff on top with a Tootsie roll pop and it looked like an ice cream sundae with a cherry on top, it was super cute.

GUESS WHAT!!!! Sister Maude goes home on Wednesday, and yesterday night was transfer calls! Sister Grant, my MTC companion is coming up to Woodward to be my new companion. Neither of us are “senior” and I don't know who will be driving yet but I am way excited!!! Both of us were hoping that we would get to serve together at some point and I'm so glad that we get to be companions! Sister Grant has been serving in Norman, OK on the Oklahoma University campus since she came to Oklahoma. So she's had a very different experience then me. She'll teach me how to OYM (Open your mouth, i.e. approach people on the street) and I'll teach her how to tract, I guess. And we're going to have lots of super fun Elders in our district as well. All of us are either 6 or 7.5 months old (in the mission). Basically we all came out together, which is way cool.

On Friday I had my six month mark! It's crazy how fast it goes. I'm already 1/3 of the way through my mission!

It's funny how we don't see ourselves clearly. I've always thought of myself as shy, but of my last companions I've been the more bold and forward one. I love the gospel. I love the instruction that we have been given by the prophet in regards to missionary work.

Recently I have seen the inner peace that I have because of my faith in the Savior and His servants today. I know that things are going to work out OK. I know that I am doing what's right and I love having the Lord's direction in my life. I know that the Lord will direct me wherever he wills. But I also know how to plan and have righteous goals.

It's amazing how the Spirit can help to give us ideas. We we're teaching someone in the branch and we didn't really know what to teach but I had the idea of speaking about the Valentine we can give to the Lord. One of my favorite scriptures about Christ's love for us, i.e. His valentine for us is, Romans 8:35-39. "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." It reminds me of the song "Ain't no mountain high enough." But yet that song is about a mortal who is fallible, but Christ is not. He really can be there for us whenever we need or want his love or help. That's his Valentine for us, and that's huge. The Valentine wants to receive of us, "If ye love me, keep my commandments.. If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him." John 14:15,23. The Valentine we can give to the Savior is to more fully walk towards him by keeping his commandments.

I have seen a huge difference in the lives of those who strive to put God first in their lives and commit to living all the commandments as opposed to those who are 75% dedicated to the Lord. It is so much harder to straddle the between the straight and narrow path and wherever the world wants to take us, then to just commit and fully live the gospel. I know peace and happiness come from putting the Lord first in our lives; otherwise things just don't work out as well.

Love,

Sister Lila Jenson