"I don't waaaant anymore sacrifices!"

This past week went really good!!! I had my very first Baptism on Saturday which went SO well! We had such a great turn out and the Spirit was sooo strong. He has such a solid testimony! But it is just a sacred experience to watch someone enter the waters of baptism. To literally watch them be submerged in the water and then rise out of it spiritually clean knowing that they were baptized in the same manner and with the same authority as Jesus Christ just brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it! It just amazes me to think of everything that Christ did for us so that we can enter into our Father's fold and live with Him again someday. I am SO grateful that I was able to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized with the Priesthood Authority of God when I was 8 yrs old. Baptism is truly an amazing experience but we aren't completely saved by that alone! It is SO important to endure to the end and to also work towards entering into the Holy Temple. This past week I have just been DYING to go to the Temple and to feel of the Spirit so strongly. But since we are out in the Valley, we don't get to really go that often since its 2 hrs away. But that's okay, it will just make it even more worth it when I can go back to it someday!

So last Wednesday I was able to meet an Apostle of the Lord- Elder M. Russel Ballard! COOLEST.EXPERIENCE.EVER! For real. I seriously think I wrote down every word he said because it was all just gold! But one main thing that he talked about was about bothering Heaven for help. He said "This is the Church of Jesus Christ, you have authority given to you from Jesus Christ. So why not ask Jesus Christ for help to do His work? Then he just talked about how important it is to pray pray and PRAY and it has really changed the way I have prayed! I also love what Pres. Clayton talked about too. He read the definition of Sacrifice in the BD and there is a paragraph that says "Sacrifices were thus instructive as well as worshipful. They were accompanied by prayer, devotion, and dedication, and represented an acknowledgment on the part of the individual of his duty toward God, and also a thankfulness to the Lord for his life and blessings upon the earth" and I just LOVE how that completely changes the way that we think about what a sacrifice is! Its not something that we have to give up, but its something that we thank the Lord for and show our dedication and devotion by! I could literally go one for days about Elder Ballard, but to be honest I have more important work to do! I LOVE teaching the Gospel and seeing it take effect in people's lives. We saw so many miracles this week and it is just the best feeling EVER to see the Spirit work in someone's life and having everything just "click" for them in their mind. We are SO blessed to have this Gospel and Church!!!

Well family and friends, know that I love you all and pray for you everyday. I know that this Church is true and I know for a fact that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. If any of you have never read the Introduction to the Book of Mormon or the Testimony of Joseph Smith, I invite you to do so NOW!

xoxoxoxo

Sister Morgan