I Love Zone Conference

This week was pretty busy. We went to Rocket Fizz on Monday. It was awesome! It has a large candy and soda selection, with some joke stuff too. The soda flavors are crazy! They have chocolate, peanut butter, and all kinds of different flavors, even gross flavors. It's like Harry Potter's Many Flavor Beans (which they have), but soda!!!  And they had- wait for it....... Jelly Beans!
I'm definitely going back there to visit after my mission.

It's good to be back in a YSA Ward where we have Family Home Evening together. We played board games and had a big laugh. It was fun.

Well, enough about that- let's get spiritual. 

A few of the missionaries from our Zone.

Tuesday was Zone Conference. We talked about many different things. One thing that stood out to me was when we talked about trials. We still have trials because we're still human, even if we are the Lord's servants. I received a call later that night that my great Uncle Steve had passed away. I was surprised at first, and then I was sad. The next day, I was able to cope with working and teaching, but I still felt sad because I knew the family was sad, and I was trying to focus on the Plan of Happiness. But on Wednesday night, I cried again and I prayed for comfort. Then I received an impression to ask for a priesthood blessing. I thought: "Maybe sometime." But then the next day we had District Meeting. I sat in the room realizing there were four Elder Missionaries in the room. I again received the impression that I should ask for a priesthood blessing, and so I did. I became emotional when I asked for a blessing (I hate crying in front of people, yet I'm so good at it.) and the Elders kindly said "yes, of course." Elder Freeman gave me a priesthood blessing and I felt better. Yes, I'm still sad, but a heavy burden was lifted, and I knew everything was going to be okay. I felt so safe and so at peace. Elder Freeman told me that he had lost two of his grandmothers on his mission. He said he understood what I was feeling. I am so thankful we have the priesthood, and that I can receive these blessings from it. We talked about it and that it was okay to be sad. It's normal. When Lazarus died, Jesus wept. And I remembered the Plan of Salvation. I know that Uncle Steve is with Aunt Bev. I know they are celebrating being together again. 

The Natural Man -

Sister Mella talked about Jesus Christ and how He was always putting off "the natural man." He showed interest in everyone He met. At the well, He was tired and thirsty, but when the Samaritan woman came He took interest in her and taught her. He was always looking for teaching opportunities. And when He was on His way to help Jairus's daughter, He stopped when the woman who was sick for twelve years had touched his clothes. He still showed interest in her. And when He told everyone that Jairus's daughter wasn't dead, but asleep, the people laughed at him. The natural man would've said: "Oh yeah?! You just wait. Watch what I can do!" Instead, He went in and healed her, and then told the family not to tell anyone, and snuck out the back. That's how humble he was. One day, when He was tired and resting, people wanted Him to bless their children. His apostles tried to stop them, but we all know how much Jesus loves children, so He put off the natural man and served others.

Jesus Christ can Cleanse our Sins -

At Institute, the teacher was teaching about repentance. He talked about how our sins are seen by no one, except the Savior. But it is the Savior who can cleanse our sins if we let Him. He suddenly said it was hot in the room and took his jacket off. His white dress shirt was covered in black ink spots. They were all over his back, and from his front pocket it looked like his pen had leaked and caused the spots. At first that's what I thought it was. But then he realized we were all snickering at his shirt. (It looked like a cow.) and then he said. "Imagine if everyone could see your sins. Imagine if your sins were as obvious as the ink stains on my shirt. We'd be pretty embarrassed. I'd be embarrassed if my pen really had leaked and ruined my shirt. But the Savior can take away these stains. He can wash our sins away. He's the soap that can cleanse our sins.

I had sooooooo much to write about today, but I hope you enjoy my spiritualness. I love you all!

-Sister Brown