Monday, April 24, 2017

2017 04/24 “Come as you are, but Don’t plan to stay as you are.”

HI home 🌷
Where has the last month gone?? Transfers are NEXT WEEK. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat. πŸ˜“πŸ˜‘πŸ˜ˆ
Spring is actually here for real and guess what that means? Tourists for DAYS. But it's fine because TONS of members from around the world want to take pictures with us πŸ˜‚ YAY. 
This past week I stumbled upon some past letters I've written home and I just laughed my head off because my thoughts are always all over the place and then I laughed even harder because this letter is going to be the most scattered of all πŸ˜‚ Beware. 
I've had sooo many thoughts this week that I want to share with you so I hope the spirit can help me organize my thoughts so that you can get a feel for just how much I love being here in New York City and all that I'm learning! 

1. Finding people with real intent is hard here. If we do find someone, they live in Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx. We never find people that live in our area and if we do, they progress for awhile then fall off the face of the earth in like a month (max). But. Because of our finding struggles, I've learned so much about my Heavenly Father. THIS WONDERFUL WORK THAT WE ARE ALL INVOLVED IN IS THE LORD'S WORK. I know that's true. I know that He loves each of His children individually and He prepares us individually-- and in His own time. There are people here in the Manhattan 1st Ward who are prepared to hear the gospel, but Heavenly Father also knows that Sister Bain needs to learn diligence, patience, hope, and faith in Jesus Christ. Because we don't have solid people to teach, I've learned how much I LOVE TO TEACH and how much I WANT to teach. I've learned that being a missionary has given me a sense of fulfillment- I have something to offer the people of New York City that will change their lives. I've learned so much about prayer. I've never pleaded so much with my Heavenly Father. I've never been so sure of the "secret desires of my heart". Struggling to find people to teach has taught me that the Lord has a plan and WHO AM I TO TELL HIM WHAT TO DO? I love this work. It's hard. It's frustrating. It's tiring. But I know that hardships don't last forever and that the Lord is in even the smallest details of all of our lives. AND I've learned a lot about humility- I do not know how to do missionary work without Him. (So really I don't know how to do life without Heavenly Father and I'm constantly being reminded of why I need a Savior.)

2. I've been reading in Ether and Ether is so underappreciated (sometimes it's boring I KNOW.) But I was reading about the Brother of Jared πŸ’›πŸ’›πŸ’› Ether 2 is AAAWWWEEESSSOOOMMMEE. Verse 25 is also AAAWWWEEESSSOOOMMMEEE. The Brother of Jared asks the Lord how he's going to receive light in the barges and the Lord says "Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light?" The Lord basically asks him "Well, what do you think?" Then the Brother of Jared says "I'm going to get some rocks and I know that if you touch them they'll light up and that's how we'll have light in our barges." I've been having tons of different questions lately about tons of different things and I've been getting frustrated because I felt like I wasn't getting an answer. But. Then the Brother of Jared's experience taught me that sometimes the Lord says "Well Sister Bain, what do YOU think is right?" or "What do YOU think you should do?" He won't always give me specific and direct answers. Sometimes He just wants me to tell Him what I think I should do. The Lord WANTS to know what I think I should do. And I've received a lot of comfort in that- the Lord trusts me to make my own decisions. USE MY AGENCY. How cool is that? So, in the end, ask Heavenly Father for guidance and then get up and ACT. 

3. In Relief Society we talked about Elder Holland's last conference talk "Songs Sung and Unsung" and it's soooooooo good. WOWOWOWOWOW. πŸ’›πŸ’›πŸ’›

Elder Holland said: 
"Fortunately, the seats for this particular number are limitless. There is room for those who speak different languages, celebrate diverse cultures, and live in a host of locations. There is room for the single, for the married, for large families, and for the childless. There is room for those who once had questions regarding their faith and room for those who still do. There is room for those with differing sexual attractions. There is a place for everyone who loves God and honors His commandments as the inviolable measuring rod for personal behavior, for if love of God is the melody of our shared song, surely our common quest to obey Him is the indispensable harmony in it. “Come as you are,” a loving Father says to each of us, but He adds, “Don’t plan to stay as you are.” We smile and remember that God is determined to make of us more than we thought we could be."

Basically this talk could be a refrigerator magnet-- it's too good. But I love that in the beginning of this quote, Elder Holland just gives everyone a big hug who feels unloved or excluded and tells the world that EVERYONE has a place in God's beautiful plan. Heavenly Father will never tell His children who are "different" (by the world's standards) to stop singing until they sing like everyone else. Everyone has a place and we're all created differently by DIVINE DESIGN. So, YOU, DO YOU and be yourself. That's how Heavenly Father created you, Am I right? 

Anyway, enough about me. How about you? What have YOU studied this week? What's something that the spirit has taught you?? Are you studying the Book of Mormon every day? President Monson said that if you're not, then PLEASE DO SO. πŸ’›πŸ’›πŸ’›

I love you all so much and I hope that this week is the best one yet. I'm grateful for you!! 

Love always,

Sister Bain 🍍

My little pug puppy  (okay not mine) his name is Sid. He's 10 weeks old and I'm in love with him. 

I saw the Statue of Liberty! 

SPRING!! 

Me & cute Sister Walecki (bff) 

Sister Bradley. LOOOOOOOOOOOVE HER. She let me make dinner yesterday. Best lasagna ever if I do say so myself. 

Monday, April 17, 2017

2017 04/17 "I KNOW JESUS CHRIST LIVES"

HI again! It's me! How is it Monday AGAIN???? The weeks keep going faster and faster! πŸ˜“ 

Aaaaahhhhhh! πŸ˜‘ I hope you all had a WONDERFUL Easter! I KNOW JESUS CHRIST LIVES and thank you all for the lovely Easter packages and cute cards. I love you all. When I opened the package mom sent me I burst into tears because A. I love pinwheels. B. I loved the shirt from Seagull Book hahaha and C. I'm so grateful you sent me my little golden egg. Our members always ask us what our favorite family Easter tradition is and I always talked about the golden egg. The Easter bunny always comes to the Bain house on Friday night and we have our annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday morning. (I guess I should say Jacob, Grant and Bryson have their annual Easter egg hunt while I sleep in and they find the candy for me hahahaha oops.) ANYWAY. When we wake up on Easter Sunday we each have 1 special egg that we get to find. When we open it, it's always empty-- symbolizing the empty tomb when Jesus Christ was resurrected. I've always loved that tradition and it's always helped me understand why we celebrate Easter. 

It's been a special time here in New York City as 80+ missionaries in Manhattan share the message of the resurrection and the peace that comes from Jesus Christ. I know He lives. ☉🌷🐣 

We got to have a picnic in central park with Brother and Sister Krause. It was too fun and sooooooooooo beautiful. Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Uncle Dean. And Aunt Lisa. And Christine! πŸ’™ I hope everyone has a fun day! And THANK YOU, Aunt Lisa and Christine, for the cute package. I love you!! AND! Last, but certainly not least, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to the best parents ever!! It's been, what?, 15 years...? I'm glad you two are married and that we have an eternal family #BainTrainForever πŸ€— I LOVE YOUUUUUUUU ❤❤❤ 

We got to go to the United Nations for the Focus on Faith briefing and Sister Bingham, the General Relief Society President was there!! She's so cool. And she gave me a hug sooooooooooo that's also cool. No big deal. I didn't freak out or anything. We had interviews with President Smith this past week and WOW OH WOW do I love my mission President. I've learned so much from him and Sister Smith. A lot of my interview was just talking about how grateful I am to be a missionary in New York City. But something President asked me really made me think. He said "Sister Bain, what's something you've learned in the last 9 months?" I just stared at him and said "Well, that's probably the hardest question you could have asked me because I learn about 3 trillion new things every day sooo...." We talked about a few different things, but as I thought about it, there is one thing that stands out and that is ETERNAL FAMILIES. I've learned a whole lot about what an eternal family really is, what I hope to do with my own eternal family and what I hope to be as a mother and wife. (Mostly the last one) I want to raise a sin-resistant generation (April 2017 General Conference LOOK IT UP.) I want my children to be raised in a righteous home built on the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want my family to be HAPPY in my home. So basically I just want to recreate the home I was raised in I'm grateful for my parents. As a punk teenager (oh wait, I'm still a punk teenager...) I didn't appreciate the love and patience that my parents have. I'm sorry I was such a dork πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ but I admire and love my parents more than they will ever know-- because words can't even describe it. When I grow up, I want to be just like my mom. Loving, kind, patient, charitable, courageous, creative, smart, hardworking, beautiful on the inside and out, virtuous, obedient, faithful and true. And one day I want to marry someone just like my dad. Funny, loving, kind, honors his priesthood, a covenant keeper, hard working, organized, magnifies his calling, SELF-LESS, bold, strong and wise. (I said "Not just a hat rack" the other day and couldn't even control my laughter hahaha love you, dad!) I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE THE BEST PARENTS EVER AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH so, thanks mom and dad for all that you've taught me. Even when I don't act like it, I appreciate your love AND correction. I've learned that I want to have DAILY family prayer and DAILY family scripture study and I want my family to eat dinner together. I will always remember mom telling me how important it is that we do all 3 of those things. I'm grateful for parents. I'm grateful for brothers. I'm grateful for sisters. I'm grateful for brothers-in-law (is that even the correct form of that word?? Haha) and I'm grateful for families and I'm grateful for the priesthood that seals families and I'm grateful for Temples....I'm grateful for everything. 🌿🌲🌷
I hope you all liked this big long shout out to my awesome parents πŸ˜‚ give them a hug the next time you see them and tell them it's from me  

I LOVE YOU ALL and I hope you have the best week ever. This week: study The Living Christ. It'll change your life. 

“Come as you are,” a loving Father says to each of us, but He adds, “Don’t plan to stay as you are.” We smile and remember that God is determined to make of us more than we thought we could be." --Jeffery R. Holland 

Love always,
Sister Bain 🍍

Ps. It's almost Mother's Day  

Pictures: 
Happy Easter! 
Sooo many people out for Easter 
US at the UN 

Happy spring!!!!! 

Easter Picture 2017

Happy Easter

Sooo many people out for Easter.

US at the UN

White Tulips - Spring time in New York City.





Monday, April 10, 2017

2017 04/10 "OH! YOU'RE IN A PSYCH WARD TOO???"

HEYYYYYY WHAT'S UP.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!! I can't wait to hear when he gets his mission call! 
Wasn't Elder Bednar's talk from general conference STRAIGHT. FIRE. I read it the other day and was blown away. (As usual.) Have a good day, B! ☉🌷🐣

This week was good! It's finally spring here in NYC and we are LOVING it. 🌷 Sorry to hear dad is sick! What a BUMMER. I'm glad everyone is giving you sympathy though πŸ˜‚ 

The trains were crazy this week so we were all over the place πŸ˜‚ but you just have to go with it πŸ˜‚ We've never felt so popular in New York City until we were in a subway car with over 30 high school students from Provo. πŸ˜‚ Trains are the BEST though. I was on a split with Sister Lin from Chinatown and she was companions with Hanna Jones in Kingston so I was telling her "Yeah! Sister Jones is in my ward!" And this lady next to me says "OH! YOU'RE IN A PSYCH WARD TOO???" We got off at the next stop and I proceeded to die of laughter. Anyway, this split with Sister Lin was WONDERFUL. She's so sweet AND we went into the MTC together! Spanish Splits are nice because I can usually follow what's going on, but Chinese Splits are sooooooooooo hard because I understand ZERO Chinese. It was fun because I could still feel the spirit even though I was clueless. 

We also taught English class so at least I kinda understood that πŸ˜‚ I am sooooooooooo excited for this week. Easter has always been one of my very favorites. I have no many thoughts about what Easter means to me so hopefully this all makes sense πŸ˜‚ As we've shared #PRINCEofPEACE with everyone this week, I've gained a new perspective and that is: PEACE brings HOPE. And hope is what the gospel is all about. Hope through Jesus Christ. Hope that comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ and hope from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Preach My Gospel says, "When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good." There isn't one person who isn't in need of hope. And my greatest joy is found in the hope that comes from the resurrection and that families are forever! Today, April 10th, is the anniversary of Grandpa Bain's passing and I've always felt a sense of peace and hope on this day. Grandpa Bain has always been a role model to me. I miss him every day and I love him more and more as the years go by. I know that because of my Savior Jesus Christ, I'll be able to see him again. One day I'll be able to tell him that I felt him helping me while I've been in New York City as a full-time missionary. And I know that sweet Sister Gray will see her husband again. I loved Brother Gray. Sister Gray and her family are in my prayers FOR SURE. Brother Gray was always SO happy. I'm grateful for this Easter season when we are reminded of the hope that is available to EVERYONE because of our Savior. During this time of year, and always, let's all let hope be the anchor to our souls. D&C 138:14- "All these had departed the mortal life, FIRM in the HOPE of a glorious resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ." ☉🌷🐣 What does "hope" mean to you? 

I hope you all have a wonderful week full of miracles! I know that Jesus Christ LIVES! 
Happy Easter! I love you! 

Be Bold. Be courageous. Be honest. Be truthful. 
ζœ‰δΊ†ηˆ±, (with love)
白姐妹 🍍(white sisters)
BÑi jiěmèi

Ps. All the sisters serving in Manhattan get to go to the United Nations on Thursday to hear from Sister Bingham!! (General RS President) ❤❤❤ HOW COOL! 

Pictures 
Sister Lin
Sister J had a birthday last Tuesday so the elders got Mochi for district meeting!

Manhattan sisters at Zone Conference ☺

with Sister Lim

Sister Jacobsen had a birthday last Tuesday so the elders got Mochi for district meeting!

Manhattan sisters at Zone Conference ☺

Monday, April 3, 2017

2017 04/03 "Happy Spring"

HHHHEEEELLLLOOOO πŸŒ·
I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers. I wanted to see Aunt Kim and Brianne SO bad this week and GUESS WHAT. PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED PEEPS. I SAW THEM TWICE. It was the best ever. Conference season makes me miss home a lot and being with the Gurney's made me feel so loved. I'm sooooooooooo grateful and all the other missionaries are happy I finally got to see them tooπŸ˜‚
I hope grandpa and Roomie had a good birthday!! AND Rook AND Jared AND Aunt Jo. I always get sooooooooooo confused about what day everyone's birthday is. I just know that there's a million birthdays in March πŸ˜‚ Also, ROOMIE'S PICTURES ARE INCREDIBLE. HOLY SMOKES. All the missionaries here think she's 24 πŸ˜‚ what a cutie. She's going to be a college girl soon! πŸ€—
Story of the week: Sister Larsen and I went on a split and got stuck in an elevator. It was so scaryπŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ But have no fear, the New York City fire department saved us πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ it's fine now. I just have a huge fear of elevators now and have to use them ALL DAY EVERY DAY πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ YAY.
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU LOVED CONFERENCE!!!!!! (*Sister Bain raising both her hands*)
Conference is my favorite time of year. I'm grateful for all the wonderful things I learned!! One of my favorite talks is the one that Mom mentioned from Sister Jones  (not Makail Jones...haha I'm hilarious I know.) She talked about keeping our covenants. Mom said that we can't just keep our covenants when it's convenient or easy. And I LOVE that. We are to keep our covenants ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HARD. There are SO many less-actives here that are return missionaries, children of apostales and members of the 70, children of stake presidents and bishops. They're people who have made promises with our Heavenly Father to ALWAYS remember Him and to keep His commandments. But every time we talk to them they all say that they're 1. Lazy 2. Don't agree with church policy or 3. "Not living the gospel is easier than living the gospel." (EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT.) IT'S NOT EASY. If living the gospel were easy, we wouldn't grow and if we don't grow and change....THEN WHAT'S THE POINT?? So, let's all keep the spirit of Conference in our hearts always and be covenant keepers. I had the thought "Do what He's asked you to do because you promised you would." I'm going to keep my word and keep my sacred covenants ❤
Last item of business. #PRINCEofPEACE ☉ It's available on gospel library AND mormon.org!! I know that through Jesus Christ we can find LASTING peace. As Easter comes, take a minute to write down how you've found peace through Jesus Christ. SHARE THE VIDEO ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM (can you even do that on instagram...?) I can use Facebook so I'll know if you've done it or not, but I hope you'll take the time to share it and write your testimony of the Savior so your friends can feel the spirit. πŸŒ·πŸ£ I know Jesus Christ lives. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Spring is here in NYC! 

I love you so much! 

Love always,
Sister Bain πŸ

Ps. I cut 12 inches off my hair and nobody noticed. It's fine. πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚


Pictures:
The Gurney's ❤
Last week at the Brooklyn Bridge 
We went for a bike ride in central park today!! Sooooooooooo beautiful. I love wearing pants hahaha 

Brooklyn Bridge with awesome friends.

Bike ride in Central Park (in pants!)

New York City in the Spring

Met the Gurney's during Conference (on accident, I promise)