On Tuesday Sister Valdelamar from Mexico city returned to her mission on Temple Square. She had been serving in Quincy for 2 months. She was AMAZING!!! However, transfers usually don't happen for another week SOOO there was a little gap in time where Sister Olsen was going to need a companion. GUESS WHO SHE CALLED!!!! ME!!!! Sister Olsen is AMAZING, she is lighting Quincy on FIRE and she is super in tune with the spirit and knows what she's doing.
It was amazing!!! I got to do some trackting, I got to go to a dinner appointment!! I got the door slammed in my face!! And I absolutely LOVED every minute of it. Anyways Wednesday, Sister Young came from Moses Lake and she is going to tear it UP in Quincy!!! So so so awesome.
I got to study and pray and EVERYTHING with Sister Olsen, and I don't think I have EVER just sat down and studied uninterrupted as long as I did this week. But I wrote the following and felt like I needed to share it.
My name is Meredith Rae Ottley. I am a missionary. My whole life has changed in the last couple months. I'm going to Brazil in 6 weeks. I really think I've lost my mind. I'm going to be a sister missionary, yup one of those crazy, self-righteous, neurotic girls who know everything there is to know about everything. Wow, I must be crazy. Some may ask why? Heck, I even asked myself WHY? The only thing I can come up with is because I love everyone. I love all the people in the world! I want them to be happy; as happy as I am.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. It's here to stay! My bestest bestie, Joseph Smith, translated the Book of Mormon and restored the true church to this earth. And MAN if that isn't the best book EVER!!! It's true! THE CHURCH IS TRUE!! I'll admit, I've had my doubts but everytime, with-out fail, I've been reminded of the truth. I want everyone to have the truth. It's like the best thing I've ever tasted and I NEED more people to eat it and confirm that I'm not dreaming. I want everyone to have what I have known my whole life! I want them to have the awesome spiritual punch in the face that I get to have everyday.
I'm quite possibly the most blessed person on the planet. My family loves and supports every crazy scheme I come up with. My nutty friends love me unconditionally. Which I honestly don't understand because I'm most likely the worst friend EVER. I don't deserve all...well ANY...of the blessings I'm given. I've done no good....yet. But I must be going to do some seriously awesome stuff because I've been given EVERYTHING in my life. I was born of goodly parents. Insane as they may be, I know they love me like mad. They have made me into a pretty awesome person. They've taught me sooo much and I love our savior Jesus Christ because they showed me HOW.
The Atonement is basically the hardest thing for me to describe. How am I supposed to put into words how it makes me feel? It's really just impossible. Heavenly Father, My God, sent his only begotten son; his chosen one came to this earth to DIE! Jesus' life was completely dedicated to his plan on salvation. And I'm supposed to be Christ-like? Are you KIDDING me? that guy was/is AMAZING! For real, he was perfect. Christ gave his life for all mankind and I struggled to decide whether or not I could dedicate 18 months to him. But I'm doing it. I"m going and I'm going to tell the world! I'm going to tell them all about our brother Jesus and the awesome things he did. Well maybe not the world, but at least the people of Brazil will hear it! And they'll get the truth with a smile. I refuse to be unhappy while I'm working to bring to pass the immortality and Eternal Life of man, I will smile. You can't be unhappy when you're talking to people about something as awesome and wonderful s the gospel.
Shout it from the rooftops people! THE CHURCH IS TRUE! I am not sure what made me decide to write this all down but here it is. A mixture of feelings, beliefs, testimony and thoughts. If you're dumb enough to be my friend or unlucky enough to be related to me and felt obligated to read suck impossibly cool things as this, I'm glad. And I love you. And that's a fact.
P.S. sorry it's sooooo long
Thursday, December 9, 2010
MY FIRST POST!!!
Alright!!! So, this is my blog. I think we are in need of a little explaining. April 2010, I started wondering where my life was headed. I began to question what I was going to do with my future, I'm pretty sure I am gonna be an astronaut, cowgirl, doctor and the first woman president. BUT those things are probably not gonna happen anytime soon soooo....in the MEAN time, what should I do? The idea of a mission came and went...and came back again. But me, silly, silly me ignored the promptings. Time and time again I brushed the thoughts aside thinking "oh, only weird girls go on missions. I don't want to be a sister missionary!"
Well time went by, online classes were taken. And I figured School was where I was headed.....but it just didn't feel right. Boo, why must I BE so dramatic? So I humbled myself and asked for some help. I prayed, and then prayed some more. BYU-Idaho was NOT where I was supposed to be, well great WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO BE?!?! A mission? dangit. Okay, okay. So I prayed some more....then I prayed a little more because this is 18 months we're talking about. "DUH Meredith! Get going!! You're LATE!" FINE! So about the 16th of September my papers were completed and in Salt Lake City.
One glorious afternoon while driving a potato truck for Baker Farms (not driving well, just driving) I got a call from my father "your call is here! And I'm opening it". I-90 has never SEEN speeds like mine that day. Let's be honest that poor envelope never had a chance, it was toast the moment they printed my name on the outside. I tore it to shreds and read the following: Dear Sister Ottley: You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Salvador Mission.
So there it is! I'm headed to Brazil. I leave my beloved United States on January 25, 2011 and land in Sau Paulo, Brazil and report to the MTC in Brazil on the 26th. I know this is the right thing for me. I cannot wait!!! There is NOTHING I'd rather be doing with my life. It may sound like I didn't want to go but I've never made a better choice, ever.
I love you all and hope you will write me lots and lots. :)
Well time went by, online classes were taken. And I figured School was where I was headed.....but it just didn't feel right. Boo, why must I BE so dramatic? So I humbled myself and asked for some help. I prayed, and then prayed some more. BYU-Idaho was NOT where I was supposed to be, well great WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO BE?!?! A mission? dangit. Okay, okay. So I prayed some more....then I prayed a little more because this is 18 months we're talking about. "DUH Meredith! Get going!! You're LATE!" FINE! So about the 16th of September my papers were completed and in Salt Lake City.
One glorious afternoon while driving a potato truck for Baker Farms (not driving well, just driving) I got a call from my father "your call is here! And I'm opening it". I-90 has never SEEN speeds like mine that day. Let's be honest that poor envelope never had a chance, it was toast the moment they printed my name on the outside. I tore it to shreds and read the following: Dear Sister Ottley: You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Brazil Salvador Mission.
So there it is! I'm headed to Brazil. I leave my beloved United States on January 25, 2011 and land in Sau Paulo, Brazil and report to the MTC in Brazil on the 26th. I know this is the right thing for me. I cannot wait!!! There is NOTHING I'd rather be doing with my life. It may sound like I didn't want to go but I've never made a better choice, ever.
I love you all and hope you will write me lots and lots. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)