jab pere, jab mijak

highlight #1- we have been trying to help one of my absolute favorite families get to church for a couple months. they have SO many kids & it is just a lot to get there w/ all corona regulations and all. but I distinctly remember sitting in sacrament meeting & seeing that beautiful marshallese family walk through that door & my heart was SO full as all those precious little kids came up & gave us big hugs !! <3 President Alder came up to us after and said, "I will forever remember when Sister Alder was bearing her testimony & that beautiful family walked in." my heart was so HAPPY as I was able to sit w/ some of my favorite people & feel the peace and comfort of being in Jesus Christ's church w/ so many of Heavenly Father's unconditionally loved children. after the sacrament meeting we were able to meet w/ all the marshallese people & President & Sister Alder. I had brought my ukulele that day & we were able to play & sing with everybody. being w/ so many indescribably wonderful children of God whom I love w/ my whole heart & having the opportunity to sing w/ them & worship w/ them will always be a highlight of my mission & life.

highlight #2- this week I got to go on an exchange w/ Sister Patterson!! it was my first time staying & leading the marshallese area & not gonna lie I was nearly pooping myself. but anyhoo there is this lady that is known for her very fast speech & she is kinda hard to understand & she doesn't speak english. sooooo I decided I needed to be made very uncomfortable if I wanted to learn, so there we went. before going in & throughout our time there I prayed that if I couldn't understand the words she was saying I would be able to feel & understand what her heart needed. & I remember walking into her house and peace & comfort just flooding over me. rather than being scared the entire time I actually just felt SO much love for her I can't even express it. feeling comfortable was a HUGE tender mercy from my Heavenly Father. as we talked about her home in the marshall islands and Jesus Christ & his role in our lives my heart was filled w/ so much joy !! & yes I probably said so many things wrong but what was more important to me was that the spirit was able to be there & that the Savior was right there w/ us being that bridge between our language barrier. the pure love of Christ cannot be blocked by that barrier or any other barrier. God is so good. (2 Timothy 1:7)

thought- a quote I really loved from general conference & have been thinking about a lot is, "not making a choice is a choice." & as I have reflected on that something that has repeatedly come to my mind has been choosing Jesus Christ in everything. choosing Him in my thoughts of others & ourselves. choosing Him in our words. choosing Him in our actions. choosing Him as our motivation. & choosing Him as our way. I know that as we ALWAYS seek to choose Him in all that we do we will be blessed & be able to feel a portion of His eternal joy. I love my Savior & I love this gospel so so much !!







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