WEEK 33: Be Nice To My Friends!

Happy Monday!!

I don't have much to say this week, only that it is transfer time again! Sister Welch is moving to the Green Valley stake in Henderson, which is practically next door to here! I will be staying in this area and I am going to be training a new missionary!! It's my first time training and I'm excited but extremely nervous. If anyone has any advice, please send it my way! I'm really grateful for this learning opportunity and I know that it's going to cause a lot of growth to happen. Which is much needed, but always uncomfortable. But I truly am excited, and I know this next transfer is going to be a lot of fun!

With transfers upon us and spring in the air, there's a feeling of newness and change. I feel like a new phase of my mission is beginning. Hopefully this doesn't sound too dramatic, but I sense a lot of growth coming my way, and I feel like I need to be prepared for it in order to learn everything that I need to from the unknown experiences that are around the corner. I'm trying to hype myself up and face it bravely, but I am acutely aware of my flaws and shortcomings and of the many things that I don't know and understand. Yet I'm trying to give myself grace, and even more importantly I am asking my Father in Heaven for the same gift. It's always a battle within myself and I think I've assigned myself too many things to fix all at once, but I'm working on that. There are many scriptures about grace that speak peace to my heart and mind. I read this in my personal studies recently:

Jacob 4:7 "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things."

The Lord can make more of us that we ever could. I know that for a fact about myself. When I try to do things on my own, especially within missionary work, it becomes infinitely more complicated than if I had just given it all to God in the first place. I always seem to forget that He's got it, and that I just need to focus on giving my will to Him every day. That's a hard lesson to remember, and an even harder concept to apply in my daily life. 

But thankfully, I know that God is always good. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer--MY Redeemer. His love and power can get me through anything, and can turn me into something greater than I can make of myself. He truly does live, and that is a knowledge that I am grateful to have. We are children of a loving Heavenly Father and He's working tirelessly in our lives to help us, we've just got to open our eyes to see His hands in our life and allow Him to continue working.

"We are children of God with a majestic destiny. We can be changed to become like Him and have 'a fulness of joy'." - Paul V. Johnson

Anyway. Consider this your friendly reminder to be a little more gentle to yourself this week. Speak a little kinder about yourself. Don't be mean to yourself, because hey! you're my friend, and I don't want ANYONE being mean to my friends!!! I hope you have a splendid week!

LOVE Y'ALL!

Sister Malmstrom

231 W Horizon Ridge Pkwy #2226 Henderson, NV 89012

Pictures: 

- Got some churros from a wedding reception! I'm always down for churros.

- We walked A LOT this week. The weather has been beautiful!

- We went bike mode this week, too! Bike mode is always fun.

- Lunchtime naps just hit different.

- Strawberry Diet Dr. Pepper is apparently a new phenomenon...? Not bad, though.