Japanese noodles and fancy poodles :) 1/19/10

Hi hi hi hi!
Sound's like it's raining everywhere! Mesa, Boston, and in SLC. I love it when it rains here because it clears out the sick foggy air and everything is crystal clear and beautiful! So training is going well so far! my companion is Sister Yoshie Watanabe from Miasaky South Japan. She is tooooo funny. She work's so hard and is trying so hard to learn English. She never ever complains and just follow's me running around everywhere. Whenever we are in a contact even though she doesn't really understand what's going on she just smiles and say's ya ya ya haha. I love it though! I'm sure her English will pick up after the next few transfer's.
So funny story.. We took 2 rm's through the family presentation and were visiting with them afterward's. I asked one of them how he liked it.. his response "I hated it, I really hate my family". I just stared in absoulute unbelief. He looked like a totally normal guy but he was dead serious. SO before drawing conclusion's I started questioning him and his answer's were all pretty lame. So after being kind and nice for a while I just looked at him straight on and said "Seriously you need to figure thing's out and change right now, because you are going to have a sad and long life ahead of you". He was totally negative about life and everything, said he hated his mission. I told him he could change and that was the whole purpose of the atonement. I told him he need's to love his family and he said it was impossible. ANYWAY- I gave him a good talking to. It was really cool though, I didn't feel like I was being rude at all, I simply was telling him exactly what the Lord needed to hear. His friend totally agreed with everything I said and thanked me for being the one to say it. haha
I did have very uplifting experiences this week as well, I just wanted to change thing's up a bit :) CHRISTLIKE ATTRIBUTES- Which one are you working on? I have been thinking a lot about meekness lately. The definition of meekness is, quiet and gently, unwilling to argue. A few day's ago some sister's in my apartment got into a silly confrontation, I sat listening and trying to figure out how I could fix the situation. Finally I explained to them what the solution was and told them that there must be a compromise. Another sister that was in the room thanked me the next day and said " I really appreciated your ability to correct the situation in meekness and love, it was exactly what they needed". I was grateful for her remark because it caused me to think. How meek am I? Am I putting aside myself and really asking as Christ would? In MORONI 8:26 we learn that only through meekness and lowliness of heart can we recieve the Holy Ghost, which then can teach us all thing's. Also in 1Peter 3:4 we are taught that the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, is a great price in the sight of God. I am learning that these attributes are not being used until we realize it is difficult to use them.. does that make sense? It is easy to have patience and charity when thing's are going well. We can only know our true nature of Charity at those time's when it is hardest to love. That's when our charity becomes real! Patience isn't expected of us only when it is convenient or easy. We have to learn to find joy in those time's when patience is the hardest! Hah I hope that this is making sense. Developing Christlike attributes is so crutial to our purification and becoming like the Savior. Those weird little thing's that people don't like about us can totally be gone through this process. I still have such a long way's so go, but I'm grateful for these learning experiences.
I thought of an analogy the other day that hasn't left my mind. I was studying about virtue and I thought of the First Lady. You think about the virtue she must have as she represent's our nation. She must alway's have the loving, kind, giving, compassionate attributes. Her manner in which she walk's, talk's, dresses, and everything must be perfect. She represent's one of the most powerful nations in the world! Ok so then I realized that my calling is even greater than her's. I don't represent a nation but I represent my Savior Jesus Christ. I must hold myself even at a higher level as I try to emulate the Savior. As member's of the church we should alway's realize who we are exemplifying. What an incredible opportunity for us to shine in a world that is getting darker!!! Wahhhh- be virtuous! Shine his image from every action and move you make! I know that it is not easy, but it wasn't supposed to be easy. THAT is why we try and try again.
I love you all and am grateful for your love, prayer's, and support! Everything at Temple Square is going well! It was wonderful to see our neighbor's the Smith's here on Sunday morning! How fun for me to take them and their group from MVT around Temple Square. Love it!!Have a wonderful week.. remember virtue and meekness :)Moroni 7:48- " when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is".
loves- Sister Carly Jo Porter