Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Monday, July 27, 2015
Week 78
7/27/15
Hello Everyone,
First off, next week I may or may not send any emails out...probably
not...haha and this week they will be pretty short for the emails!
I've been thinking a lot about charity this week.
In the scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants it tells us that light
cleaveth to light, intelligence to intelligence, but charity seeks
not her own. There are many things that we gain from Christ, and
whenever we gain more light or more knowledge or more intelligence, we
seek after people who have the same amount of light. Our spirits can
sense it. Oftentimes we can see that in our own lives. No matter where
we are in the world, we always seem to find friends or people that
have the same standards as us. Whenever I've attended schools I've
always seemed to find people who are seeking to be good people and it
is reflected in their lifestyle. Hence, light cleaveth to light.
However, as previously stated, charity seeks not her own. It's
really easy to be kind to those who are kind to you. It's easy to
serve those who serve you in return, to love those who love you in
return, but that is not true charity. Charity seeks after the people
who are unkind to them, the people who ridicule them, the people who
do not love them. Charity loves them anyway, charity will serve them
anyway, charity will seek them out because charity is not a normal
sort of love, it is a Christ like love.
This love does not come naturally to us and needs to be something that
we are continually striving for because as the scriptures tell us, "if
he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have
charity" (Moroni 7). This gift is something to be sought after. In
Christi life his every thought, action, and desire was influenced by
charity.
On my mission I have sought after this gift more avidly than I have in
my whole life. And I have truly seen the fruits come into my
missionary work and Into the way I view people. Charity is a glorious
thing.
Sister Kaliana Quinton
Hello Everyone,
First off, next week I may or may not send any emails out...probably
not...haha and this week they will be pretty short for the emails!
I've been thinking a lot about charity this week.
In the scriptures in the Doctrine and Covenants it tells us that light
cleaveth to light, intelligence to intelligence, but charity seeks
not her own. There are many things that we gain from Christ, and
whenever we gain more light or more knowledge or more intelligence, we
seek after people who have the same amount of light. Our spirits can
sense it. Oftentimes we can see that in our own lives. No matter where
we are in the world, we always seem to find friends or people that
have the same standards as us. Whenever I've attended schools I've
always seemed to find people who are seeking to be good people and it
is reflected in their lifestyle. Hence, light cleaveth to light.
However, as previously stated, charity seeks not her own. It's
really easy to be kind to those who are kind to you. It's easy to
serve those who serve you in return, to love those who love you in
return, but that is not true charity. Charity seeks after the people
who are unkind to them, the people who ridicule them, the people who
do not love them. Charity loves them anyway, charity will serve them
anyway, charity will seek them out because charity is not a normal
sort of love, it is a Christ like love.
This love does not come naturally to us and needs to be something that
we are continually striving for because as the scriptures tell us, "if
he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have
charity" (Moroni 7). This gift is something to be sought after. In
Christi life his every thought, action, and desire was influenced by
charity.
On my mission I have sought after this gift more avidly than I have in
my whole life. And I have truly seen the fruits come into my
missionary work and Into the way I view people. Charity is a glorious
thing.
Sister Kaliana Quinton
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Week 77
Hey Everyone,
Today as I have again been thinking about my mission, something that
has come with such force into my mind is how much God loves us to have
established His true church on the earth today. So many people ask,
"wait, so you only believe in only one true church"!? To those people
my answer has always been a simple, "yes". However, that does not mean
that there aren't good churches surrounding us. One thing I've felt so
strongly as I've been out is that there have been many good churches
that have been established. They have retained portions of Gods
church, but many of the plain and precious truths have been lost.
I've met so many wonderful Catholics, Baptists, Athiests, Agnostics,
Muslims, Hindus and so many other faiths. And when it comes down to
it, each person is still trying to do good and trying to accomplish
something in their life. Even though these religious sects are
wonderful, good people, it saddens me to think that my fellow brothers
and sisters have not received the full truths that we as humans need.
As members of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we have
such a unique message that I don't think we realize. We have families
that can be together forever, through time and all eternity. We have
the authority from God to performing saving ordinances, we've been
blessed with a knowledge of how we will one day be able to live with
God and that physical death isn't the end. We know that God speaks to
man today and that we have a current prophet on the earth today. These
things sound so foreign to the world around us, but take just a minute
to think of how blessed we are to have these!
I've been able to spend 18 months dedicating every waking thought,
action and desire to God. I've been able to spend hours upon hours of
sharing these restored truths to everyone. They truly bless our lives
so much and yet we often take them for granted. The Church Of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints is truly Gods restored church. Joseph
Smith was far from perfect, but God chose him to restore His church.
It's not Joseph Smiths church. It's from God.
There's only one way that someone can come to know that for
themselves. Three simple steps and someone could have the wonders of
the gospel opened to their eyes. 1) read the Book of Mormon 2) pray
about the Book of Mormon 3) come to church. It really is as simple as
that. The answers don't always come at once, but God will always bless
us with that answer as we are actively seeking for these answers. As
missionaries we never try to force these things on people...that's not
our job. We help people to realize that family relationships are best
formed when founded upon the basic teachings of Christs church.
If someone is seeking for answers, and trying to find out if the
church is true, keep searching for it. God will answer your prayers.
Don't give up trying to find those answers. God has promised that when
we "ask, seek and knock" he will answer us. It often can take awhile
to receive an answer, but answers always come as we hold in to the
basic truths. And even if you already know that these things are true,
that doesn't mean we can't continually pray about the things we
already know. God will continue to fortify us as we are continually
yoking ourselves to him.
In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Today as I have again been thinking about my mission, something that
has come with such force into my mind is how much God loves us to have
established His true church on the earth today. So many people ask,
"wait, so you only believe in only one true church"!? To those people
my answer has always been a simple, "yes". However, that does not mean
that there aren't good churches surrounding us. One thing I've felt so
strongly as I've been out is that there have been many good churches
that have been established. They have retained portions of Gods
church, but many of the plain and precious truths have been lost.
I've met so many wonderful Catholics, Baptists, Athiests, Agnostics,
Muslims, Hindus and so many other faiths. And when it comes down to
it, each person is still trying to do good and trying to accomplish
something in their life. Even though these religious sects are
wonderful, good people, it saddens me to think that my fellow brothers
and sisters have not received the full truths that we as humans need.
As members of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we have
such a unique message that I don't think we realize. We have families
that can be together forever, through time and all eternity. We have
the authority from God to performing saving ordinances, we've been
blessed with a knowledge of how we will one day be able to live with
God and that physical death isn't the end. We know that God speaks to
man today and that we have a current prophet on the earth today. These
things sound so foreign to the world around us, but take just a minute
to think of how blessed we are to have these!
I've been able to spend 18 months dedicating every waking thought,
action and desire to God. I've been able to spend hours upon hours of
sharing these restored truths to everyone. They truly bless our lives
so much and yet we often take them for granted. The Church Of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints is truly Gods restored church. Joseph
Smith was far from perfect, but God chose him to restore His church.
It's not Joseph Smiths church. It's from God.
There's only one way that someone can come to know that for
themselves. Three simple steps and someone could have the wonders of
the gospel opened to their eyes. 1) read the Book of Mormon 2) pray
about the Book of Mormon 3) come to church. It really is as simple as
that. The answers don't always come at once, but God will always bless
us with that answer as we are actively seeking for these answers. As
missionaries we never try to force these things on people...that's not
our job. We help people to realize that family relationships are best
formed when founded upon the basic teachings of Christs church.
If someone is seeking for answers, and trying to find out if the
church is true, keep searching for it. God will answer your prayers.
Don't give up trying to find those answers. God has promised that when
we "ask, seek and knock" he will answer us. It often can take awhile
to receive an answer, but answers always come as we hold in to the
basic truths. And even if you already know that these things are true,
that doesn't mean we can't continually pray about the things we
already know. God will continue to fortify us as we are continually
yoking ourselves to him.
In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Week 76
This week as I was thinking about what to share this week I was
reflecting on the beginning of my mission. I had the opportunity to
switch companions for a few hours with the sister missionaries that
are serving in The a Rolling Valley Ward (my first area in the
mission). During that time I was able to visit all of the people who
had converted to the gospel during my time there. As I left rolling
valley I could really feel my mission coming to a close.
All of my converts from my first area have been baptized for over a
year. One just went through the temple for herself for the first time.
She is engaged to be married to a member of the true church in
October. Another convert is working through temple classes so that
they can go to the temple and be married for time and all eternity. My
third convert from that area will be attending the temple in about one
month so that she can make more promises with God. I was so happy to
have seen these wonderful, valiant souls. God has continued to bless
them and take care of them even though I was far away from them. I
have so much hope and love for them and I'm excited to see when
continue on their path of discipleship.
As I've been reflecting about my mission I've come to know that God
feels that I've served a valiant mission, I haven't been perfect, far
from it in fact, but I have always strived to stop thinking of myself
and focus on others. Because of this, I've felt the spirit so
strongly, always guiding me to choose the right and to become the best
version of me. I have changed. I am not the same person that left
home. I've learned a lot through the spirit, through trials and
through experiences I've had.
As I had been preparing myself to come on my mission I had been
terrified that I would change dramatically, that I would lose the
person I had become, but I've come to see that change really is not a
bad thing because when it is God that is changing me, I can become
something more than I ever thought I could be, and it's all good
things that have changed. I've gained so much trust in God and He
truly has helped me to make decisions, and has helped me to know what
it is about my life that I need to change.
I've spent nights and days pondering and praying about what it is that
God would have me change about my post mission life. God has evaluated
my life and helped me to see that I need to strive to have higher
standard for myself. I feel strongly that in particular I need to
raise my standard of what music I listen to and which movies I watch.
Our minds are like a stage, there's always something playing in our
minds and depending on what I fill my time with, will be what plays in
my mind. If I'm watching movies or listening to music that is not
conducive to the spirit, then my life will not be filled with the
spirit. But if I fill my life with good, wholesome things, my mind and
my actions, thoughts and words will all be filled with the spirit.
The other day I heard a story from one of my companions. They talked
about how they walked into someone's home and they immediately felt
the spirit so strongly. She asked this family why it was that the
spirit was so strong in their home. They said that as a couple, they
had made the decision to change what type of movies they watched and
the music they listened to and as such, their home had been more
spiritual. My companion said that when she had weed into their home,
it had felt like the temple. I want that in my future home, and as
such I need to start now. There have been many goals I've made and
standards I've tweaked a little, in order to be more in line with
God's will. I'm not going to be perfect, but I'm going to strive to
become better than I was before. I do not want to go back to the old
me. Now I just want to be a better version of me. :)
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
~Sister Kaliana Quinton
Late night Top Ramen Fest.
reflecting on the beginning of my mission. I had the opportunity to
switch companions for a few hours with the sister missionaries that
are serving in The a Rolling Valley Ward (my first area in the
mission). During that time I was able to visit all of the people who
had converted to the gospel during my time there. As I left rolling
valley I could really feel my mission coming to a close.
All of my converts from my first area have been baptized for over a
year. One just went through the temple for herself for the first time.
She is engaged to be married to a member of the true church in
October. Another convert is working through temple classes so that
they can go to the temple and be married for time and all eternity. My
third convert from that area will be attending the temple in about one
month so that she can make more promises with God. I was so happy to
have seen these wonderful, valiant souls. God has continued to bless
them and take care of them even though I was far away from them. I
have so much hope and love for them and I'm excited to see when
continue on their path of discipleship.
As I've been reflecting about my mission I've come to know that God
feels that I've served a valiant mission, I haven't been perfect, far
from it in fact, but I have always strived to stop thinking of myself
and focus on others. Because of this, I've felt the spirit so
strongly, always guiding me to choose the right and to become the best
version of me. I have changed. I am not the same person that left
home. I've learned a lot through the spirit, through trials and
through experiences I've had.
As I had been preparing myself to come on my mission I had been
terrified that I would change dramatically, that I would lose the
person I had become, but I've come to see that change really is not a
bad thing because when it is God that is changing me, I can become
something more than I ever thought I could be, and it's all good
things that have changed. I've gained so much trust in God and He
truly has helped me to make decisions, and has helped me to know what
it is about my life that I need to change.
I've spent nights and days pondering and praying about what it is that
God would have me change about my post mission life. God has evaluated
my life and helped me to see that I need to strive to have higher
standard for myself. I feel strongly that in particular I need to
raise my standard of what music I listen to and which movies I watch.
Our minds are like a stage, there's always something playing in our
minds and depending on what I fill my time with, will be what plays in
my mind. If I'm watching movies or listening to music that is not
conducive to the spirit, then my life will not be filled with the
spirit. But if I fill my life with good, wholesome things, my mind and
my actions, thoughts and words will all be filled with the spirit.
The other day I heard a story from one of my companions. They talked
about how they walked into someone's home and they immediately felt
the spirit so strongly. She asked this family why it was that the
spirit was so strong in their home. They said that as a couple, they
had made the decision to change what type of movies they watched and
the music they listened to and as such, their home had been more
spiritual. My companion said that when she had weed into their home,
it had felt like the temple. I want that in my future home, and as
such I need to start now. There have been many goals I've made and
standards I've tweaked a little, in order to be more in line with
God's will. I'm not going to be perfect, but I'm going to strive to
become better than I was before. I do not want to go back to the old
me. Now I just want to be a better version of me. :)
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
~Sister Kaliana Quinton
7-11 Free Slurpies
Deaunte's baptism
found a pitch fork took that funny folks photo
Monday, July 6, 2015
Week 75
These past few weeks I've been thinking a lot about Gods timing. More
often than not things don't happen when we want or in the way that we
think that we should. On my mission there's been so many times where
I've wondered why I'm sick, or why a person stopped meeting with us.
There's been three times on my mission where I've been pretty sick and
not able to go out and work for a couple of weeks. Every time I had
these thoughts cross my head, "I'm out serving God right now, I only
have a short time where my every single waking thought and action can
be for Him so why am I sick?" Every time I've realized that at in
these crucial 18 months I would not be sick unless God had planned it
to be.
Everything happened in God own timing in His own way. "To every thing
there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven"
(Ecclesiastes 3:1). Birth and death happen for a reason, trials and
miracles happen for a reason. God knows greater than I do and He knows
greater than you do. So just keep hanging in there.
I figure submitting to gods will is a lot like baking a cake, except
God has the recipe and we have no idea what we are baking, we just
know that it will be good. We patiently wait God to give us an
ingredient and tell us how much to out in the mixing bowl. Once we've
got the ingredients together we have to put it in the pan. And then we
have to wait and wait. Waiting is probably the hardest part. Sometimes
we want to take it out because it smells done and it looks done. And
finally when it is actually done we have to let it cool down.
God gives us blessings in ways we don't always think. As a big
blessing is coming (he cake itself) we often are gaining other
important blessings along the way. The gift of patience. The gift of
following instructions correctly. Each step of the process teaches us
different things, so as we are waiting for blessings in our life we
need to look for what other things God may be blessing us with as we
wait.
I have also come to know so strongly that I'm never truly alone even
in the times that it feels I'm patiently waiting for things to happen.
" I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall
be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you
up"(Doctrine and covenants 84:88). We have so much help when we are
amidst our struggles. We always have heavenly help.
On my mission I have literally felt angels with me, helping me and
protecting me from danger. I may not always feel them there, but I
know they're always there. Sometimes our angels are the people that
are closest to us. Look for the people who can be an angel to you, and
that you in return can be an angel to.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Pictures from our 4th of July fun!!
often than not things don't happen when we want or in the way that we
think that we should. On my mission there's been so many times where
I've wondered why I'm sick, or why a person stopped meeting with us.
There's been three times on my mission where I've been pretty sick and
not able to go out and work for a couple of weeks. Every time I had
these thoughts cross my head, "I'm out serving God right now, I only
have a short time where my every single waking thought and action can
be for Him so why am I sick?" Every time I've realized that at in
these crucial 18 months I would not be sick unless God had planned it
to be.
Everything happened in God own timing in His own way. "To every thing
there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven"
(Ecclesiastes 3:1). Birth and death happen for a reason, trials and
miracles happen for a reason. God knows greater than I do and He knows
greater than you do. So just keep hanging in there.
I figure submitting to gods will is a lot like baking a cake, except
God has the recipe and we have no idea what we are baking, we just
know that it will be good. We patiently wait God to give us an
ingredient and tell us how much to out in the mixing bowl. Once we've
got the ingredients together we have to put it in the pan. And then we
have to wait and wait. Waiting is probably the hardest part. Sometimes
we want to take it out because it smells done and it looks done. And
finally when it is actually done we have to let it cool down.
God gives us blessings in ways we don't always think. As a big
blessing is coming (he cake itself) we often are gaining other
important blessings along the way. The gift of patience. The gift of
following instructions correctly. Each step of the process teaches us
different things, so as we are waiting for blessings in our life we
need to look for what other things God may be blessing us with as we
wait.
I have also come to know so strongly that I'm never truly alone even
in the times that it feels I'm patiently waiting for things to happen.
" I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall
be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you
up"(Doctrine and covenants 84:88). We have so much help when we are
amidst our struggles. We always have heavenly help.
On my mission I have literally felt angels with me, helping me and
protecting me from danger. I may not always feel them there, but I
know they're always there. Sometimes our angels are the people that
are closest to us. Look for the people who can be an angel to you, and
that you in return can be an angel to.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Pictures from our 4th of July fun!!
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Week 74
Hello, all!
For my last 6 emails home I've decided that I would focus my email
more of in the aspects of what I have learned on my mission.
Over the course of my mission I have come to truly realize the power
of the Book of Mormon. I am forever grateful for a family that strived
to read the Book of Mormon together as a family every night. I will
also forever be grateful for a teacher at a youth camp that challenged
us to read the Book of Mormon every day by ourselves. Up until that
time I had never as yet attempted to read the Book of Mormon on my
own. I started out just reading a verse a day, and after that I never
stopped. For most of high school as I tried to read the Book of
Mormon, there were very few times where I actually felt like it had
meaning. However, as I continued to read and I prepared myself serve a
mission I started to recognize my life changing for the better.
In college as I tried setting aside more time to read the Book of
Mormon I noticed it started to do more good things to my life, but it
still wasn't enough. As I began my mission, reading and study the
scriptures for an hour felt like a marathon, but slowly an hour
started to feel so short and I learned so much. I started to notice
how each scripture could pertain directly to my life and that God can
speak to me from the scriptures.
On the days where we don't have time to study for a normal amount of
time, I truly can feel the negative difference it makes in not reading
them. I don't feel prepared for the day. I can literally feel the
difference in lessons and I feel at a loss. The scriptures hold power.
It is through the scriptures that I have the power to come closer to
my savior as well as to withstand the temptations of the devil. It is
though the Book of Mormon, and the diligent study that you cast out
all doubts and fears and confusions. The gospel itself is simple, the
book of mormon gives you the foundation of understanding so that as
God teaches you line upon line, you are then able to build up from
your foundation. The devil is the only one who wants you to tear that
foundation down.
I've come to know so strongly that the devil is very real, hat he is
there and that he's smart. After all, he's already lost everything
possibly, what has he got to lose? He might as well tempt us because
we have everything to lose. As we make plans, he also makes plans. But
it is through the power of the Book of Mormon and the spirit that I
can stay string amidst all of those whirlwinds that satan sends.
I've come to love the basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith in
Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of
the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. The pure and simple truths. We
need those simple foundation truths because everything in the church
ties back to those things.
We each have times when we doubt, when we fear that we're doing the
wrong thing. But it's from relying on those basic principles, and
truly studying our scriptures, praying and worshipping at church, that
we continue to have the reassurance and the confirmation that what we
are doing is right. It doesn't matter what we don't understand, what
matter is that we don't let the things we don't know, cloud what we do
know.
This life is a time of testing and trial. I've been tested in so many
ways. Most of them haven't been a huge, most have been small every day
decisions. But as a prophet or apostle once said, "decisions determine
destiny". Hold on to what you do know, pray about what you don't know,
and keep moving forward.
Have a wonderful week! Love you all!
For my last 6 emails home I've decided that I would focus my email
more of in the aspects of what I have learned on my mission.
Over the course of my mission I have come to truly realize the power
of the Book of Mormon. I am forever grateful for a family that strived
to read the Book of Mormon together as a family every night. I will
also forever be grateful for a teacher at a youth camp that challenged
us to read the Book of Mormon every day by ourselves. Up until that
time I had never as yet attempted to read the Book of Mormon on my
own. I started out just reading a verse a day, and after that I never
stopped. For most of high school as I tried to read the Book of
Mormon, there were very few times where I actually felt like it had
meaning. However, as I continued to read and I prepared myself serve a
mission I started to recognize my life changing for the better.
In college as I tried setting aside more time to read the Book of
Mormon I noticed it started to do more good things to my life, but it
still wasn't enough. As I began my mission, reading and study the
scriptures for an hour felt like a marathon, but slowly an hour
started to feel so short and I learned so much. I started to notice
how each scripture could pertain directly to my life and that God can
speak to me from the scriptures.
On the days where we don't have time to study for a normal amount of
time, I truly can feel the negative difference it makes in not reading
them. I don't feel prepared for the day. I can literally feel the
difference in lessons and I feel at a loss. The scriptures hold power.
It is through the scriptures that I have the power to come closer to
my savior as well as to withstand the temptations of the devil. It is
though the Book of Mormon, and the diligent study that you cast out
all doubts and fears and confusions. The gospel itself is simple, the
book of mormon gives you the foundation of understanding so that as
God teaches you line upon line, you are then able to build up from
your foundation. The devil is the only one who wants you to tear that
foundation down.
I've come to know so strongly that the devil is very real, hat he is
there and that he's smart. After all, he's already lost everything
possibly, what has he got to lose? He might as well tempt us because
we have everything to lose. As we make plans, he also makes plans. But
it is through the power of the Book of Mormon and the spirit that I
can stay string amidst all of those whirlwinds that satan sends.
I've come to love the basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith in
Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of
the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. The pure and simple truths. We
need those simple foundation truths because everything in the church
ties back to those things.
We each have times when we doubt, when we fear that we're doing the
wrong thing. But it's from relying on those basic principles, and
truly studying our scriptures, praying and worshipping at church, that
we continue to have the reassurance and the confirmation that what we
are doing is right. It doesn't matter what we don't understand, what
matter is that we don't let the things we don't know, cloud what we do
know.
This life is a time of testing and trial. I've been tested in so many
ways. Most of them haven't been a huge, most have been small every day
decisions. But as a prophet or apostle once said, "decisions determine
destiny". Hold on to what you do know, pray about what you don't know,
and keep moving forward.
Have a wonderful week! Love you all!
President and Sister Riggs going home!
Zack's last lesson before baptism
Zack's baptism
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Week 73
Who knows! Its been a wonderful transfer, I cant believe how fast it went!
Sister archibald and I had the opportunity to sing at a fireside yesterday evening, and it went so well!! We had practiced with an accompaniment, but then we knew we needed to do it without one...so that was pretty cool, I have a couple recordings of it that ill have to show you sometime. maybe ill be able to send a small part of it.
a cool thing happened, we attended a baptism and a member of the ward was telling us about a girl that she was going to introduce us to. This girl just graduated high school and had been around several members of the church before and out of nowhere she was sitting at a stoplight and saw some elders in the car next to her, she saw their window open, so she rolled down her window and yelled, "hey do you guys have a book of mormon I can have?" and so the elders proceeded to throw a book of mormon to her through the windows right as the light turned green. now this girl is thinking about attending BYU and stuff. shes still never met with missionaries. We're supposed to meet her this coming sunday!
anywho, have a good week!!! :) love you all!
Pretty sure Sister Donato should own this
Temple with Vicki a new convert from my last area
I got a sewing machine now I'm fixing everyones clothes
Exchanges
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