Yes, I am a Visitor's Center Sister.

"So... have you always wanted to serve there?"

Yes, I know that people think I am not serving a real mission. I am aware some people who are called to Visitor's Center's hate it, despise it, are maybe disappointed. It is to you that I write this entry. Actually, to anyone who is disappointed in their mission call! THIS IS FOR YOU!

Everyone that is called HAS to humble themselves and face where they are going. 

Wherever, however, whenever you are called to serve your Savior, it is high honor. 

"It is not where you called, but to whom you are called that matters." -The best big brother ever besides Jesus Christ (Justin Tran)

"You're disappointed? Well guess what, you're not going on vacation, you're serving a mission. It's about Him, not you." -President C. (Not exact quote haha)

Simple. Pray to know that you are sent there for a reason.

I promise you are. 

 Wherever the Lord has called you, it will change your entire life for the best. 

I have felt sooo much love from my Heavenly Father at being at the Sites. I know I was sent to teach the members of the church, so that whenever hard times come, they can remember when they stood in the Log Home and felt the Spirit tell them it's true, or in the Bindery, or on the Hill Cumorah. 

Every tour is different, because each person is known by Heavenly Father. He wants them to know something. We are the tools He uses to do so. Members will usually show a facade that everything is dandy, BUT GUESS WHAT LIFE ISN'T PERFECT! haha the Spirit knows what they need, whether it be an answer or a deeper testimony of Joseph Smith being a Prophet, etc. These members carry hurt, pain, doubt, insecurities, and they are sent, yes SENT, to the Sites for strengthening. 

Oh, and by the way, they teach me so much.

SITE SISTER FOR LIFE.

GENERAL CONFERENCE COUNTDOWN

WHO'S EXCITED

 

here we go

"Hope always has the final word, because the Atonement is infinite."

-Sister Scheuermann

Stud muffin Nephi

This is Nephi.

 

Maybe some of you will like this one better. 

 

Better? Ok, good. 

 Wait, I like this one :) 

 

Anyways, I like Nephi for a few short reasons. 

In 1 N 2:16 it says "I Nephi... having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me."

WAIT, he had DESIRE. DING DING DING! That is what we need to have if we must change. (and we allll do.) THEN

"...and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken."

HIS HEART TURNED. HE BECAME CONVERTED. vs 19 says "Blessed art thou Nephi because of your Faith, for thou hast sought me diligently with lowliness of heart." Conversion will happen if those are our first steps. It's not even like he was wicked, he just changed. He became converted.

THEN he wanted to share it with everyone (a sign of conversion) to Samuel, and then to Laman and Lemuel. They did not desire and this made Nephi's heart hurt (vs18) BUT he wanted them to also have a new heart like him! He wanted them to experience the joys of the gospel, the happiness and peace of following Jesus Christ :,)

CHANGE OF SUBJECT.

CHAPTER 3 VS 29!!!!! Nephi and Samuel are beat with a rod by their brothers, Laman and Lemuel. In vs. 29 it says "As they smote us with a rod, behold an angel of the Lord came and stood before them." The angel stopped them, but why did he not stop them BEFORE it happened? 

Because, everyone has their agency. God is bound by laws, and unless it is His will, He cannot stop someone from making a choice. 

So why do I like good old Nephi in this verse? Because no where does it say he complained. No where does he say that wasn't fair.  He knew his brothers had their agency, and he also knew that would be a small moment. He knew Jesus Christ still lived and loved Him and basically HE IS AMAZING. 

SO CONVERTED!!

The scriptures are so delicious, aren't they?

Leave your Family behind

haha, ok maybe the title is kind of dramatic. I'm not a diva, I promise.

In the MTC (Missionary Training Center) my teacher told us how to be happy on our mission. He said "You put everything in a box when you go. You put your friends, your family, your desires, your clothes. When you get back, you will open that box. Some things you will want to keep and some you will want to give away. But to be happy, you must let go."

This is my family. 

 

Aren't they the cutest? You can bet your bottom dollar that I love my family to pieces. You can also bet that I am HAPPY. I have found the purest joy letting go. 

My example is probably not the best. Let's look at the scriptures. 

In the KJV of the Bible, Matthew 12:46-50 says 

"46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and 

his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren 

stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is 

my mother? and who are my brethren?

 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and 

said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in 

heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Woah, who knew. Jesus Christ was absolutely and completely devoted to His Father's business.  OF COURSE He loved His family, (this isn't doctrine) but I think He loved His family very much. I think He had a great family, but for that time, He wasn't distracted. He gave His ALL. My companion said that we have no idea how much He sacrificed for us. He had a work to do, and He did it.

OF COURSE IT IS HARD. But, it is a promise when we serve with all of our heart, might, mind and strength, we will receive happiness.

Joseph Smith was 14 years old when he saw God, the father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.

He had simply planned to go into the grove of trees behind his log home to say his first out loud prayer.

He wanted to know which church he should join, because God could not be the author of so much confusion.

He received an answer.

The world and all of humanity was forever changed.

The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. 

In his own words, he said 

"I saw a pillar of light,
exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, 
which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, 
whose brightness and glory defy all description, 
standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, 
calling me by name and said, pointing to the other - 

This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

I know it's true. It's changed my life :)

You're enough

I have been trying to focus on the ONE in tours (I give tours of the Sacred Sites in Palmyra!), and by focusing on EACH one the entire group is edified! Not perfect at it yet. 

There was a big group at the Peter Whitmer Farm where the church was organized. There was a Returned Missionary and all of a sudden we had to wait for a while, because a group was coming out of the home. 

I was asked him "How are you?" "Good!!" "Best 6 months of your life?!" (being off the mission because usually guests have a hard time if they just got off) "YA!!" "No really though, has it been hard?" "...ya." and his eyes started to tear up and then all of a sudden these words spilled out of my mouth "How long were you out for?" WHO ASKS THAT I have never asked that. (Spiiirrriitttt) "1 year." "Ok, I am so blessed, because I am set apart to be a missionary for members and so just know that what I'm about to say isn't from me, but I feel like you should know that..." and then I forget what I said. Something like Heavenly Father knows you did your best and that He loves him and knew who he was. And he started to cry.  Then the group was gone, so I had to take them in the log home and while the group came in, he stood with his dad crying under a tree in the rain.

During the tour I felt like I needed to share with him about D+C 6! EXCEPT HE WASN'T THERE. and so I said a little prayer in my heart that I'd see him again and I did!! So I walked over to him and I told him that I was sad he missed the tour, but that Joseph Smith HATED himself after Martin Harris lost the 116 pages of the manuscript. He thought his soul was lost. But, Jesus Christ tells Him in D+C 6 35-36

"Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

I know that God forgives. I know that when we think we aren't enough or we didn't do enough, I guarantee if you tried and did your best IT WAS ENOUGH. That is what He asks. I heard a quote... that He loves us the way we are, but because He loves us, He won't leave us that way. We are here to grow, to learn, and Jesus Christ has come and made that possible. BUT LISTEN, and listen good. You are enough. Change, grow, but also know that Heavenly Father loves you. He does know who you are. You are precious to Him. 

Never Give Up

I came on the mission ready to Baptize 100 people. I'm not joking, that was my goal. haha I had waited and prepared my entire life to serve a mission, and I was ready to RUN. (Not run away, but like run and teach and testify to everyone and ANYONE!!!!!!!!)

My first area was not like that. 

I had expected everyone I talked to to be baptized. I heard it was a dead area, but I said NO SUCH THING!! Six months later, after being the most obedient, faithful, unified, hardest working missionary I knew how to be, the only thing I had seen were people I had loved discontinue learning and digress. Let me just say, my dreams were shot. 

I was never a negative person, but I remember one night I cried so much. I went through this time where my hope was waning. WHAT DID I DO WRONG. IS THIS MISSION REALLY AS HARD AS EVERYONE SAYS. Ohhh my goodness. I was dying. 

And I hate that.

I hate not being happy and I hate not being an effective missionary.

And so I prayed. 

I went to a training and this video played.

Jesus Christ does not give up on us! Lights WILL guide you home :) My hope had begun to be built back and five weeks later a man was baptized!! But, in spite of that miracle baptism, I had learned a lesson.

Never. Give. Up. 

NEVER GIVE UP. 

He is WITH us.

He LOVES us.

He believes in us. 

And He will heal us. 

"He may know according to the flesh how to succor his people." // Alma 7:11

He runs to us, and I would have never felt Him so near. 

There was this man named Don Pedro. (name has been changed) or maybe we'll call him "Scott." 

We met "Scott" on a P-Day. He sat next to us while we emailed our families. (We can do that once a week!) 

Five weeks later, he made some promises with Jesus Christ, that he would forever follow Him, take upon him Christ's name, and "stand as a witness at all times, in all things, in all places." (Mosiah 18:9). He was baptized.

ANYWAYS, one of the prettiest moments on my mission was standing in his doorway, because he was sick and we couldn't go in because it was just us three, and he said "hey, guys!" in his sick little voice haha and we showed him a little scrapbook that we had made him of his baptism day. Then we sang him a song called "I know my Father lives," and time froze. Kind of like the times where you almost get hit by a car, or you're about to faceplant in front of 800 people. Ya, that didn't happen. Actually, yes it did. BUT THIS WAS ONE THOUSAND TIMES BETTER.

We were singing, I looked around and saw our picture he had put on his fridge. Here, actually let me show you a digital version of that :) hahaha 

and a painting of Jesus Christ a member had given him, and he was BEAMING looking at pictures of that day. In that moment, even though there were what seemed to be a million semi trucks driving by, I felt so extremely happy to be a missionary. 

They heard His voice, a voice so mild.

It pierced them through and made their souls to quake.

They saw Him come, a man in white,

The Savior, who had suffered for their sake.

They felt the wounds in hands and side,

And each could testify:

I read His words, the words He prayed

While bearing sorrow in Gethsemane.

I feel His love, the price He paid.

How many drops of blood were spilled for me?

With Saints of old in joyful cry

I too can testify

This is the Christ.

This is the Christ, the holy Son of God,

Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind.

This is the Christ, the Healer of our souls,

Who ransomed us with love divine.

// President James E. Faust

I, too, can testify. I know He lives and loves us all!