Consider the Lilies: 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