One Nation Under God: HOPE-Sept 7, 2015

Hey all!

So I know last month I mentioned that I was working a lot on the Christlike attribute of patience.. well, this month I have decided to work on Hope. I have come to realize that hope is the ACTION of faith, and ties a lot in with patience.. Let me explain:

So, this past week is when I first started to work on the attribute of Hope, and as I have done so, I have set some visions, goals, and plans of action in order for this attribute to grow. Well--I know that when we make a goal to do something or make a decision, it IMMEDIATELY seems like everything happens on the contrary in order to make it NOT happen, which almost forces us to either give up or fight through and remember the goal in the first place. The past month, August, I saw my patience tried MANY times. I would not consider myself a very impatient person, but I was really able to learn what the Lord would have me learn from it, knowing that when I accept the Lord's will I also need to accept His TIMING as well and just wait. Well, as I have begun to work on hope I have been able to see that as I have worked on patience, that in order to have patience we have to have an end goal, and that is where hope comes in. We have to look to the future and have hope that things will work out in the end, and that when we have hope we are not walking aimlessly with faith into the future, but firmly with faith, knowing, with a "perfect brightness of hope" that as we walk by faith the end result that God has in store for us will be met. I know that is all kindof confusing but man, if you could all just be there during my personal studies your heads would probably explode too.. seriously, my mind is BLOWN AWAY every day with things that I never knew, that I didn't know for a reason but in God's own due time that knowledge is revealed unto me because He knows I need it, and that somebody else that I am going to meet soon will need it as well. God is good. He is so good.

So, scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 31:20- "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life." --I don't know about you, but that is EXACTLY where I would like to end up. I would like to have eternal life, and to be able to live forever with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again. That is why it is so important that we have faith and do the simple things that keep us on that path (pray, "feast upon the word" ((study the scriptures, not just read)), and attend church). This will keep us safe if we do all these things with a sincere heart. I PROMISE you. As a missionary, life here is FULL of promises.. we receive promises from our leaders, promises from God, and we promise others so many individual promises that come directly from Christ--for we are His representatives. I promise you, that if you will put your faith in God, as you act in the things that you truly hope for, you will receive the blessings that God has in store for you, each of you individually, and your faith will increase. He knows you, and He knows what you need. He wants to help you, as He has helped me. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ with all my heart, and could not be more thankful in this time to serve as part of His army here on earth as a full-time missionary.

I love you all, and truly HOPE you have a fantastic week!! Make it a good one!!

Hermana Riddle :)

These are some cool shirts we got made from El Salvador for all the Hermanas, we were at the mission president's home last week for Pday, fun times!