Fireflies and Missouri Summer Nights

Hello Friends and Family,

This week was amazing. And there are fireflies literally everywhere! I always am freaking out. I go dancing around the streets catching all of them I can! I don't think its something I am going to get used to because it is just so majestic. I am obsessed with them. My goal for this week is to catch them in a jar....just like the movies! Good goal eh? Well Sister Errington is probably sick of me freaking out about fireflies, but I can't help it. Its like a dream come true every night! Sister Sims is in Illinois now and she says that there are fields FULL of them. That's my dream now. I will serve in Illinois with the fields full of fireflies! I will.

I cannot believe that it is already July 4th almost. I am sooooo confused when I look back and think I have been out for 4 months. It feels like I just got in the field yesterday. I love these people so much, but I still feel so inadequate to be teaching people who are twice my age and have 10,000 times the experience I have with life. But that's what gets me so much about this church and the gospel. "Whom the Lord Calls He Qualifies" It does not matter your age or your background. It doesn't matter if you have more life experience than someone. The Lord still trusts you in whatever calling he calls you to. He will allow you to fulfill your calling as long as you trust in him, and lean not to your own understanding. I love Christ's church and His gospel.

Something I also have learned lately, and come to love about the church even more is the idea that "we do not own our calling". We are all comforted by the fact that "You are called of God,” The Lord knows you. He knows whom He would have serve in every position in His Church. He chose you.” {President Henry B. Eyring}. But we are constantly humbled when we serve with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. We learn new things, we grow, and we become more and more who God wants us to become. And when the time has come that God sees it fit to release you from your calling, he moves you somewhere else, whether it be a nursery teacher, to a stake leader. It does not matter where we serve, it only matters how we serve, and how much we allow it to change us and humble us. I love the organization that only exists is Christ's true church.

“Your power will be multiplied many times by the Lord. All He asks is that you give your best effort and your whole heart. Do it cheerfully and with the prayer of faith. The Father and His Beloved Son will send the Holy Ghost as your companion to guide you. Your efforts will be magnified in the lives of the people you serve.” {President Henry B. Eyring}

Well this past week has been incredible the Lord blessed us in so many ways, and to be honest we didn't even realize it until we sat down last night and looked at our numbers. I felt pretty bad about that. That I wasn't grateful until I saw in front of my face the blessings on paper. As ashamed as I am to admit it, it happened and it happens. Something that is a huge goal for me this week is to recognize the blessings throughout my days, not at the end of the week when I am looking at numbers. I going to try to be grateful for the days, and the opportunities I am given as a servant of the Lord. Not just be grateful because I see proof of the blessings. Its something that I realized this past week! And I think the Lord had a hand in that one. He is tricky...

Well I want to extend an invitation to you all this week. I really have noticed that when the members of a ward are more unified, when they all know each other, and love one another, it is so much easier for someone to feel welcomed when they come to visit. If we build those relationships within our ward family, the spirit of love and charity will abide with us when we meet each Sunday, or each activity! And that's what God NEEDS us to do. Some of these people need to feel like they have a place they belong, and we are required to build that place for them and for Him. So I invite you all to introduce yourself to someone you do not know or maybe you don't know that much in your ward this week! And continue to do it each Sunday for the rest of your life (haha). I promise you that it will make you a happier person as you reach out to others to just say hi, and it will bless the lives of the people you reach out to. It will allow the wards you are in to grow to become THAT church building that charity is felt in. It will become a building where Christ can dwell, and others can call home.

I love you all. I hope your weeks are amazing. Always remember who you are, and what you can become!

You are in my prayers always.

So much love I can't even contain it,

Sister Izzy Haderlie