I love the gospel of Jesus Christ :)

oh hey there, family :)FIRST OF ALL, to anyone who hasn't seen this already....... mormon.org/BecauseofHim

it is legit and you don't even have to be mormon to like it. i believe in Jesus Christ. i love Him and i try my best to serve Him <3 please, watch the video. it will make your heart sing redeeming love :) :) :) so anyways. the world is great. :) other good things include this mormon message http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3446112587001 and this "i'm a mormon" video (hint: #neontrees) :) :) :) http://www.mormon.org/elainei like those things :) i also have forgotten what it's like to not hear a wisconsin accent. i love the people here. i love the way they speak :) i also love frozen custard. wisconsin is the most beautiful place on earth. if i could take accurate pictures...... i would show you. just picture your heart expanding soooooo wide and big and you can't breathe and you sorta wanna cry because God is just so GOOD. that's how i feel...... a great majority of the time :) :) :) :) :)

tuesday we chased down the UPS man to get a package for sis roylance and we ate kopps <3 frozen custard is legit SO GOOD i can't even explain it. wisconsin is gorgeous and custard is unspeakably good. let that be what you take away from this email hahaha. oh hey. it's snowing outside. :) #happyapril i was about to tell you that most of the snow is melted! buutttt apparently i spoke too soon ;) #wisconsin

wednesday we had LUNCH OUTSIDE IN THE SUN and it was glorious :) :) #finnagetasuntan #belowtheknee ;) also, j m informed me that he would like to set me up with his nephew. #soitbegins #meetthems ;) actually though, it's a super nice compliment........ he told me i remind him of his sister. and "you're the salt of the earth, kid." and that was super nice. if slightly awkward. ;) also on wednesday we taught people the gospel of Jesus Christ. have i mentioned that that is my favorite thing to do........... ever??????? because, it is. FAMILY. this gospel is just so TRUE. i know it, i know it, i know it. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR OUR HAPPINESS. It is centered on Christ’s Atonement and fulfilled by living the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. i know this to be true. i know it, i know it, i know it! it is the best :) :) :) there is a REASON for everything. all of God's commandments have a purpose -- our eternal happiness. shaping us. changing us. molding us to become more like Him -- more happy and loving!!! more ready for our mansions!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) i love Him. i really really do. i try to love Him more every day. He makes it so easy :) :) :) :) :)so. i just love that part of my days :) finna NEVER stop doing THAT...... ;)in the words of Jesus Christ....... "I am the way, the truth, and the life." family, this is true. :) i know it to be true. it makes so happy :) like, cheesy-happy. like, humming "come listen to a prophet's voice" to myself while i'm washing the dishes in my missionary apartment at night happy. :) :) :)"And in the way of truth rejoice/ And sing for joy aloud." :)enough of that. (well, not really, never enough....) but i'll tell you more of that later. like in a dozen-ish days. ;)

in other news......... FAMILY HISTORY. is quickly taking over my life hahaha sis roylance & i went to the oconomowoc geneology meeting on thursday morning and we literally haven't stopped talking about it since. the Lord is hastening His work, y'all!!! it is the best. i have so much to show you & talk with you about when i see you :) :) :) who would've ever guessed i'd be so in love with it?????? God, probably.... He's good like that ;) it's so much more than names and reasearch and dead ends!!! it's pictures and stories and computers and fun :) :) :) it's facebook for dead people! :)

here are some truths that i know: - God wants us to be connected to each other. - all of God's commandments have a purpose.... including family history :) the work is sanctifying!- families are the ultimate source of eternal happiness- i love this gospel :)finna get some people to church with this goodness :) :) :) epic promise: “Very simply, the Spirit of Elijah is the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of Elijah will influence anyone who is involved in this work. That, for a young person in the wickedness in the world in which we live today, is one of the greatest safeguards against the temptations of the adversary. The Spirit of Elijah will not only bless you, it will protect you.”—David A. Bednar"

other things i'd like to say: i may be "coming home" but i'm never going back to the person i used to be :) i don't have to! also, update on my feelings: i feel good. i feel like coming home healthy & happier & better than i left is a good thing. I feel like this is what God wants for me now. I feel like change is good. progression is good. it's a miracle hahaha y'all must be praying for me ;)thursday we went to the B's & i love them. We showed Sister B some stuff with family history (more on that later.......) and had a great lesson with d & a g. brother b is the best, y'all. and sister b. and conference talks :) gems: "You are more than human. You are a child of God.""Family is the pattern of heaven." truth truth truth out of the earth, my friends :)

anyways. i know that the message of the restoration is true and i know that this is the message that the world needs to hear. it has changed my life and it has given me my family, the most important thing in the world to me. i know that it is true. and that is everything to me :) :) :) i wish i could explain it better over email hahah. example of how family history is becoming our favorite problem: "i hope i dream about family history........" ~sis roylance

then we went back to the bs on friiiiiiday and followed up with family history........ and had a miracle. first of all, she had found 157 names to take to the temple on her direct line alone. <3 then we were clicking around and saw "reverend john rogers" ... sister b: "oh, we should do his work! he knows the truth by now!" ;) click on him. see, "burned at the stake" by his death date. ummmmmmmmm? click further. discover that he is one of the FIRST PROTESTANT MARTYRS under queen mary I. um??? legit. it was soooooo cool. we googled & found a story about him and sister b is reading it and C R Y I N G and then I'M crying AND l a u g h i n g because what even is happening????? it was an explosion of emotions. all at once. it was the greatest, greatest moment friends :) :) :) :) :) i'll show it to you later. also she typed up what happened & gave it to us hahah :) :) :) <3 also, sis b had the lower lights playing at her house :) "i like the Christian life..." :) i do, i really do :)

quote from my studies: "when we yield our hearts to the Lord, the attractions of the world simply lose their luster." this is true, my friends! i pretty much don't care about anything if it's not related to the work of salvation hahaha. not that my heart is completely yielded. but i don't want to take any of it back. i want to give it all to the Lord. i straight up don't care about so many of the things i used to care so much about hahaha. please bless this never changes :) :) :)

thursday during the lesson, brother b gestured to us while he was saying "these are women of God" and i thought, "dang. i want to be 'of God!'" :) so that's my goal :) help me out with it? :)

saturday we went to noodles & co with c. that place is delicious & i love it. good job wisconsin :) 

sometimes, we talk to strangers & stop people on the street and talk to them about Jesus Christ and it's fun. this church is true, y'all :)this is good too https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/to-this-end-was-i-born?lang=eng :) 

okay this is getting random & out of control & not very eloquent. my bad. oh well. :)

we also helped the w with family history. finna set this ward on fiiiiiire. love this ward so much :) :) :) also brother w gave me a bro-ish side hug. because we're friends & he's like 60. :) :) :)

SUNDAY. (yes, you made it to sunday.) :) B CAME TO CHURCH. even though she was sick. hooray!! :) :) :) 

we had washington rain & when i stepped outisde i felt like i was home <3

best quote from gospel principles teacher sister g: "& dontchyou know that when we do good things, that God claps for us." <3 i wish you could hear the sincerity in her voice and feel the power of her testimony. it is amazing and i love her :) i just love this gospel so so much and i know that it is true. my testimony has been so strengthened this week and over the past 75 weeks. or so. ;)  sister m gave me lemon drops 'cause she knows they're my favorite <3

i have a happy life :) 

sunday night: "can i just say that jacob talking to sherem = story of my LIFE???" ~ sis roylance. hahahaha. sometimes we get frustrated. things are hard. but we are happy :) the gospel is true, y'all! and that makes this life worth living. that makes every day worth every effort. that makes this message worth sharing :) :) :) :) :) i. love. the gospel of Jesus Christ. i really really do :) i'm a happy happy girl. i love this place. i love you all. i'll see you very soon :) :) :)

xoxoxoxoxoxo

have a safe & happy easter week. remember to share the message, however you can, however the spirit prompts you to :) I testify that God loves each of us. He knows us, individually & by name. He hears & answers our prayers. On our own, we are nothing. But with Him, we have everything :) :) :) :) :) His grace is sufficient. and i love Him more each day :) :)               xoxoxo                love you family :)                   happy happy sister cece :)

 

UPDATE: straight up BLIZZARD outside hahahahaha :) :) :) #leftmycoatathome #thoughtiwasdonewiththis........ #april :)