Sister Bain in the Big Apple: 2017 07/26 "WAY too BLESSED to be stressed"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANT!! I cannot believe that he is 12. What. In. The. World. He is getting so old. I hope he has the best day ever Okay also I hope you're having the best time at Bear Lake. I'm sad that Kell & KC weren't able to stay the week. That makes me super sad MICKELLE IS GETTING MARRIED NEXT WEEKEND. Please send her lots of love This week brought big changes!!

Sister Dismuke was transferred to the Bronx (haha the one place she didn't want to go

) and Sister Horton came to me in Harlem! I met Sister Horton my very first day in the mission field. We were roommates in Connecticut and I absolutely adore her. Heavenly Father has blessed me SO. MUCH. with all of my wonderful companions

ANN IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY WOOT WOOT.

We are so excited. And the Harlem 1st ward is SO. EXCITED. I have learned so much from Ann. She is one very sweet soul

AND! She prays for you all! The other night when we saw her she said, "Please bless Sister Bain's family. Bless her good parents that they will continue to be strong and faithful, bless her little brothers that they will grow up healthy. Bless her sister and brother-in-law that their marriage may be strong. Bless them to have experiences to bring them closer to Christ." Those sweet prayers bring so much peace to my heart. Ann is so faithful and she knows that her prayers are always answered, therefore my sweet fam is being extra blessed

I am so so grateful for this time in my life. WAY too BLESSED to be stressed

Something I've realized a lot this week is that it's SO easy to go through the motions and to get into a routine. The other day we helped a woman who was visiting from Oregon learn how to use the subway. To us, swiping our metrocard to catch the 2 train to 96th street to transfer to a 1 train to go up to 103 street because only the 1 travels on Broadway is super easy and it's just part of life. But for this woman from Oregon, it was so magical. To us, it's easy to let Central Park fade into the background because we see it every day. But people come from all over the world to see Central Park. We see the Empire State Building every day. We see thousands of people from all over the world every day. We run like crazy people to catch the M116 so we don't have to walk crosstown 45 minutes to get home-- you would NEVER see me running to catch a bus in Utah. But stuff like that is normal for us and sometimes I feel like I'm just so use to it that I don't even see the "magic" of New York City anymore. But that's what happens when we just get lost in the routine. But.....is that what happens with your daily scripture study? Daily prayer? Weekly church attendance? Are we just doing these things because we know we should? Or have we found purpose in our studies and in our prayers? Have we found our own reasons for attending church each week? Are we in a mundane routine of small and simple things that we've lost the magic of spiritual experiences? Here's some questions I really want you to think about:

1. Do you remember the first time you felt the Holy Ghost?
2. Do you remember the last time you felt the power of the priesthood?
3. Do you remember the last time you felt the Book of Mormon was true?
4. Do you remember when you have felt God answer your prayers?

Are we putting ourselves in a position to have these experiences each day to renew our faith? Are we actively searching for ways to feel the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost? Are we actively looking for our own testimony of the power of the priesthood? Are we keeping a study journal to remember the promptings we receive as we study our scriptures and look for God's hand in our lives? It is SO insanely easy to create a regular routine which eventually turns into regular, normal motions. When was the last time you marvelled at the blessings you've been given because of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Marvelling at these blessings is a sign of faith!! I believe that it shows that we believe in God and that we believe in Jesus Christ. And we believe that our Heavenly Father loves us enough to bless us every day!

I hope you all have a wonderful and SAFE week at the Lake!
I love you!!

Love always,
Sister Bain

"I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!"
- I Stand All Amazed hymn 193

(I cry WITHOUT FAIL every time we sing this song.)