Chapter 2: Ministering with Angelic Zeal

 (Sister Ray & her companion Sister Harvey)

Hi everyone! 

There's absolutely NO WAY it's only been a week. So much has happened and I feel like I have grown taller spiritually in such a short amount of time. It's a wonder I don't have spiritual whiplash. Actually, that's probably because I'm continually surrounded by the Holy Spirit. Day and night. It's honestly amazing. Someone said it's like being a fish in water. The fish doesn't know they're in water until they're not in it anymore. It's the same in the MTC with the Spirit. Sometimes I don't recognize the Spirit all the time because it's my new normal, but there's been a few times my mindset takes me away from the water and I can feel the difference.

The devotionals and classes here are absolutely fabulous!! Brother Mackay(Mackee) gave a super cool analogy about the God's love, the Law of Justice God is bound to, the Atonement, and Agency. He said to imagine a guy going skydiving. He gets on the plane, goes up and then without thinking or hesitation just jumps out of the plane. He realizes in the air that he forgot something super important. A parachute. He does everything he can to try and stop himself. Flaps his arms as hard as he can, but nothing works and the law of gravity still pulls at him. He's in this state of fear and panic and doom until he hears a voice come from the plane,(which is impressive cause you can't really hear anything when you're skydiving unless it's directly into your ear, but ya know, analogy). The voice says "pull the cord". He looks around confused and the voice says again, "pull the cord". He looks at his chest and sees a parachute cord and pulls it. The parachute deploys and he is saved from what would have been an ugly splat. Brother Mackay said the law of gravity is just like the Law of od Justice. And just like the parachute overcomes the law of gravity, (in a dooming way), Christ's Atonement overcomes the Law of Justice. Heavenly Father loves us so much that He made sure we had on a parachute before we jumped, He's got us covered. But we need to use our agency and pull the cord. We have to be the ones to turn to God and to Repent. 

Another super spiritual devotional was on Sunday. We had a "Go and Do Experience". Which is where we're given a study topic and like 3 hours to do personal study and pondering. Our topic this past week was "the Character of God and knowing and feeling His love."

I started on a thought I've had for a while. I just don't agree with the saying that "God gives a trials to make us stronger." Why? Why would MY Loving Heavenly Father give me trials and heartache? How is it that the same God who says "peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27), also say here's a super sucky situation, now suffer and grow? There's no way. A loving parent wouldn't do that. God wants us to turn to him when we are in the midst of our trials. He wants us to turn to him for peace, comfort and strength.

(I have more thoughts on this, but this email is getting long and is taking foooorevvver to write, so if you want to know more email me personally 😉).

My district got up extra early on our P-Day and we walked over to the Provo Temple to do an early morning Endowment session. It was beautiful. We spent a lot of time in the Temple that morning. I'm super grateful we got to go all together and I was able to do a family name I was holding onto! 

We also played volleyball for like an hour, that was awesome. 

One last thing. Ministering with Angelic Zeal is is my new "how" to be a missionary. Angelic Zeal is used to describe Alma as he goes to cry repentance to the people of I forget where in Alma 29. He desires to speak as if with the power of angels. And to declare of the Gospel with a voice of thunder. One of the tings I've been focusing on in the mtc is being bold. Having not only high love but high expectations as well. To teach with compassion but not allow or make excuse for sin. To minister and declare with Angelic Zeal unto the people. It's a slow process, but I feel like I'm already getting more comfortable doing so. And that's fabulous! 

I love you all and wish you joy!!

Love,

Sister Ray

Called to serve in South Carolina!

Hugging Floyd the Tree

The 6 sisters in her district in their room.  It's cozy.