Sister Bain in the Big Apple: 2017 08/23

WHAT'S UP ❤ You can write November 29th in pen 😊 It's a big day! 😉 I'm excited that everyone is starting school!! Yay!! Kids in NYC are usually in school all year long so count your blessings that you get summer vacation.... #blessed

I am so excited for Evie and Johnnie to be baptized this Saturday! Evie has grown up so much!! I'm glad all is well at home and that Jacob has the opportunity to take part in missionary work! THAT MAKES ME CRY BECAUSE I AM SO HAPPY AND EXCITED FOR HIM. What a rockstar. Jacob, Grant, and Bryson are such good examples to me. (I'm still low-key dying that Jacob is going into high school. 😂)

Anne is doing well. Thank you all for always asking about her! She just received a calling to be a gospel principles teacher!! 🤘HOW. COOL. We had the opportunity to do family history with her and she was able to remember all the information for her parents, her grandparents, and her great-grandparents! It was super cool because she was telling us that because of all the civil wars in her country, there aren't a lot of records left so all of her family tree will have to be from the memory of her and her family. While Anne was doing Family History with us and she said she has a grandpa who is 99 years old and still living!! She said, "He only eats greens so he's still goin strong" 😂 I LOVE HER ❤❤❤ Also, she remembered that my favorite fruit is pineapple SO SHE BOUGHT ME A PINEAPPLE. #BLESSED I also gave her some swedish fish and she didn't like those 😂😂😂 Something that I've been studying a lot this week is charity. When people say "What is charity?" 9 times out of 10 someone will say "it's the pure love of Christ." WHICH IS TOTALLY RIGHT, but what does that really mean??? What really is the pure love of Christ? I looked up charity in the Bible Dictionary and it says that charity is the highest and nobelest of love. It's the same love that our Heavenly Father and our Savior have for each of us. We are to become like Jesus Christ and to love as He loves- we develop Christlike charity by serving those around us and showing them our love. What have you done this week to serve someone else? What something that stops us from serving those around us? For me, it's usually because I think I'm too busy or I think I'm too tired. But then I thought about different things that I can sacrifice to show others that I love them. Sometimes, we must sacrifice A LOT to serve someone but we have to remember that the Savior gave up His life in serving us. Serve is an opportunity for us to turn outward instead of inward-- because turning inward is a whole lot easier. Serving people in Harlem has forced me to look outside myself and my own life and see others the way the Savior sees them. We also have to make ourselves available to serve others. When I think of charity and love I first think of mom and dad because their the best but I also think about King Benjamin. He was chosen to be king but chose to work for himself and create his own means. He didn't just chill in his super nice air conditioned palace and order people around, but he went out and labored among his people. He didn't want his people to think of him as a burden. He wanted to lighten their load. First of all, he was a righteous leader but he was also very considerate of his people and he wanted to show his love by serving them and serving WITH them.

<< Mosiah 2:14-15 >>

14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.

15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.

So, who are you going to serve this week and what are you going to do to show your love? How are you going to become more like the Savior through service?

I hope you all have the best week ever full of opportunities to bring others closer to Jesus Christ through service!

I love you!!

Love always,

Sister Keauna Bain 🍍

"Therefore, continue your journey and let your hearts rejoice; for behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end." Doc Cov 100:12