Consider the Lilies

9/22/14

This week we've been doing lots of finding! We've met a couple people with potential, so we'll see how they turn out! 

But one thing we've been trying to learn more about is Family History.  We know this will be a great missionary tool, and have already met some people who are interested in it, so we want to start getting into it.  But as we've been trying to learn more, I've had the opportunity to read some stories from my ancestors.  I am so inspired by them.  Several of them lived during the time of Joseph Smith and had personal contact with him, and it is so cool hearing their stories and testimonies of him.  Hearing their stories strengthens my own personal testimony that he was a true prophet of God. 

I'm also so inspired by the faith of many of my ancestors.  Florence Tate Horne wrote of her mother (Anne Marie Godfredson Hansen) that she knows that "God's choicest blessings are often poured out to those who are sorely tried."  I love that.  It's so true.  God's waiting to give the best blessing to those that endure and make it through those rough trials. 

Also, I was reading Ann Cannon's history, who is like my great grandmother time 5 or 6.  I remember hearing stories of her as I was growing up, but I was able to find a personal history that she wrote and read that.  Her experiences in Nauvoo during the time of Joseph Smith are so cool.  And wrote about the conversion of her family when she was little, as well.  She talked a little about her dad. George Cannon who had said about the Book of Mormon, "A bad man could not write it and a good man dared not unless he was inspired."  Such a good quote! And so true.  I loved that so much that I shared it with Hermana Juarez.  When I did, she was so surprised.  She said she had grown up hearing that quote.  Like apparently it's pretty famous? So that's cool.  

Families are cool.  And so is family history work. I'm loving learning more about my family.  It's pretty tight. 

Also, earlier this week, we stopped at the end of a street to figure out where the house we were trying to get to was.  While we were stopped I got out and found this cool bush of flowers.  The sun was setting right then, so the view of these flowers and the clouds was so pretty, especially since there were no building in the way of the view. It made me think of the scripture St. Luke 12:27-31, "Consider the Lilies," which is what this blog is titled after. The scripture talks about how God takes care of the lilies of the field, and he will take care of us the same.  It's such a good scripture, and I know it's true.  The Lord is looking out for us.  Each and every one of us.  And He wants the best for us.  He knows what he's doing up there, and I have a testimony that he gives us the experiences we need in order to help us in the future. 

Sending lots of love,

Hermana Horne

Best doughnut ever!  At the ward activity at Lake Elsinore.

Lake Elsinore ward activity

With Daniella at the Lake Elsinore ward activity.

"Driving to Dora's house is like an African Safari!"

California is on fire. Literally. And figuratively.

9/15/14

There was a big fire in Corona, just north of us, a couple days ago and there was so much smoke and ash in the air.  There were points when it looked like it was lightly snowing because of all the ash. And the work is on fire here as well! We had two baptisms in less than a week (Roxana and Ruben).  We had Ruben's baptism on Saturday, which was awesome! And he was confirmed at church yesterday.  After church yesterday he was SO happy! It's so incredible seeing how happy the gospel can make you and the joy that it brings. It truly is a gospel of happiness. 

In other news, I was reading this month's Ensign last night and there is an article in it by Elder Robert C. Gay entitled "Your Journey of Giving." It's a stellar article soooo everyone should read it.  Here's the link so you have no excuses not to: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/09/your-journey-of-giving?lang=eng 

In it he talked a little bit about an address that Mother Teresa gave at Harvard in which she said, "Everyone- not just some fortunate few in the audience that day but even those in the poorest regions of the world with little to their names- has something to give, if nothing more than sacrifice and pure love for others."

I LOVE that.  We have no excuse for not giving to others.  And the easiest way to give is by showing love to others! One of the best ways to show that love is by sharing the gospel with them, since the gospel really does bring so much joy.  We are fortunate enough to have this message of happiness, don't we want others to be able to have it too? And you don't have to serve a full-time mission to share the gospel! Missionaries are dependent on members. Talk to your friends and neighbors! 

But there are so many other ways to show that love as well, so we need to be actively seeking opportunities to give of ourselves. And through that service and giving, we'll find joy. 

Anyways, I'm loving it out here more and more each day.  

Sending love from the state that's always on fire, 

Hermana Horne 

Rueben's Baptism - the first person McKayla committed to baptism

and taught all the way through!

Lake Elsinore

Lake Elsinore

Hermana Juarez and Hermana Horne in Lake Elsinore, CA

The Things of Most Worth

9/8/14

McKayla's First Baptism! Roxana, and all the missionaries who helped teach her.

Roxana's Baptism - w Hermana Juarez and Hermana Horne!

Roxana's Baptism

McKayla's cool red mission car!

Exchanges with Hermana Durlong.

Thinking of Mom staring at the same great moon.  Awww :)

9/8/14

AHHHH! Roxana got baptized last night! Ah it was the greatest thing! She had been pretty sick all week but she told us Saturday night that nothing was going to stop her from getting baptized. She is awesome.  She was so happy at her baptism. We could tell she was a little nervous, though, but as soon as she came up from the water she had a HUGE smile on her face. Oh it was great. What a good feeling.  

Right before her baptism I had been studying my scriptures and I came across D&C 15:6 which says, "And now, behold, I say unto you, the thing which will be of most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen." What a good scripture.  I love it.  And let me tell you, IT IS SO WORTH IT. All of it... being away from family and friends, the exhaustion, crazy days, all of it is so worth it, just to be able to see the joy the gospel brings to people's lives. I'm so glad I'm here.

We have another investigator, Ruben who is set to get baptized next Saturday, so they announced his baptism at church yesterday. The Stake President was there and spoke at the end, and during his talk he spoke directly to Ruben and told him how great his decision to be baptized was and that he he'll be able to go to the temple someday soon (which is something that Ruben has already asked if he could do... he's so awesome).  Ruben doesn't show a ton of emotion, but when the Stake President was saying that he looked so happy.  It was awesome.  We're so excited for him. 

On a different note, we were at our investigator, Mario's, house the other day and I commented on how I really liked a painting on one of his cabinets.  He said he had done it himself and took us out to the garage and showed us another one and I was basically gawking at it, so he told me I could take it. I was so stoked! He sells these, and granted, it's more of a hobby for him, but still it was super nice of him. So now we have an original Mario Medrano in our room! 

Another cool thing happened earlier this week.  We were talking to people in a parking lot (because we don't go tracting, so this is kind of a substitute for that) and I went up and started talking to a guy who was sitting in his car.  At first he was very non-receptive.  He said he didn't believe in organized religion.  His faith in Christ was just between him and God, which I totally respect. So normally I would have just given him our card and told him to give us a call if he needed anything or knew anyone who would be interested.  But I felt like I shouldn't do that, I needed to talk to him a little more.  So with talking to him I found out that he hated that ministers and pastors get paid for what they do with the offering money that the congregation donates.  I told him about how our church is 100% service paid.  No one gets paid for what they do.  He really liked that. A little bit later he asked me what the difference was between the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  So I told him about it and that in the Bible it says "other sheep I have which are not of this fold" (John 10:16). He agreed and said that it totally makes sense that Jesus wouldn't just visit SOME people on the Earth, he'd want to teach the rest of them too.  So he agreed to have the missionaries come over and talk to him more.  It won't be us teaching him, because he was English-speaking, but it was a really cool experience.  His heart was softened right before my eyes, within a matter of minutes.  It was awesome.

So it's been a good week! I hope everyone at home is doing well:) 

Con todo mi corazon,

Hermana Horne

"It's true. It has to be. It just makes sense."

9/1/14

This week was super good! On Monday night one of our investigators, Roxana, told us she wants to get baptized as soon as possible! She had been waiting on some other things to happen before she could get baptized, but she said some sincere prayers and things worked out, so now she's getting baptized THIS SUNDAY! We are stoked! She is so great, and so ready for this! 

Also, we have two other investigators, Ruben and Enoc, who are both set to get baptized the 14th of this month. It is so awesome! All of our investigators are really great.

Earlier this week I asked Ruben if he thinks the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet and his response was great.  He said, "It has to be.  It just makes sense."  So simple, but SO TRUE.  This gospel, it's teachings, the Book of Mormon all just MAKE SO MUCH SENSE. So why wouldn't it be true? I know it is, and that's why I love what I'm doing out here so much. 

Anyway, this was another short email, but things are good here! I love it more and more every day. One thing that I've really come to love while being out here is reading the Book of Mormon, because I've started to really pay attention to the stories in it.  They're so great and so interesting! So my advice to all those reading this email is to not just read the Book of Mormon to read, but read it to understand and to enjoy the stories.  I promise you will get so much more out of it, and you'll really enjoy it! 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Horne