"Como un niño pequeñito"

Tonight Tessa planned an awesome FHE "Banana Boats and The Book of Mormon."  So, we made banana boats and shared one of our favorite scriptures from The Book of Mormon.  Everyone's scriptures were so good!  (Imagine that...haha!)  When Tessa told me that this is what we were doing I immediately remembered a scripture I had read in El Libro de Mormon three days earlier.  I had been reading in 3 Nephi when Christ is talking to the people in the America's before he appears to them.  Chapter 9 verse 22 really stuck out to me.  Maybe it was because I finally understood a whole verse, but I just loved it.  I read, "Por tanto, al que se arrepintiere y viniere a mí como un niño pequeñito, yo lo recibiré, porque de los tales es el reino do Dios.  He aquí, por éstos he dado mi vida, y la he vuelto a tomar; así pues, arrepentíos y venid a mí, vosotros, extremos de la tierra, y sed salvos."   

Today I went and read it in English.  "Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God.  Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved."  

First of all, this verse stuck out to me because I am an Elementary Ed major and I love kids.  I think about them all day.  At the start of the verse it says to come unto Him as a little child.  I can not think of any group of people more pure and Christlike than kids.  They are so innocent and they just want to do good.  They truly are closer to God, and I'm so glad I'm going to be able to surround myself with them everyday.  

The second part that stuck out to me was when it said, "for such I have laid down my life..."  Christ died for us that we could have the chance to repent and live with Him again.  He knew that we were going to make mistakes.  None of us are perfect, but He was willing to pay the price so that we could all return to live with our Heavenly Father again.  

I love my Savior.  I know that I can return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again, but only through the Atonement.  I am far from perfect, but He helps me out all the time.  Almost daily I am able to have an experience with the Spirit, just like the one I shared above.  It's moments like that where I truly feel His love for me, not only from the sacrifices He made for me as He atoned for my sins, but the love He still has for me as He cheers me on and helps me out each day during this journey here on earth.   

He's Aware

I've been thinking a lot lately about how God is aware of us.  He loves us.  He knows our hearts.  He wants to help us.  Every day, God lets me know that he cares.  Sometimes I notice His hand, sometimes I don't.  I noticed His intervention in my life one day while I was in Peru.

It was my first Sunday in Peru.  I had decided to go to church with the Gavancho's (a connection with the Thornock's), which required me to go across town to the chapel.  Eunice had given me the address to the chapel and I had just caught a cab because I didn't feel too comfortable with the bus system yet.   Church was from 2-5, and then I decided to talk to the bishop about getting my records transferred and setting up a time for a temple recommend interview so I could go to the temple when I visited Lima.  When I got out of the church around 6 o'clock, it was dark.  I was as good as lost, in a foreign city, and I was feeling a little panicked.  Regardless, I went to go and catch a cab to get me back to my house.  Just about every car was a cab, but being a blonde American in Peru, I was strongly advised to only take legitimate cabs.  It was getting later and later, and I could not get one to stop for me.  I was getting pretty frustrated when two sweet girls came over to me and asked me if I needed help.  In my broken Spanish I explained to them that I just needed to get home.  They asked me where I lived, and said that it would almost be impossible to find a cab in this area to take me there at this time of night.  But, they said they knew a couple of buses that would take me to a plaza right close to there.  I was so relieved!  So, I thanked them a ton, hopped on the bus, and started the ride back toward Arcopata.  

The bus was standing room only, and as I stood there, I was feeling pretty discouraged.  I had felt so sure about my decision to come down to Peru, and now the only thing I felt sure of was that I was going to die down here!  That's when a kind lady started talking to me.  Even with my limited Spanish, I was able to understand everything she said, and I was able to come up with what to say back.  Through my conversation with this sweet lady, my spirits were lifted.  As I got off the bus and finished the walk to my house, I was lucky enough to realize that I had just seen the hand of God in my life.  Those two girls were prompted to come and help me.  That lady on the bus was inspired to talk to me.  I was blessed to be able to understand her and have a conversation with her.  Even though I was far away from home, I was able to see my Heavenly Father's hand in my life that evening. 

I know He is helping me every single day.  He is there, and He is aware of each one of us.  

Cuscotopia!

Well folks, the time is almost here!  I fly out for my next big adventure (well, my biggest adventure probably EVER) on Saturday!  

So here's a little Q and A about what I'm about to do!

Q: Where are you going?

A: I'm going to Cusco, Peru.

Q: Is this for school?

A: No. It's not through BYU or any university and I will not be receiving any credits.  I'm going with a group called International Volunteers HQ.  

Q: What will you be doing?

A: I will be doing service with children in a setting like an elementary school, orphanage, day care, etc.   

Q: Where will you be living?

A: I will be living with a host family where I will be immersed in Peruvian culture and the Spanish language :)

Q: How long will you be there?

A: My volunteer time is 12 weeks, but I'm going to stay an extra week to make sure I do all the things I want while I'm living among Incan ruins.

Q: Are you nervous?

A: Yes and no.  I'm nervous of the unknowns (which is just about EVERYTHING!), but I'm not nervous about loving it.

Q: Are your parents nervous about it?

A: I think they are more nervous than they let on.  They are excited that I am excited to go. They're the best!

Q: Do you know Spanish?

A: A little bit.  I've taken Spanish in high school and 5 semesters of it in college, so hopefully I can conversate.

Q: Is it close to Machu Picchu? 

A: Yes!  And I'm definitely going to hike it!

(Isn't it beautiful?!)

Q: What made you decide to do this?

A: My sister Tami and cousin Camille went to Ecuador and worked in an orphanage when they were about this age, and ever since them I've dreamed of doing this!  Now is just the perfect time to do it.

Hopefully this answers some of your questions about my trip!  Most of you probably already know about it cause I'm so excited I have to tell everybody!  I feel so blessed to have the opportunity and ability to go and do this.  I can't wait to see how it all goes!  

Una Broma

I just finished my Spanish final and so I thought I'd post a video in celebration :)  It's all in spanish and there's no subtitles, but even if you don't know spanish, I think the video and the kids faces are pretty explanatory.  I hope you like it as much as I did!