Mississippi Jackson: And a Happy New Year!

Happy 2016, all!

First off, thank y'all who sent Christmas cards my way! I so appreciate them, and they now have a permanent (well...until transfers) home on my wall, just by my bed where all my photos are. I loved getting those cards, so thank you!!

Being a missionary over the holidays is such a brand new experience. I hardly even registered that we were going into a new year until I was writing "January 1, 2016" in my planner. Weird! But I am super excited about it all! A new year brings promises of new beginnings, resolutions, and waves of change. A lot can happen in a year. A lot can happen in a week, too!

This week, we've spent a lot of time doing service and trying to recover from the flurry of the holidays. If you'd like a funny story: Sister M. and I were helping a sister in our ward move out of her house and into a camper. She only had a few things left, one of them being this small, wheeling clothes rack. There was no room for it in our car nor in hers, but we were determined to get it to her new home in one trip. Being the innovative sister missionaries we are, I hopped into the passenger seat, rolled down my window, and gripped the clothes rack while Sister M. drove slowly (in theory. In practice...not so much) to this sister's house (which was only down the road, mind you).

I don't think I've laughed harder in my life. My fingers were freezing in the bone-chilling air, and I watched the clothes rack bounce and drag its way to this camper while I tried my hardest to keep it wheeling and upright.

We managed to get it there! And we only lost one wheel :)

Last week, we didn't have a P-Day, which is why this e-mail is coming a week late. Our Christmas week involved two P-Days, so on Friday, I had the privilege of talking to my family, seeing their beautiful, smiling faces, and telling them in verbal words what life is like in the MJM! It was fantastic! And since then, much has happened in Purvis. I've learned a lot, and I have seen the Lord's hand in everyday since then.

Sometimes things fall apart. This happens normally, and on missions, the things that fall apart are always the things you absolutely do not want to fall apart. Like an investigator coming to church, members cancelling on you for a teaching appointment, going over your monthly allotment of miles; things happen the way you don't expect them to. Yet, even so, the Lord has an odd, amazing way of piecing everything together again.

In the book of Alma, Ammon has endured many, many trials in trying to preach the gospel to the Lamanites. As we near the 26th chapter, the Lamanites begin to convert to the gospel and join the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. Ammon begins to rejoice! These brothers and sisters of his who were trapped in darkness with seemingly no hope of being freed saw the light of Christ and converted. He endured so much to help them get there, and in Alma 26, Ammon begins to bear his testimony on the mercy and love of God toward His children, even to those who threaten the righteous. As Ammon recounts the Lamanites' initial want to destroy the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, Ammon reminds the people of the Lord's solemn promise to them:

"Now, when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

I cannot tell you how much this scripture has resonated with me, especially over the past few weeks. As things don't always work out the way I expect them to, I ask the Lord for guidance as to what I can do better, how I can help my investigators, and plead with Him to give them the desire to read, to pray, and to come to church.

Just when I think things are about to fall apart, the Lord blesses me, my companion, and our investigator with success.

The Lord always has your back, brothers and sisters. Have I said that enough? He's always got your back. You can trust in your Heavenly Father no matter what! He will tell you what you need to fix. He will tell you how to make yourself better. He knows what's keeping you from progressing and He will help you. Throughout the few months I've been serving, my Heavenly Father has made known to me the things about myself that hinder me from progressing. He has brought to light the needs of my investigators when I couldn't possibly do it all myself.

I cannot do this work alone. I cannot do this work alone with my companion. We are instruments. This is the Lord's work, and I am so grateful to be able to do this throughout the whole of 2016. What a blessing it is to be able to see others progress spiritually -- and I'm even seeing that with those of you at home, too. How do you want to progress this year? By December 2016, where do you want to be? Who do you want to be? And more importantly: who does God want you to be?

When considering your resolutions, always have the end result in mind. Before I write a novel, I always have the ending in mind, even if I don't quite have the specifics of it yet. I know where I want to go, and from there I can decide how I'm going to get there.

How are you going to change yourself? How are you going to let the Lord help you?

This year, challenge yourself. You will not grow if you do not allow yourself to stretch. Do not stunt your growth -- spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or even physically! Do your very best this year. I won't accept less, and neither will your Heavenly Father.

But the wonderful thing about Him is that He will make up for the rest when you feel like your best just isn't enough.

Do your best, and He'll do His, too.

I love y'all. Have a lovely week!

Godspeed!

Sincerely,

Sister Rose