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| With Sister Sorto...we both found out last night we will be going OUTBOUND! Who knows where we will be, but we are excited :) (Outbound can be anywhere in the US. The Temple Square missionaries spend 3 months away from Temple Square serving in the Mission Field - Any guesses anyone? We'll announce on her blog as soon as we hear - Blogmom) |
Happy New Year Everyone! I hope that you all had a safe New Year's Eve and that you are excited for all that 2014 holds for you. Build upon the good that you had, and root out the things that may have been holding you back from who you truly are as a son or daughter of God.
"Old things are done away, and all things have become new." (3 Nephi 12:47)
So often it is easy for us to look back at the year and think "Why me?" with some of the difficult circumstances we may have been under, but do we ever look back at the good that has happened to us and ask the same question. "Why me?" This is a question that Robert and Stephanie started thinking about this last week.
On Monday I was serving in the Tabernacle and met some amazing families from all around the world. One of them being a father and his daughter, Robert and Stephanie, from Thailand. I got to know them and had so much fun hearing their stories. They had come to Temple Square because a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints served in his area in Thailand years and years ago. Him and his daughter were now sitting and waiting in the Tabernacle, to be reunited with this long, lost friend.
I could tell Robert and his daughter had a very special relationship. I could see the trust there, I could see how much they cared for each other, and they seemed to grateful to be spending the day together. Stephanie shared that it was the best Christmas gift to be with her Dad, as currently she is living in Los Angeles, while her Dad works in Thailand.
I asked them what they have been doing to keep their family relationship strong as they are miles and miles away from one another.
Robert shared, "We skype a lot! Communication is the most important thing! Plus my daughter gave me a lot of different pictures and gifts to put around my home so I can always remember our family. It doesn't seem we're so far away when we talk so often."
I started to share with them and testify to them that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and He is the very same way. He wants to communicate with us, He wants to help us remember Him, and He does this all out of His deep and abiding love for each of us.
Robert asked, "But why would He want to talk to me? Why am I important? Why me?"
I then smiled at him, looked him in the eyes and said, "Why do you want to talk to your daughter? Why is she important?"
I could see His eyes light up, I could see the wheels turning in his mind as He came to realize just who He was to God.
"I guess God sees me the same way I see Stephanie. I had never thought about it that way. Now I just feel amazed that I am that important to someone so grand, to God above."
"Old things are done away, and all things have become new." (3 Nephi 12:47)
So often it is easy for us to look back at the year and think "Why me?" with some of the difficult circumstances we may have been under, but do we ever look back at the good that has happened to us and ask the same question. "Why me?" This is a question that Robert and Stephanie started thinking about this last week.
On Monday I was serving in the Tabernacle and met some amazing families from all around the world. One of them being a father and his daughter, Robert and Stephanie, from Thailand. I got to know them and had so much fun hearing their stories. They had come to Temple Square because a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints served in his area in Thailand years and years ago. Him and his daughter were now sitting and waiting in the Tabernacle, to be reunited with this long, lost friend.
I could tell Robert and his daughter had a very special relationship. I could see the trust there, I could see how much they cared for each other, and they seemed to grateful to be spending the day together. Stephanie shared that it was the best Christmas gift to be with her Dad, as currently she is living in Los Angeles, while her Dad works in Thailand.
I asked them what they have been doing to keep their family relationship strong as they are miles and miles away from one another.
Robert shared, "We skype a lot! Communication is the most important thing! Plus my daughter gave me a lot of different pictures and gifts to put around my home so I can always remember our family. It doesn't seem we're so far away when we talk so often."
I started to share with them and testify to them that God is our loving Heavenly Father, and He is the very same way. He wants to communicate with us, He wants to help us remember Him, and He does this all out of His deep and abiding love for each of us.
Robert asked, "But why would He want to talk to me? Why am I important? Why me?"
I then smiled at him, looked him in the eyes and said, "Why do you want to talk to your daughter? Why is she important?"
I could see His eyes light up, I could see the wheels turning in his mind as He came to realize just who He was to God.
"I guess God sees me the same way I see Stephanie. I had never thought about it that way. Now I just feel amazed that I am that important to someone so grand, to God above."
I encourage you to ask yourselves with this new year, "Why me?" to the good things that happen in your life. As you do so you will start to realize, "Who am I not to enjoy these blessings? Who am I not to be loved? I am a son, I am a daughter, I am a child of God."
As we realize who we really are, that everything is a natural result of who we are and where we really come from, As we ask "why me?" we will start to be astounded and astonished by just how much potential we have, and just how important we are to our Father's plan.
I love the popular primary hymn, "I am a Child of God," and the powerful message it has to share about who we really are, and where we came from. The chorus goes...
"Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
"Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday."
I know and testify that all we learn all we need to do, we will become all we need to become to live with him someday. Why you? Why should you live with Him again some day? Why does He want to talk to you? Why not? YOU are His Child.
I know and testify that all we learn all we need to do, we will become all we need to become to live with him someday. Why you? Why should you live with Him again some day? Why does He want to talk to you? Why not? YOU are His Child.
With your faith in Christ, with your faith in His Atonement, I invite you to make resolutions this year that will restore you to your knowledge of who you are, so that you can become who God wants you to become.
I love you all and wish you the very best!!!
I love you all and wish you the very best!!!
Sincerely,
Sister Briggs :)
Sister Briggs :)
SHOUTOUTS: Robert Versaw, Madeleine & Kate, Marnie & Jeremy, The Roberts Family, The Stephenson Family, Alyssa Stromberg, Mom & Dad Briggs, Robert, Sara, Mary, Becca, Barry, Brother & Sister Donakey.
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| Our mission spoiled us SO much with gifts for Christmas! Thank you to all the wards and stakes who participated! We love you!
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Can you please send me a link to her Facebook. I can't find her. Thanks my name is Michele Valadez Sister Briggs is in my area luv her so much :)
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