Fiery Trials

This past week my mind has been filled with images of fire. My heart truly goes out to all of those who lost their homes in the Black Forest Fire this past week. I heard about the fire last Wednesday and was so worried for my friends and family since I had no idea where the fire was or what was happening. As I prayed fervently everyday, my heart was at peace and I knew that all of them were okay. But that still brought up some not fun memories that I've been trying to push out of my brain this entire month. Flashbacks of smoke, running around my house evacuating, watching houses burn on the news, and seeing our lot for the very first time was on constant replay. As those memories kept flashing across my thoughts, I began to realize that the way my heart felt was completely opposite of what those types of memories should have made it feel.

I felt happy.

This past week I realized that I have actually been the happiest I have been my whole mission. Which was kind of a shock since it was a pretty hard week. I didn't realize why I felt so happy until this past Sunday when Sister Sorensen and I had to teach Sunday School at the last minute. The lesson was on Repentance. As we were teaching a perfect scripture popped into my mind but I couldn't remember where it was located for the life of me! I sat there flipping through my Book of Mormon trying to find it and it was literally no where to be found! In my mind I said a prayer to Heavenly Father asking Him to help me find it right when Sister Sorensen gave me the "look" saying that I needed to say something so she could stop rambling. So I start talking about the story of when Peter walked on water and related it back to how Christ "reaches our reaching" when we are asking for forgiveness. As I was talking my hands naturally just kept flipping through my Book of Mormon and as soon as I finished my thought, I looked down to behold that I had flipped to the EXACT scripture that I had been struggling to find.

It was Alma 36: 18-20. It was truly a tender mercy from the Lord and such a little miracle. But it probably taught me more than it did to those in the class. I realized that the reason why I was so happy was because I had turned to the Lord and truly repented of my sins. Those images of fire that have been running through my mind were not just literal images of the wildfire. They were also images of a spiritual fire. Last year I truly humbled myself before the Lord and felt His hand of love and forgiveness remove those burdens of sin from my back. Just like what Alma 36 says, a result of true repentance is joy that was exceeding as our pain. Now when I reflect back on that time, I no longer remember the pain that I experienced. Yeah I still get sad about it every now and then, but I literally cannot remember what that pain felt like. Now, all I remember feeling is the pure love of Christ. So I found the partial reason to why I have been so happy this past week. Because of all those nasty memories, I was remembering the pure love and comfort that I experienced and it was so overwhelming that it still remember how wonderful it felt.

The other reason why I have been so happy this week is because I have been sharing this wonderful Gospel and have been serving the people of Poway. On Saturday we did an exchange and Sister Kober and I stayed in Green Valley and taught 8 lessons that day! (which is HUGE for our area) This Gospel seriously is true and brings me pure happiness every.single.day. I am so blessed to have the knowledge of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life and to have applied it in my life. I just pray everyday that I can help others to feel that same peace of mind as a result of repentance and help them to come closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Love,

Sister Morgan