Finding True Joy in The Book of Mormon & the Atonement

For anyone who knows me well, they know that one thing I absolutely love doing is sharing my testimony! Every single time I start talking about the gospel, or thinking about how much it has blessed my life and my family, I get this ridiculously huge smile on my face because it makes me THAT happy. Earlier today I watched a video that one of my favorite people in Sooke, BC posted on her Facebook. It was about the Book of Mormon and how it truly is another testament of Jesus Christ. I felt the Spirit so strongly in that moment and it was again confirmed to me through the power of the Holy Ghost how true this gospel really is, but especially how real the Book of Mormon is and how it blesses so many people's lives.
Something that I find so amazing about the Book of Mormon is the ability is has to change lives. The gospel of Jesus Christ and His Atonement changes lives first and foremost, but through gaining a knowledge of the Book of Mormon going hand in hand with Bible, both being the word of God, we come to know individually that the Savior is real; that His atoning sacrifice is real. We can only come to know that for ourselves by sincerely seeking out the answer through study and prayer. Can we just talk about how awesome prayer is for a second? I mean really, is it not the coolest thing that Heavenly Father gave us that gift of being able to speak to Him while we're here in this mortal existence? I think it's the most fantastic thing. Ever. Sometimes I think we forget to listen though. Prayer is far from leaving a voicemail for Heavenly Father. It's a two-way conversation. Every time. We just need to make sure we're paying enough attention to what He is telling us.

I was recently talking to a newly found friend about when I gained my testimony of the Book of Mormon and when he gained his. Side note: these conversations are wonderful to have with anyone and everyone. Super great. Anyways, as we were talking and I was thinking about my testimony, I realized it was the one thing in this life that I had gained completely on my own. It was 100% mine. People helped me understand different things along the way (and I'm so thankful for that), but I realized that no one had done it for me or babied me to get to the point where I'm at now. And in that moment I was the most grateful I had ever been in my life for gaining a strong, solid testimony to the point where I "knew." It is no longer a belief, a hope, or an optimism that this is true anymore. It has become a knowledge. And I think that's why I love sharing my testimony so much. I think it's because I know with a surety that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and your Savior, and everyone's Savior. And I want EVERYONE to come to know the joy and everlasting peace that can be found in this knowledge. Even during the darkest hour in your life, Jesus Christ is there for you. He knows you and He loves you perfectly. The Atonement is the key to finding happiness in this life. And I will be forever grateful for that.

Here is a link to the video that somewhat inspired this post:
https://www.facebook.com/moronichannel/videos/433403496837571/?autoplay_reason=all_page_organic_allowed

It's About Time!

So it's been a little while. I've been home from my mission now for three whole months! Freaking weird. Honestly, adjusting to being home has been really hard but really good. My family has been nothing but constant support to me and I've made so many new friends that have been a big support to me as well. I miss the mission so much. There is a spirit that you feel while you are a full-time missionary that you  honestly can't get anywhere else. The temple is the only place that comes close. Keeping up on going to the temple every week and reading my scriptures every day has been hard because life gets so busy but I know it's one of the few things that have kept me sane since returning from the beloved Canada Vancouver Mission.

Okay, enough with my sob fest of how it's hard being home. We get it. I just needed to point out that missions are awesome and everyone should go. It will change your life and change who you are forever for the better. So today I was reading in Alma 30 where Korihor (antiChrist) is just being so wicked and just dragging so many people down with him. He and Alma have a long conversation about whether or not Korihor believes in a God and then Korihor says he would need a sign to believe in Him. Alma warns him and then Korihor is struck dumb then confesses his belief in a God because of it. He goes around the rest of his days begging for food and trying to convince the people he led away to believe and come unto Christ and in the end gets trampled to death. I know we all know this story and it can sound super morbid sometimes. This morning after I read this I was just sitting there thinking "if Heavenly Father is so merciful and it's 'never too late to repent', then why did He let Korihor die so soon after he confessed his belief in Him?" So I sat there for awhile thinking about that and then it came to me that Heavenly Father was merciful enough to let him repent and be forgiven before Korhior died. God is so infinite in His mercy and is never going to just "leave us hanging." He is always going to find a way to help us, but we have to learn to accept that help if we truly want to become who He wants us to be. One of my favorite quotes by Richard G. Scott states, "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day." It is in the way we conduct ourselves every day. The choices we make, even the little ones, guide us to who we will become. Sometimes...actually no, almost all of the time, it is really hard to see the potential that Heavenly Father sees in us, and even when we do catch a glimpse of that person, it's even harder to imagine ourselves getting to that point. But honestly, if we have enough faith in the Savior and in our Father in Heaven, we can become that person. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know fully who we can become. All we have to do is act on the faith that we have and let God make up the difference.

The Best 18 Months Of & For My Life

Dear Friends & Family,

Wow. I'm sitting here in the Langford Library wondering how 18 months of my life flew so fast. I honestly cannot believe that in 8 days, I will be home with all of you.

I guess to start I just want to say how thankful I am for this wonderful time that I have had to serve my Heavenly Father. It has been nothing but growth and progression for me spiritually, emotionally and mentally. I'm so amazed and so humbled that Heavenly Father has let me labor in some of the smaller portions of His vineyard during my time here in British Columbia. I feel very trusted to know that He let me be a part of so many wonderful people's conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The past year and a half has been incredible in many ways. I think the thing I am most grateful for is how much my own testimony has grown and to know that I am truly converted to my Savior now. I have a solid testimony of the Atonement and recognizing that the only way to true happiness and ultimately to eternal life is through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and by us living it and repenting daily.

I am grateful The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ and how much I have come to know that it really is from God. No boy with a third grade education could have made that up and translated it in 30 days. I have read it so many times, every single day on my mission actually. And every time I read it and every time I pray about it, God answers me. It is true. It goes hand in hand with the Bible. Jesus Christ truly is our Savior and Redeemer and is the only way to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. I am so thankful for the Restoration of priesthood keys. That is the only way we can make and keep sacred covenants in this life to grow and progress.

I'm grateful for the miracles God has let me be a part of. I have been able to see six of my brothers and sisters, six children of God, enter into the waters of baptism. I am so thankful for all of them and for the parts that they played in not only my conversion, but confirming to me that God really is so aware of us individually and that He shows us miracles according to our faith. He is there for us always and I've been able to take part in the joy of seeing souls be converted to our Savior.

Last but not least, I am so thankful for my family and for all the support they have given me over these past 18 months. What a blessing they are in my life and I'm so thankful Heavenly Father put me into the amazing family that I am in to learn and grow and truly become the person Heavenly Father needs and wants me to become.

This has been the most precious time in my life and I am so thankful that I've been able to be an instrument in God's hands. I'm grateful that we are all called to serve. When we were baptized and made that covenant with Heavenly Father we made the commitment to be a missionary and share the gospel to bring "salvation to the souls of men". I'm definitely not done being a missionary yet and I am excited to continue to look for many opportunities to preach the gospel through word and deed after I am home. This I leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love always & forever, Sister Brittany Anne Larsen

P.S. anyone that wants to continue emailing me after I am home or wants blog updates my email is brittanylarsen2@hotmail.com and my blog is sunshinesmilesandserendipity.blogspot.com

P.P.S. my great friend Pat Smith shares awesome uplifting messages on his blog so ya'll should check that out too(: pgordsmith.blogspot.com

-pday adventures(:

-selfie with the crew

-love these sisters

-gorgeous sunset(:

-love Elder and Sister Nickels! will miss them lots.

and uhh, yeah. cheers.

It still kills me that C. came up out of the water when he got baptized and said those words. Nothing else was cool enough this week to make it to my email title. We talked to so many people. 185 QGC's (Quality Gospel Conversation's) to be exact, which in previous transfers i would have thought impossible for sooke. we found this new place to contact(: the most beautiful place ever too, so it's a win-win(: we also got ice cream last week. i seriously don't even know what else we did. oh, our heated title floor in our bathroom is currently on strike and we don't know how to fix it, so that's depressing #firstworldprobs other than that, it's been a really solid week, and i can't wait to see what this next week brings(: i love you all. sorry this email got first prize in the lame olympics.

love always, sister brittany anne larsen(:

-ice cream day

-gorgeous (She told me the name of this place is called 'Whiffin Spit Beach')

 

-gorgeouser

-gorgeousest

-oreos & milk first timer

-oreos & milk professional

Living The Gospel Joyful.

"The choice is yours!

The Creator of the seas, sands, and endless stars is reaching out to you this very day! He is offering the grand recipe for happiness, peace, and eternal life!

To qualify for these glorious blessings, you must humble yourself, exercise faith, take upon you the name of Christ, seek Him in word and deed, and resolutely “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.”

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

One of the best General Conference quotes of ever. It is simply our choice to be happy. Our choice to see what we want to see. If we want to see the negative, then we will. If we want to recognize God's blessings, then we will. What a miracle agency is. And God will never take that away from us because He loves us THAT much. Amazing.

It's been a really spectacular week. Had a lot of member present lessons and a lot of super solid new investigators(: Gotta love Sooke.

I read the talk about this morning and it's so funny because it has totally been the theme for this transfer. There was this super mean guy that we talked to on...don't even remember what day it was. sometime this past week, and sister unwin and i walked away and asked me why i could still be so happy even after someone was so rude. and so we talked about charity and how we are just so much happier when we have the Spirit in our lives because we choose to see the good. We walked away though and i said to sister Unwin, "what the heck? how could he be mean to me? i have a bow in my hair for crying out loud! i look like a child and he was still so mean!" but i guess that doesn't matter to people who just want to tear other's testimonies down. It was funny though. Also this lady was talking to us behind her closed door and i asked "is it okay if we leave a card in your website?" instead of "card in your door". i'm a genius everyone, i know. so those were my funny things of the week. also, please mourn over the fact that my companion, who lives in a first world country (she's from Liverpool, England) has never 1. had a PB&J sandwich, and 2. has never dunked oreos in milk before. moment of silence over that travesty please. thank you, moving on. I just love you all so much! thank you for all being amazing and supporting me through and through(: God loves all of you so much! keep being good and remember to "live the gospel joyful"!!(:

love always, sister brittany anne larsen(:

-matching shirts. #wecool

-me and some fog and geese. can you say "Canada, eh?"

-the porch was rebuilt that sister gowans and i fell through. wow.

-selfies with D. H. and C. at Sooke Group yesterday. joys.

-bowler hat selfie. (it's sister unwin's, don't worry. i look crazy, i know)

Aaaaalrighty my friends

Okay so this week has gone by super fast and i can't even tell you half of what happened because i honestly don't remember. ugh. missionary brain. but it was a good week! our 3 baptismal dates came to church yesterday and that was a huge miracle because we had to find rides to church for 7 people!! so crazy. but awesome(: i just love my companion so much. she just lights up my missionary work and i am so grateful for her! shout out to sister unwin! I've been just pondering a lot lately about a lot of different things, but mostly the word "pure" and what it means to be a "pure" disciple of Jesus Christ. or to have "pure" charity or love for someone. My favorite hymn of all time is More Holiness Give Me:

 More holiness give me,

More strivings within,

More patience in suff'ring,

More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior,

More sense of his care,

More joy in his service,

More purpose in prayer.

 More gratitude give me,

More trust in the Lord,

More pride in his glory,

More hope in his word,

More tears for his sorrows,

More pain at his grief,

More meekness in trial,

More praise for relief.

 More purity give me,

More strength to o'ercome,

More freedom from earth-stains,

More longing for home.

More fit for the kingdom,

More used would I be,

More blessed and holy--

More, Savior, like thee.

This is something I've been striving to live by for the past few weeks and it has made such a huge difference in my missionary work and within myself as well. We had a training yesterday in Ward Council and we were talking about seeking the Kingdom of God first in our lives, then the people we minister to will want to do the same, and that is so true! If we are putting God first in our lives, everything else will fall into place. I have such a testimony that when we do the little things, but the most important things, meaning daily person and family prayer, scripture study, weekly Family Home Evening, and regular temple attendance, our lives just become peaceful amidst all the busyness of our lives. I know my Savior lives! I love him and I love you all so much!(:
love always, sister brittany anne larsen(:

-beatufiul!

-me and sister unwin!

-gorgeous ocean(: