Life In Boujee. I Mean Waukee

Okay, first things first, I don't know how I forgot so much in my email last week, but I did.

Chad from Pekin got baptized last Saturday! He had been waiting for a long time, and it was so special to watch him enter the waters of baptism after all he had been through. I'm so grateful I got to witness it over Zoom.

I forgot to introduce my new companion, Sister Kinghorn. She's from Rigby, Idaho, and according to Cannon Kelly, we're "identical, and it's gonna be a riot." Shoutout, it has been a riot, and we're just getting started.

We keep saying how boujee Waukee is, and it's just straight facts. Pretty sure we've shown everyone and their dog a picture of our apartment because it's just that nice. For once, we feel like we don't stand out. We walk around looking all dressed up in our dresses while walking in these boujee neighborhoods, and it looks like we just got back from a football banquet. To top it all off, we have our matching platform white Doc Martens, with our Lulu fanny packs and our Stanleys. This place was made for us.

White-washing is so lit; safe to say I love it! We've been so hyped to get to work. In the past couple of weeks we've been here, we've had three full prime times (6-9 pm). It seems like we are everywhere except for our area. This week's not looking too good either, zone conference and two exchanges. Prayers up for Waukee and our time.

We had MLC! It was so good. Every time I go, it seems like things just get more out of pocket. Example A:

doing recalibrations

"Elders, if you're looking at a sister thinking, 'that right there, I know she's my wife,' DON'T RUIN IT HERE. I would be more than happy to see some of you get married down the road, but don't ruin it here! Just wait!" - President Barney

Never a dull moment here in BYU-Iowa.

Literally, no one is better than President and Sister Barney; you cannot convince me otherwise.

We have a lot of goals this transfer, and one of them is that we only want to teach the elect. We don't want to waste any time, and we know that people are being ready and prepared RIGHT NOW, so we need to find them. We've been on the finding grind, so we have taken that opportunity to talk to everyone! That's put us in a few strange situations. I'll spare you the details.

Me: "I'm so sorry, Heavenly Father."

Reverses 2 feet without backing

OYMS Pastor Yolanda

We've also made it a game to tell each other who to OYM. Sister Kinghorn's a trooper; we were driving, and I saw some people on the side of the road, so I immediately pulled right over to them and told Sister Kinghorn to talk to them. We now just pull over when we see people and ask if they want to talk about Jesus. We want to show Heavenly Father we are willing to do whatever it takes.

Yesterday at church, Sister Kinghorn and I bore our testimonies. Without planning, they were aligned with each other's. After church, this lady walked over and sat next to us, crying. She said, "My husband is a member, I am not. I really need to talk to you guys. Do you have my number?" We checked, and we did. She said, "Can we meet this week?" We hugged her, and tears filled my eyes. We had no idea she wasn't a member. We looked at her notes, and the last note the elders left says, "She will reach out when she's ready." She said to us, "I never approach missionaries." God is preparing people right before our eyes. I'm grateful she felt comfortable enough to come talk to us.

I also messaged a girl on Facebook this week and asked if I could share a scripture. She said yes, so I shared a scripture from First Nephi. She told me that she's currently reading the Book of Mormon and just finished First Nephi. She said she would love to do a Book of Mormon and Bible study. God is in the details.

Also, the YW and YW leaders walked up to us after church holding baskets of gifts for Sister Kinghorn and me to welcome us into the ward. It was literally so sweet; I could've cried. Made my whole day.

Spiritual thought:

I've been really focusing on repentance. Not just repentance, but daily repentance. Before my mission, I hated admitting when I did something wrong or that I made a mistake. I hated repenting because I felt like I let my Heavenly Father and my Savior down. I always put it off and thought it was something I could take care of in the future.

I was wrong all along.

As I was reading in Alma 13, this verse struck me so hard.

Alma 13:27

27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance.

Alma says from the inmost (deepest) part of my heart, with great anxiety even PAIN, do not procrastinate your repentance. That is such a powerful testimony.

Why is it that repentance is talked about so much in the scriptures and in general conference and so on? BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT.

God is a God of love and mercy. Jesus Christ paid the price for all sins; His arms are always outreaching toward us. We access His power and love through using the Atonement by repenting.

Elder Holland says, "However late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don't have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines. So if you have made covenants, keep them. If you haven't made them, make them. If you have made them and broken them, repent and repair them. It is never too late so long as the Master of the vineyard says there is time. Don't delay. It's getting late."

The Atonement is real. Repentance is real. It's changed me; I've watched it change the lives of those I've taught. I've seen it change missionaries.

President Nelson says, "Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to 'repent,' He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time, treat our wives, teach our children, and even care for our bodies. Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

The most joy I have ever felt has been while I've focused on daily repentance. It's grown my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ immensely.

Repentance is NOT the backup plan; it IS the plan.

I invite you all to repent. Don't wait. Like Elder Holland says, it's getting late. I promise you, you will find joy. You will come to know your Savior on a deeper level; I know this because I've felt it.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to change and grow. I'm so grateful to be a member of Jesus Christ's Church.

But most importantly, I'm so grateful that I get to wake up every single day and represent Him.

Sister Liljenquist.