Hidden ROOTS and Drunken Staggering (Katelyn's Letter)

Hola y'all!

Happy Valentines Day!!!!! Y'all may think it would be a sad holiday on the mission for obvious reasons but I have honestly loved it! It's so cute to observe different couples and fams expressing love and care for each other. It brings me so much joy!

Pretty straight forward week. They just keep getting eaten up... like we almost were... but I'll talk about that later heehee. Mission culture kinda sucks sometimes not gonna lie, but this week my relationship with God has been strengthened through it as His opinion is the only one that matters. If I'm doing His will than I don't need to worry:) He sees my roots and the path I follow---read my spiritual thought and that will make more sense;)

Seeds of Faith

Here's a quote I absolutely love from Leo Tolstoy that was in a talk by Elder Holland. A priest was criticized by someone who claimed his actions did not match his words and so then concluded that the priest's teachings were false:

"In response to that criticism, the priest says: ‘Look at my life now and compare it to my former life. You will see that I am trying to live out the truth I proclaim.’ Unable to live up to the high ideals he taught, the priest admits he has failed. But he cries: ‘Attack me, [if you wish,] I do this myself, but [don’t] attack…the path I follow… If I know the way home [but] am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way simply because I am staggering from side to side? Do not gleefully shout, “Look at him!... There he is crawling into a bog!” No, do not gloat, but give… your help [to anyone trying to walk the road back to God.’”

In our church class we talked about being rooted in Christ to withstand the storms of life and I realized something. No one can see our roots. Christ is our most important source of nutrients and strength and yet our true feelings and faith in Him are hidden. No one knows your heart but God and Jesus Christ. Everyone can see the tree, they can see your actions, your words, your leaves and colors and beautiful service and strong outer core and trunk. But people also see us when our trees are blown down and snapped and broken and jagged. They see our drunken staggering, our mistakes, our judgements, our outward suffering and struggle. They see the outbursts and the sins and the shaking our fists at God. But they can be so focused on your faltering that they forget the path you follow. THEY CAN'T SEE YOUR ROOTS.

No matter what the tree looks like, no matter how gracefully you walk down the path--don't forget your ROOTS and the PATH YOU FOLLOW. God sees the reasons behind your actions and sometimes cutting us down is necessary for us to grow back stronger, or even to grow more with and alongside others around us. Our roots, our hearts, as long as they are strong, as long as we depend on Jesus Christ for our strength in the good times and bad--will NEVER FAIL US. Charity never faileth; the pure love of Christ never faileth. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

*INVITATION*

Ask people about their roots and strive to understand them DEEPER before judging their tree or the way they walk back down the path to God. Pray to see as Christ sees. Ask God to help you know their roots. Be there for them. Help them. Be someone they can share their roots with. So when storms come and branches break, we can help each other keep growing and lean on each other as we walk down the path:))

Pockets of Fun
-We saw TWO ALLIGATORS AT PHINIZY SWAMP! Sorry mom I didn't listen haha--we got pretty close which now I know was NOT the best move. Those things are FAST!
- Had some good jam sessions in the car between appointments this week including one to 'I Won't Say I'm in Love' from Hercules. We agree that Colas Disney character is Meg.
- I've been playing the guitar that Sister Petey gave me!!! I love it and her so much <3
-I'm designated driver now cuz Cola got her driving privileges taken away LOL. She doesn't want to take the class for a week and then never drive again because she goes home next transfer and you can't drive your last transfer anyway. So... as always... pray for our safety bahaha...
-There's a very slight chance I may be pregnant y'all... (in mission terms bahaha--meaning I may be able to train next transfer fingers crossed). I just have the tiniest feeling I might train but who knows transfers are always either super unexpected or not eventful at all. I've given up trying to guess what will happen at this point.

Gratitude
-THE L DISEASE (I pray all y'all know what movie I'm referencing with that quote). Now don't roll your eyes at me because it's Valentines Day and that's cheesy lol. It's true! Love is the best gift we can give someone and the only one that we can regift from God!!
- The countryside.
- Flowers and happy little moments. Little reminders of God's hand painting the details of our beautiful lives:)

Southern Vocab
Alligators can run pretty fast y'all. As I was researching them after we ran into TWO of them, I found (now this may not be true my only source of info is Facebook at the moment y'all lol) that they can run as fast as a horse on land... yeah probs shouldn't have gotten as close as we did but we are all alive so yay!

Pictures
1-4. Phinizy Swamp and the vicious ALLIGATORS!
5. Random selfie haha.
6. Doing family history with the Lambert kiddos for Mikyla to take to the temple!!!