I JUST GOT DONE EATING BREAKFAST WITH BRAD AND KATHY!!!! SO MUCH FUN. I LOVE THEM BOTH SO MUCH!!!!!! hahah we ended up going to cracker barrel because there is nothing in this town. Brad was of course, trying to use the southern terms (like dad would of done) and kept saying, "yes sir" and he attempted to say "y'all" hahhahah too good. He ordered grits while the rest of us ordered some classic french toast and the waitress said, "Them grits are some good eatin". #lovemylife :) I'm so grateful for such amazing people in my life. I'm so grateful for the south. God is so good!!!!!!
So this morning, as I was brushing my teeth and reflecting on what I wanted to email to y'all today about this past week. I was thinking a lot about happiness and how God really just wants us all to be truly happy. I was also pondering about the people here in the South. They all go to church and they are all trying to do the right thing, but so many are not as happy as they COULD be. I think we often think if nothing goes right in life, we have the rightful claim to be unhappy, but we NEED to remember the little things in life that makes our heart leap for joy!
The events that stuck out to me the most from this past week was just the little things that happened. There were just so many little tender mercies from the Lord. I feel like so many times as people, we focus on the huge events that happen in life and don't take the time to appreciate the cute/funny/spiritual things that happen. I am guilty of it as well. So I will list just some that I can think of, but I KNOW that there are SO many more!!!! And yes, this email will be all over the place.
>While reading scriptures with Brother Mack, his daughter Nicole starts singing in her room REALLY loudly about how Christmas is coming up soon. I could NOT stop smiling. Oh my goodness. IT was the cutest thing ever. Brother Mack just shook his head and said, "yup. that's my baby. I would do anything for her!" I then asked Brother Mack if we could go knock on her bedroom door and give her a huge hug. We did. Seeing her just confirms to me more and more every time that I want to work with kids with special needs. I love her so much!
>When we went over to Brother Gause's home for dinner last night, his daughter said, "turn the channel to number 334." So he turned the channel and guess what it was? The BYU TV station. How precious is that? It was the cutest thing ever that they were so mindful of us. #southernhospitality
>Yesterday, it was raining ALL day long, but Sister Moore and I decided to build our character and tract anyway. We found 3 new solid investigators!!!! People who have been searching for truth in their lives and one of the guys in particular is searching to know if God really does exist. We were able to share a scripture with him and it was powerful. So grateful.
>At church yesterday, we sat near Brother Mack and as we sang, "count your many blessings" I looked over at him and he had the BIGGEST smile on his face and was singing every word.
>One day, it was FREEZING outside, but we decided to be crazy and just bike to build even more character. Oh my goodness. It was the funnest bike ride of my life!!!!! We were laughing so hard the whole time! I kept praying and asked Heavenly Father if He would send us to someone who had hot chocolate. WELL. HE DID. We went over to follow up with a member on a referral activity we did with her and she had prepared hot chocolate and cookies that were there as soon as we walked in the door. We didn't even ask her for it!!! God answers the most simplest prayers. It's the neatest thing!
>Last night, it was raining really hard and we still had one more hour left of the night. We drove over to the walmart parking lot and literally ran from person to person and held up an umbrella for them, asking them if they needed help to their car and then invited them to learn more. IT WAS A SUCCESS. We had so much fun doing it and we were drenched from the rain. When it rains here, Alabama really doesn't mess around. IT POURS. One man said to us, "can I say a prayer for y'all? I want to ask God to keep y'all this positive and happy for the rest of y'alls lives. Thank you gals." THIS PLACE IS THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD.
>While on exchanges in Taladega, we went store contacting and started talking to a lady at target in the cookie aisle. We asked her if she knew anyone in the area who needed a prayer. Immediately, she dropped everything that she was holding and held out her hands and said, "I could sure use one!" and then closed her eyes. We then said a prayer with her just in the cookie aisle at target. WHAT. That would of NEVER happened out west.
>I saw a church sign that said, "You be fishers of men. You catch them. He'll clean them" I LOVE THAT.
>We met a hilarious lady who told us ALL about her medical problems and how she was given three shots in one day. As she was explaining this whole situation, she said, "yeah. The doctors just gave me a wam bam thank you ma'am." hahhahah I asked her to repeat what she said so I could write it down. I LOVE ALL THE PHRASES PEOPLE USE HERE.
>We tracted into a couple who let us in right away and then sat us down on their couch. The husband started to throw a bunch of anti things at us and we were able to just smile and keep our composure the whole time. We were able to leave their home in peace without any feelings hurt. By the end of our conversation with them, the husband said to us, "well. I guess y'all aren't too bad after all. Y'all will definitely make it to the kingdom before us." haha people are so funny. Heavenly Father definitely helped us leave a good impression on them :)
>We taught this cute hispanic lady named Gloria. When I asked her what Jesus Christ meant to her, she got all teary eyed and said in her broken english, "Jesus is my everything."
>My new favorite saying that I saw on the wall of someones home: "Life is fragile. Handle with prayer."
>I got amazing/hilarious letters this week from my mom, mere, and gary. It made my day!!!!!!! It just made me realize how STRONG my family is in the gospel and I am so grateful for that. We are so blessed to have everyone in our family still active. Thanks mom and dad for raising us up and working so hard to support each one of us :)
>We helped an older lady take in her groceries. She was a classic southern lady who is CRAZY about Jesus. She has a Jesus carpet of the last supper and has Jesus pictures ALL OVER her house. As we were talking with her, she said, "The Lord blessed me with the opportunity to share my testimony with 3 people in Walmart today!!!" She then started to tell us all of her experiences with God and how she has been able to help others. WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE SHE IS.
>A less active girl in our ward just got married this past week. She asked us if we would help decorate the place where she was getting married. It took us an hour and a half to decorate. Guess how long the wedding was?!?!? 9 MINUTES LONG. The shortest wedding of my life. It was adorable though. It was so classic as well. hahha the wedding took place right in the middle of the Alabama football game so people were checking the scores and listening to the game on their car radios as soon as the wedding ended. People are just so hilarious here. I love them so much!!!!
>We prayed and asked Heavenly Father where He needed us to be one night. I thought of a gas station. Sister Moore thought of the railroad tracks. SO, we went to a gas station near some railroad tracks. The only person in the gas station was the worker and he was muslim. He talked to us for quite some time about religion and he expressed to us how sad it is for him to see how americans view his religion that he holds so close to him. I was able to tell him all about how I went to Turkey and how I fell in love with the muslim religious practices. He was so grateful for us just stopping by and we told him that God wanted us to come by. We asked him if there was some random candy that he had in the gas station (which they didn't) and then asked him what his favorite candy was. We were able to buy it for him without him even realizing what we were doing. It was such a simple act that we were able to do for him and it made me realize how easy it is for us to just make someones day.
>We had very spiritual lessons with our investigator Michelle this past week. We had her think of a question in her mind and then read Alma 26 with her. The spirit definitely confirmed to me as she was reading that her question was totally getting answered and she didn't even tell me what her question was about. At the end of the lesson, Michelle offered the prayer and said, "Dear Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you for this book I am reading. It helped answer questions that all of my pastors haven't been able to answer. I want to thank you for these... (she paused for a moment)... I mean, MY sisters here. Thank you for speaking to me through them. In Jesus name. Amen." She is SO solid!!!!!!!!!! She wasn't able to come to church yesterday, but she said she would next week!!!!!
>We had a lesson with Diamond and Marquarious in the car last week because it was freezing outside and their brother had friends over in their home. We taught them about the gospel of Jesus Christ and then showed them some EFY music. They loved it and we were all just sitting in the car singing to some really cheesy efy songs. (shoutout to braydon. Totally think of you every time we listen to it... "I... love EFY.") SAD SIDENOTE: They haven't been answering their door or returning our calls :( don't know what's up with them. But, I DO know that God was able to change them in the small time we were able to teach them. They are now closer to God than ever before!
>I forgot to mention last week about how Sister Gustafson gave me a call on November 7th and just talked with me. We laughed about all the good ole' times we had in Clanton. miss that place. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR HER. I HAVE SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. SO MANY LIFELONG FRIENDS HERE ON MY MISSION. GOD KNOWS WHO WE EACH NEED.
I love my life. I really can't even explain it through email how much I love this mission. I go to bed every night with a huge smile on my face. The people here amaze me. They are all so nice. I am still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I am a missionary. gah. Heavenly Father knew exactly where I needed to be. I feel immediate chills whenever I think of the state of Alabama. The people. The food. The culture. All of it is so beautiful to me!
May we each strive to focus on the little things in life that make all the difference. I am reminded of the scripture in 1 Nephi 16:29 which says, "And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things." IT IS SO TRUE.
Do the little/mundane things as well that are often overlooked!
Go read The Book of Mormon. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
Read an ensign article.
Go on a run.
Buy the cashier a candy bar.
Help someone with their groceries.
Tell someone that they look beautiful.
Go volunteer at a food pantry.
Say a prayer with someone in need.
Give someone cookies. Just because.
Rake some leaves. AND DON'T FORGET to jump in the pile of leaves.
Say a kneeling prayer and leave all distractions behind you for a couple of minutes.
There are soooooooooo many things in life to be happy about. I think that is one of the biggest things I have learned on my mission. HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE. Appreciate the little things and appreciate them with a smile on your face. This life is way too short to live unhappy. God is by our side and with us. He will NEVER leave us alone. NEVER. I know that God lives and wants us all to be happy. I know He wants us to be happy because He sent His only Begotten Son. I know He wants us to be happy because He has given us the Holy Ghost. I know He wants us to be happy because it makes Him happy.
Love y'all and have a happy week ahead!
Look for the little details within the day that make you smile!!!
MYKY,
Sister Platt
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