Week 14 - December 30, 2019

I hope ya'll had a Merry Merry Christmas! 

I heard that it snowed in Alpine on Christmas Eve.  There is nothing I love more than a white Christmas!

Christmas here in Florida is different than any other Christmas that I have had in the past.  On Christmas Day, we went to Jackie's as a District and did some service.  It rained all Chrismas Eve...so scooping horse poop isn't as fun when it is all wet.  My tennis shoes were destroyed...maybe it is time that I invest in some work boots.  After Jackie's we went to our Ward Mission Leader's home and had brunch.  Sister Bennett is my idol... she makes everything by hand!  Her food was amazing as always.  We came back home and washed up a little and then got to talk to our families.  Ahh it was so nice to see all of my favorite faces together in one room.  Usually on Pdays, I only talk to my mom...so it was nice having the whole clan there.

I will say I have never eaten so much food in my life.  I am still full!  So please, if you are thinking about sending me anything...do not send sweets...I have enough to last me the rest of 2020!

I can't believe it...in two days I can officially say, "I will be home next year!"  How crazy is that!  I feel like it was just yesterday I was opening my mission call, and now I come home next year lol!

With Come Follow Me being the Book of Mormon this next year... I have been studying how the Book of Mormon is a pattern for our day.  So, I thought for this week's spiritual thought I would share some things I have learned while I have been studying. 

I want ya'll to imagine Moroni talking to you...

In Mormon 8:35 it reads:

35. Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not.  But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.

Moroni, who was finishing the record of his father Mormon...has seen our day!  He has seen the wickedness and the righteous doings of our day.  However, Moroni is not the only man who has seen our day:

In 2 Nephi 25: 21-22, Nephi explains how his words will be passed down from generation to generation 

21. Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand.

22. Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth stand; and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written.

I think that it is important to know that the Book of Mormon writers were aware of the problems that we face today.  The teachings of the Book of Mormon are of great worth to me because of this reason. 

Ezra Taft Benson has an amazing quote that describes how the Book of Mormon is for our day:

"The Book of Mormon....was written for our day. The Nephites never had the book neither did the Lamanites of ancient times.  It was meant for us.  Mormon wrote near the end of Nephi civilization.  Under the inspiration of God, who sees all things from the beginning, he abridged the stories, speeches, and events that would be most helpful to us.

"Each of the Major writers of the Book of Mormon testified that he wrote for future generations.  If they saw our day and  those things which would be great worth to us, is not that how we should study the Book of Mormon?  We should constantly ask ourselves, 'Why did the Lord inspire Mormon (or Moroni or Alma) to include that in his record?  What lesson can I learn from that to help me live in this day and age?"

As ya'll are studying the Book of Mormon this year...I want you to remember that the Book of Mormon was written for our day.  The words and teachings have been placed in our hands for a reason. 

I am so very grateful for the Book of Mormon in my life.  It has brought me so much direction and purpose. 

 

I'd like to invite ya'll to think of some ways the Book of Mormon has given you strength, direction, answers to questions or solutions to problems. 

I can promise you as you do this... you will see how the Book of Mormon has played a role in your life.

I love you all so MUCH!!

Happy New Year!! 

CHEERS FOR 2020

CTR

<3 Sister Lauren Copeland 

Pics of the Week

1. Zone Sisters on Christmas Eve 

2. The cats we are babysitting