Mission Call

After waiting for about 4 months to receive a mission call I finally got it on July 25, 2014!

I was originally going to wait until Saturday night to open it (I got it Friday) so that all my siblings could be there but I couldn't wait. I probably waited about 15 minutes for Savannah to get there & that was enough waiting!



Dear Sister Terrazas,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Spain Barcelona Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. 

You should report to the Spain Missionary Training Center on Tuesday, December 9, 2014.

            

 I know without a doubt in my mind that the Spain Barcelona Mission is the exact place I need to be. I know that the timing is perfect and I could not be more excited to go serve the people of Spain! I'm so blessed to have this opportunity!

What it Means to be a Member

A lot of talk is going around about Ordain Women and Kate Kelly. I usually don't talk about my thoughts or feelings about this things but I felt it was necessary at this point.
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we promise to "stand as witnesses of Christ" to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and to serve him. While I do not agree with the Ordain Women viewpoint I am in no way happy that Kate Kelly was excommunicated from the church, I am quite sad in fact. I pray and hope that one day she will come back, I don't agree with anyone "trash" talking her or saying she deserved it. But that being said, I also don't agree with anyone bashing any of the leaders or doctrine of the church. As members of this church we SUSTAIN our leaders, that includes the prophet and apostles AND local leaders. Local leaders are called of God to act as CHRIST would. I can assume that no one would say that Christ was being malicious in his council, well when a Bishop or Stake President makes council they are doing that as Christ would, therefore we should follow it as we would if Christ was telling it to us face to face. Now this does not mean that we are forced or should just do everything robotically, it is okay to ask question and not understand something, but we should seek answers by talking to our Bishop or Stake President, reading the scriptures, and praying. That's what those wonderful tools are for. But when Bishops and Stake President make council, or certain discipline they are doing it out of LOVE and in no way for malice. I can be positive that it did in no way make any of Kate Kelly's local leaders happy that they excommunicated her, actually I'm sure it hurt their hearts. She, like all of us, is a child of God and should be treated like so.
I LOVE being a member of this church. I have never ONCE felt forced to do anything or like I was not able to ask questions. Quite the opposite actually, I have been taught that I have agency to choose from the time I was little. This church has brought me so much joy and has taught me that everyone is a child of God regardless of who they are or what they have done, and everyone deserves to be treated as such.

Sisterhood

This is something that I have been thinking A LOT about. And today I just felt overwhelmed with emotions about the sisterhood I feel belonging to this church. As I fail to try to sleep a lot runs through my mind but one thing it always comes back to is gratitude. There is a Facebook page for sister missionaries, it is for girls preparing, girls who are just thinking about going on a mission, sister missionaries now, returned sister missionaries, & moms of sister missionaries. Holy cow it is the best Facebook page I have ever come across. The immense love and sisterhood on that page is unbelievable I have never felt such love from strangers. It is one the greatest blessings to me as I prepare to serve a mission myself. Everything is on there from questions whether that be about a mission, what to bring, or anything to calls about where people are going to people asking for advice to people posting uplifting messages. And the comments they are tremendous. Many of us have started becoming Facebook friends and you truly do feel a connection with these sisters. We are from all over but we all have one thing in common: we LOVE the gospel. And it shows. Sisters offer to help like none other, it never fails anytime there is a post there are MULTIPLE comments either giving advice, words of encouragement or love, or telling that sister to message them so they can talk so they can help! It is my favorite part of Facebook. It is truly showing that social media is not just for the bad, but it can truly be used for good. The hymn "Sisters in Zion" truly applies here. And we all know it. We are sisters. I am so grateful for this page & for these wonderful girls who always give words of encouragement & advice. Through this we all know that we are never alone & there is always someone who has gone through what your going through.

Postponed.

My mission papers were officially submitted May 2nd and I had been waiting patiently {kind of?} for my call to come, well some time had passed and so the Stake President called the mission department to see what was going on. It turns out that after someone has a panic attack they have to wait 6 months to even submit papers. My last one was in January...so I was told I have to wait until the end of June and then resubmit my papers. So many emotions ran through my mind: disappointment, anger, sadness, confusion, and finally peace.

Its hard being excited about something and then being told that the good efforts you are trying to make aren't enough. I know I will go on a mission and technically a month isn't that long but it feels like an eternity to me. Honestly. All I could think about was going to church and having everyone come up to me asking me if I heard any news or had gotten my call yet, and while I am so grateful to be surrounded by loving, supportive people all around me it's very disheartening to always have people asking you questions you can't answer. And then having to tell everyone why I had to resubmit my papers. Not that its a bad thing but it is personal, and not something I told hardly anyone, I mostly kept it to myself and liked it that way. Mostly I just didn't want anyone worrying about me. [so don't worry, I'm goooood] 

As I mentioned earlier five main emotions passed through me, disappointment, anger, sadness, confusion, and finally peace. The first four are pretty self explanatory as to why I was feeling those but the last one not so much. While this news was pretty sucky to hear, after waiting almost a month thinking I was going to get my call any day hearing that I would have to wait another month to even submit my papers and then start this waiting period over was not exactly the highlight of my day. After feeling sorry for myself for a little bit I decided to stop it. There was no point in being sad and all sorrowful when there was nothing that I could do about it. No matter what I had to wait until the end of June to turn my papers in there was no getting around that, nothing I could do could make it go faster. Life happens. "If we were given everything we wanted right then, what would we work for?" Mostly I was disappointed because I had everything planned out and I wanted it to go exactly how I had planned (not because I'm stubborn or anything......) because obviously, I know best. WRONG. Oh I was so wrong. I don't know anything, let's be honest. I should have known by now that when I try to plan things like this in my life they just don't work out the way I plan them to, I should expect this by now. I know everything will work out better than what I planned simply because it's not in my hands. I know that I will serve my mission where and when I need to serve. I was talking to a good friend about all this when I was still feeling all sad for myself and he said "If you know what God wants you to do, there is literally nothing that can stop you. Simple is that." And as much as I hate to admit it, how right is he? 

So yes my mission is going to be postponed a little bit, but that's alright. It's better actually! Things will work out the way they need to. I have faith. I'm going on a mission to serve God so shouldn't I go when he needs me to? 

Mission

Hello! So I decided to make this my mission blog because my other blog is my personal one and this one was used for a religion class so it's perfect for a mission!
As of today my papers are officially in. Oh. My. Goodness. Excited is an understatement, I am overjoyed to be going on a mission. I'm not going to lie, it's been a really hard trying experience. I have never once (since I decided to go) doubted that I wanted and needed to serve a mission, but that doesn't always mean it's easy. There have been plenty of time when other {worries} have crept into my mind, especially when it comes to family [not that I'm worried for my family or anything] but just all the things I'd be missing out on. Here was my main list:

•  Babies. (Sarah's child that is in her belly and if anyone else gets pregnant while I'm gone). This one hit me hard-- to not even MEET my niece/nephews for a year and a half that's a long time to miss out on.
• Simply being able to spend time/call my siblings/parents whenver I wanted/needed to. I rely on my family so much and the strength, love, and support I have always received from them. Not being able to communicate regularly will be difficult. 
• Marriages-- don't get me wrong I would be so happy ecstatic if any of you got married while I was gone! But it would also be extremely hard to not be able to be there with you. {I was already promised to be a cardboard cutout for picture ;) that eased my worries a little}
• Being away from school-- I came home to prepare for my mission and while I am so happy to be at home I miss school, roommates, friends, and my sisters up there. It is hard to see everyone up there having a blast making memories and not be there. 
• Relationships-- this one is interesting. I know I need to serve a mission and I want to serve one but in the back of my mind there is this little corner of worry that maybe I'm missing out on a relationship that could be a future husband, but then the smarter part of my brain knows that I don't need to worry about this and it will all work out after I serve a mission. 

That's my list, it's not very long but everything on there is extremely important to me, I knowt things will be different when I come home I've learned to accept that people will be married/have babies and many other things I probably wouldn't even think would happen, will, but that's life. As I've talked to people/prayed about my worries I've come to one conclusion: 

I'm going on a mission, the Lord will bless me so all these "worries" [if they do happen] won't matter. The Lord will give us nothing we can't handle. So why would this promise not be the same for missionaries with these worries? I know that going on a mission is the right thing for me so these worries will all be okay. Yes, it might still be hard but life is hard. If I chose to stay home I would still face hard things, so why not face them while doing the Lords work?

One night I was having a rather hard time, I was thinking of every possible thing to worry/doubt and having a panic attack. I sat down and decided to make my doubts real. I wanted to make them real so that I could find a way to start doubting my doubts instead of my faith. So I wrote them down I decided to say a prayer, write them down, and have faith that the Lord would ease my mind or answer my doubts. Wow was I amazed. As I went to write them down all those worries that I wrote above vanished, to the point where I didn't even think they were a big enough deal to write down. All I could think of were two doubts {only two} out of everything racing through my mind that night (and the past couple weeks) it came down to two.
Before I could even finish writing down my first doubt the answer to take that doubt away came to me. And same with the second. I wrote them down in my journal so if I ever doubted again I could look back and either add to that list, or see that whenever I have doubt the Lord will give me peace.

So, if you are ever feeling doubt, worry, or anything unsettling: pray. I promise that the Lord will give you rest, he will ease your mind and take away your doubts.

The Savior's Instructions about the Holy Ghost

1. What did the Savior teach about (1) what the Holy Ghost does and (2) what disciples must do to receive the Holy Ghost:

• John 14:15-17- the Holy Ghost is a comforter. To receive the Holy Ghost disciples must keep the commandments. 
• John 14: 26-27- he teaches, he gives peace. Disciples must not be troubled or afraid.
• John 15: 26-27- he testifies of Christ,. Disciples must bear witness of Christ.
• John 16: 7-8- he reproves the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgement.
• John 16: 13-14- he will guide you in all truth, show all things to come, glorify Christ, and show it unto you.

2. Add to your list above as you study the following resources:

• Institute student manual Points to Ponder, "The Holy Ghost Brings Man to His Fullest Potential" (pg. 168)- The Holy Ghost helps with everything even wisdom and intellect. It develops everything of good nature like sympathy, joy, kind feelings, and affection. The Holy Ghost inspires virtues such as kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, charity, and virtue. It beautifies everything it touches even people. The Holy Ghost is everything to us, as the manual said "It is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being."
• Institute student manual Points to Ponder, "As a Messenger of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost Teaches Faithful Members" (pg. 168)- The Holy Ghost is a likeness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, he instructs and enlightens the minds of those who keep the commandments, he bears witness of the truth and reveals mysteries of the kingdom of God to those who have made covenants, he is a special messenger. Disciples must be faithful in keeping their commandments in order to have the Holy Ghost. 
• Bible Dictionary, "Holy Ghost" (pg. 704)- The Holy Ghost is a power and a gift. The power is the convincing witness that the gospel is true it's what we get testimonies from. The gift is a cleansing agent that purifies us from sin. Disciples have to be baptized and conferred to have the gift of the Holy Ghost, they have to be worthy of the companionship.

3. Review your list of what the Holy Ghost does. Then write responses to the following tasks: 

• Describe how the Holy Ghost helped the Apostles fulfill their missions after the Savior's death and resurrection. 
• After the Savior died the Holy Ghost helped the Apostles fulfill their missions by letting them know what to do. The Spirit guided them in what they should teach and who they should teach, instead of having Christ there to help teach them what to do the Holy Ghost was their new companion.
• Write a paragraph about a time when the Holy Ghost blessed you in one of the ways you listed above. Give an example of how the Holy Ghost has inspired you. 
• I have been lucky to have been blessed by the Holy Ghost on multiple occasions in multiple different ways. One specific incident that I remember quite well because it just happened this semester was the Holy Ghost guiding me in truth and showing me what I was to do. I was having a really tough time deciding whether or not I needed to move to Utah or stay at BYU-Idaho, I couldn't decide what was right. At first I felt like I needed to move to Utah and I felt super strong about it and then as things started falling in place my parents told me they didn't support that idea anymore. I was very confused. I fasted, prayed, read my scriptures I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I got a blessing and it still didn't tell me. I was at a loss, and then one morning I was doing my homework and it just popped in my head loud and clear that I needed to stay in Idaho. I tried to ignore it saying it was just me saying that but it would not go away. I couldn't focus on my homework because the thought was so loud. I put down my homework and read my scriptures and felt good about staying in Idaho even though it wasn't what I wanted at first. I still don't know exactly why I'm supposed to stay in Idaho but I know that I will be happiest here because the Holy Ghost confirmed that to me.
• The Holy Ghost has inspired me many times. It has inspired me to say something to someone or to leave nice notes for my roommates when I wasn't sure why and then I would find out later they were going through a hard time and really needed words of encouragement. 

A New Commandment

1. Others will know that we are disciples of Christ if we show love to everyone, Christ has never ending love to everyone and so we need to show that same love.
2. If someone were being ridiculed or made fun of for the way they dressed I feel like Jesus Christ would stand up for that person. He would make sure that they didn't feel alone and try to stop the others from ridiculing without being mean. He would make the person being made fun of feel loved.
If someone were new at church I feel like Jesus Christ would go up to them introduce himself and be their friend. He would show them where their class was and sit by them so they wouldn't be alone.
3. I hope that by the way I act everyone I come in contact with knows that I am a disciple of Christ. I am going to focus on my old roommate who is on a mission and write her a letter of uplifting words because she is having a hard time with her new companion. So I am going to try to be like Christ and uplift and love her so hopefully she can love her companion!