Welcome One and All!

                      

Well to get things started, I thought I would introduce myself a bit:
First, here's a (not-so-great) picture of me! So far, I have been serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for about four months now at the Arizona Mesa Temple Visitors' Center and in the Mesa Mountain View Stake.

My trainer was Sister Becca Younce, she has since finished her mission and returned home to North Carolina, I love and miss her -- she was a wonderful missionary! She taught me the importance of being bold, to never hold back what you know to be right.
During our time as companions, Sister Younce and I were able to help Shelby prepare for baptism! He has been baptized for almost a month now, has already been blessing and passing the sacrament, and in fact, he is speaking at stake conference this evening! I have never met anyone more sincere in their testimony nor anyone who has as much faith as this man does. His faith in the Savior is immeasurable oh how I have grown to love him.

My current companion is Sister Medalit Rios, from Lima, Peru! She is so knowledgeable! I have only been companions with her for a little over a week but we get a long great and I am positive that we are going to see some miracles as the holidays role into Mesa! (we also like to laugh A LOT)

 I ADORE being a missionary -- in no way has it been easy, but I wouldn't trade a single second of it. After all, "The greatest and most important duty is to spread the gospel." And boy, do you learn a lot on a mission! I have learned that as Latter-day Saints we have quite the responsibility. President Monson once reminded and council-ed:

"'Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light' (1 Pet.2:9) This is the destiny of every Latter-day Saint if he or she will live for the fulfillment of that destiny."

We must make living up to our divine destiny our purpose! Our Heavenly Father has not sent us here to earth to simply be, He sent us here to become what we were always created to be -- His glorious sons and daughters, capable of His majesty.
In the same address, President Monson gives us a formula to become such:

"First, fill your mind with truth; second, fill your life with service; and third, fill your heart with love."

All three of these are made possible through the Savior, Jesus Christ. May we always remember Him, and apply His loving, intimate Atonement in our daily lives -- that is the way to true joy.

~ Sister Kohler ~