Nine months out....nine months left

Hello everyone! 



I hope you are all doing amazing! 



Oh my goodness. Time is flying so fast. I blinked and hit 9 months. How did that even happen?! I am feeling so grateful for the last 9 months and the 9 more ahead of me. I am going to enjoy every second because I know too fast it'll all be over.



My week was so good and it went by so dang fast. 



First we have L. We were not able to teach her this week because she was up in Detroit but on Friday she texted us and said she's been reading the Book of Mormon every other day and that she knows it's true!! I think that's the best text I've ever gotten haha. She is preparing for baptism on the 15th of June. 



G!!!!! Officially the smartest person I know. He is doing well! He always understands the doctrine soooo well. He is somehow able to pull somewhat deeper truths from the simple doctrine and it's way cool. He asks amazing and sometimes hard questions haha. I have learned more from him then he'll ever know. He texted us this week and told us that he is "very grateful" to be meeting with us. :') 

one of these days I'll get a picture with him so you can see what he looks like. He's awesome. 



We found 2 new people to teach this week!! It was awesome. We met both of them outside of Kroger. Their names are A and J. They were both SUPER sincere and receptive of the message. We are teaching each of them again tomorrow and I'm excited to see what happens with them! 



One of the highlights of the week was when J went to the temple! We took him to do baptisms on Tuesday night and it was a very special experience. He was able to be baptized for his father. He loved every moment and the spirit was so strong. The temple is the house of the Lord and the spirit of Elijah is real. Family history work is so important! Also at the temple, I saw Sis. Burt!!!!! It was so fun to see her again! 



At church I got to see people from home! The Leishmans! That was super fun! It was great to catch up with their daughter Lucy. We graduated high school together and I hadn't seen her since! 



I have done some reflecting over the last 9 months. Just thinking about all I've learned and how I've grown. I also thought a lot about how to continue the learning and growth. I've set goals for the rest of my mission and I can't wait to experience what the Lord has instore. As President always says; "don't come home as the same loser you were before you got here" haha. I definitely don't want that. 

 For my spiritual thought today I'll share the 3 biggest things I've learned. 



1. I've learned how to love like Christ. Everyone is a child of God and everyone deserves to feel of his love. It doesn't matter the decisions they make. Charity is so so so important. Like the scriptures say, without charity we are nothing. Charity opens the door for us to see those around us the way that Christ does. It allows us to feel a sliver of the love that Heavenly Father has for his children. Pray for charity everyday! I promise that it will make the biggest impact on your life. It has definitely changed mine. 



2. I've learned how to repent. I can honestly say that I didn't take advantage of repentance like I should have before I left. I often forgot to seek forgiveness of the small things. The small things are just as important as the big things!  Daily repentance is the key to joy and the key to feeling the spirit every single day. There is no shame in change and improvement. "Unforgiveable" is an impossible word when it comes to the mercy of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The Savior is always standing there ready with his arms outstretched. He already suffered so that we don't have to. How do we thank him for that? By using the gift he has given us every day.



3. I've learned that Heavenly has a plan for us! We are literally his spirit children. He knows you better than you know yourself.  He wants what is best for you and is involved in the details of your life! You can trust him and there is nobody better to trust. Our trials and hardships aren't given to us because he wants to watch us suffer. It's hard to see in the moment, but even trials are GIFTS. They are the very things that allow us to grow. 



I love you all! Have a great week! 

Also, happy late Star Wars day :') 



Sister Sedlacek