I have grown a foot or two!

Ready or Not here I come Arizona! . . . or is it Bear Lake. . . or Hawaii??

Sunday June 14th was my farewell. I had a great amount of support from family and friends who came to hear me speak. Namely my brother Ben and his whole family and one of my bestest pals Ari who I believe tied for traveling the farthest!! I just want to thank everyone who came and say that it really meant a lot! Seriously, I felt so much love and it gave me courage thinking that I have so many people cheering me on!


It was a scary road making it to Sunday, though! Oh my I'm a bit out of practice of giving talks :) BUT how else could I possibly have my faith tested right? Or I should say strengthened! And boy o boy was it!!

I started preparing Wednesday night for my talk, I wanted to be finished completely by Saturday since that's when Ari was driving in and sleeping over at my house. Friday night comes. . . I feel no closer to being done than on Wednesday. I'm feeling discouraged and having all sorts of thoughts like "You can't do this", "You are so inadequate" etc. I seriously felt so low, but then a thought popped into my head, "Fear and Faith CANNOT co-exist!" BINGO!!! I found my problem! I was relying too much on my own abilities (which are minuscule when it comes to talk writing -and giving) and not putting faith in the Lord that he will help me! All I was focusing on were my inabilities and weaknesses. I needed to change my thoughts into positive "I can" thoughts and trust the Lord with all my heart!!

So I went to bed, it was way past the time to be awake and working on a talk, and I decided I'd work more on it in the morning since Ari wasn't coming until the late afternoon hours. I woke up and immediately began praying that I could just have the spirit help me teach and teach the audience. I needed the spirit and guidance to what needed to be said. I was studying as much information as I could and having as many resources as I could, but then I was asking the Lord to help me know what to share. And I no longer let myself have doubt, I changed to faith!!!

And that's how my talk went! I can tell you it was not me who taught, it was the spirit. And those in the audience who brought the spirit with them hopefully were taught and touched! I definitely felt the spirit there and had my testimony of the spirit and faith strengthened!! I also had my faith strengthened with the weather for the luncheon after the meeting block. *We had just enough good weather to hold it*

The church is true!! I know it is!! I love it so much!! But I learned from this last Sunday that it will be the spirit that converts those I meet in Arizona. Not me! I will just be the tool the spirit uses to bring them into the truth!! And I really pray I can always be close to the spirit and be used for good by him!!