Oh Chicago- You Make Me Laugh

All I could do was laugh. My situation was so unfortunate that was all I could do. I worked hard to get to the point where I was at the this moment. Sitting on the floor of Union Station eating my crackers that were pretty well all but crumbs just taking in the lovely aroma that reminded me of pee but I tried to convince myself that it was something different to make my floor position more comfortable.

I was proud of how far I had come. Which in your mind right now you may not agree with me. Lets back up to where I was before.

My ability to travel to Michigan was a miracle in itself. Part of that included me getting reasonable tickets to fly into Chicago. The plan was to fly into Chicago and take the train to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Easy enough. I was so excited to be traveling by myself. I felt so empowered.

Once I got off the place in Chicago I was under the impression that the train left right from the airport. Unfortunately, I could not find that location because it did not exist. I was guided to the Blue Line Transit and instructed to get off at the Clinton stop and then the Union Station would be where I would find the train. Then I would board the 6:30 train and be in Michigan in no time. -Sounded easy enough.

Once I was on the Blue Line I realized just how far away the Clinton stop was and how slowly we were moving in that direction. Panic began to set in because I became fully aware that I would not be on the 6:30 train to Michigan, the LAST train to Michigan for the night.

I had two choices

1-Freak out, Imagine the worst what if's (Which included me sleeping on the streets of Chicago) 

2-Remain calm and know everything was going to work out.

The fact was, I was going to miss the train regardless. That was out of my control. Therefore I went with option number two. REMAIN CALM! Well, that option seemed easy to choose until I attempted to search out another route to Michigan and discovered my phone was not going to be my faithful companion for too much longer. All my travels had drained the battery. Option one began to set in and I had to remind myself I already chose option 1. REMAIN CALM! I was praying with all I was worth. 

I decided I would still get off at Clinton find a place to charge my phone and then I would go from there.Thank heavens for friends who are so willing to assist me. I had people in Michigan searching out other forms of transportation.

I have never felt more unsure of myself in my life than when I got off at the Clinton stop. I was guided up some stairs that took me to the streets of downtown Chicago. The small town Idaho girl in me was able to lose it. I have never felt so small and insignificant. There is a much larger world out there than I previously could imagine. I froze. I just stood there completely unsure of what to do. Nothing was familiar, I had no idea which way to go, or where to even begin. 

I was reminded of a friend who just returned from serving his mission in Chicago and I texted him asking for help. I was grasping for straws, My GPS was not working due to my low battery and it is just janki anyway. Over a few text messages and a short phone call he was able to guide me to the Union Station. I knew God was definitely watching over me.

As I walked in the rain with my luggage I knew I stood out. As I was walking I just started laughing which I am sure encouraged even more weird looks in my direction. I never imagined myself in a situation like this EVER! I was so lost and still unsure of what my night held. I did know that it included several people asking me for money. Everyone seemed to be $6 short that night.

My experience in Chicago gave me so much sympathy for those who are homeless. I realized how much I had taken for granted. Shelter, bathroom, water, food, phone. All of those things I lost access to for a short time. I can't imagine living like that day after day unsure of where you will be the next day. 

I was still laughing to myself once I got inside the Union Station partly because if I didn't laugh through it I would have cried. I don't think as clearly when I cry so I chose to look at it all as a humorous event. I knew it would pass I just had to keep moving forward.

There were several kind people who helped me along the way. Miss Ray helped me find the bus I needed to get on. It left at about 11 PM and arrived in Kalamazoo Michigan around 3 AM. She clearly knew I was not in my element. She looked at me very concerned and said, "Honey, do you have someone who will be picking you up at 3 AM?" I attempted to ease her worry and let her know that I would. She responded, "You better and if they ain't there Miss Ray is gonna come get them." I felt more at peace knowing Miss Ray had my back. She was so kind and helpful.

This brings me back to this point. Relaxing on the floor, out of the rain enjoying the sweet aroma of pee eating my crackers. I was so at peace and so grateful for the experience I just had.

My faith had been tested. I knew that this trip was one I was suppose to take. I know everything happens for a reason and it if doesn't look for a reason it was suppose to happen. I found several reasons.

I grew so much. I learned to trust myself more and let the Spirit guide in all situations. I was clueless and the only one who knew anything that was with me was the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the gift of the Spirit. I know I will always I be okay if I follow those promptings. 

I also learned that I CAN DO HARD THINGS! I can take care of myself and I am capable of reaching my goals. God has created an incredible world and there is so much out there to be discovered and learned. 

If you want to do something DO IT! Tomorrow never comes. Live in the now. Stop creating excuses as to why you can't do something. Kick out the limiting beliefs of "What if such and such something bad happens?" Insert "WHAT IF SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENS!" It is all about the law of attraction. What you put out in life is what you get back. 

This is my story. I am in control of what happens in my life. And you are in control of what happens in yours. Don't just survive, THRIVE! There is a beautiful world out there waiting to be explored and a life waiting to be created! 

Stepping out of Klurisa Land!

Two years ago I embarked on a journey that has forever changed who I am. In the beginning I felt a lot like Laman and Lemuel saying that God had asked a hard thing of me. If there is one thing that I learned in Michigan it is that I CAN DO HARD THINGS!

A mission was not what I expected at all. In fact I really had no clue what mission all entailed. The one thing that I did know was that Missionaries got fed. As you can see through my pictures I got fed REALLY well! I was really just trying to measure my spiritual growth and I wanted something I could physically see. Haha

A mission is so much more than the dinner appointments and the weird food stories. It sounds selfish to say that my mission was about me but it is true. No matter how much I feel like I contributed to Michigan I got so much more out of my service to the Lord than I was ever able to give to anyone else.

God taught me who I am. He did that by allowing me to help others see who they are. One of my favorite parts of being a missionary was the amount of love I was able to feel for complete strangers! I could knock on a door of someone who lived in very humble circumstances and little going on in their lives or I could knock on a door of a mansion of someone who felt they had it all- and I would feel an overwhelming amount of love for them. No matter where people were at in life I knew that God loved them. I could feel it. As I would teach them the Spirit would confirm to me that they are children of God and He desperately wants them to be happy and return to live with Him again.

As I learned who I am my thoughts and actions changed. My desire to live in alignment with God's will increased. I learned how to communicate with my Father in Heaven and to urgently follow promptings. I yearned for a deeper connection with the Spirit. I knew that obedience to God's commandments was where it started, I often heard that there were three reasons people were obedient.
1-Fear

2-Duty
3-Love

It was a process for me to be obedient out of love. I went through all three of these phases and thank heavens for my wonderful companions who were so patient with me as I was learning and growing. I felt a day and night difference as I began to be obedient because I loved the Lord not because I was fearful of what might happen if I was not obedient or because I had to due to the name tag that I had taken upon my self. It didn't happen over night. It is still something I am improving on every day. I have had to learn to rely on the Savior and his grace to help me as I strive to become more like Him. I had to take the focus off of ME! I was no longer in Klurisa Land! I was in the Lords Land! And in His land there is no time for selfishness. 

Because I know who I am I served. God showed me what I had and I knew I had to share it. The Gospel has changed my life. It brings me purpose, understanding, and allows me to live more abundantly. This is why I LOVED my mission. I got to share what is most precious to me with so many wonderful people who have left such a positive impact on my life. I will forever remember these people and the memories I was able to make with them. They were each a piece of the puzzle that made up my mission. Each piece is valued and essential in creating the big picture of the wonderful 18 months I was able to spend in, the Lords Land, My Sacred Grove.

I CAN do hard things. That is because God is real. He is my Heavenly Father. He is aware of me and He knows me personally and He loves me. I can do hard things because I have a Savior who suffered for me and knows how to help me overcome my sins and weaknesses.

I can do hard things because I have a Heavenly family, an Earthly family, a mission, and a ward family who are always there cheering me on and helping me all along the way.

I know this church is true. That is something I cannot deny. I have watched the gospel work in so many people's lives and in my own life. I know that the Book of Mormon is inspired of God. As I have read it my love for it increases. It is what has helped my testimony to grow and to understand more of the nature of God and where I fit into His plan. I know that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration. He did see God and Jesus Christ. This knowledge came from diligent scripture study and teaching others what I know. Through this process the Spirit was able to testify of truth to me.

 I am so grateful for my mission and all that I was able to learn in Michigan. I cannot believe it was two years ago that I entered the MTC. I could never imagine in that moment the amount of good I was doing for myself and my family. My mission changed me. It saved my life!

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Four Months

Five Months

Six Months

Seven Months

Eight Months

Nine Months

Ten Months

Eleven Months

ONE YEAR

Thirteen Months

Fourteen Months

Fifteen Months

Sweet Sixteen 

Seventeen Months

                                         

Eighteen Months

God is SO Nice!!

On my mission my companion and I would talk about how nice God is. Everyday He would display a simple act to show us that He knows us personally and that He is very aware of us. As I began to recognize these acts more and more I became excited each morning to see what the day would hold.

Learning to recognize God's hand helped me so much in Michigan but it has also been a blessing to me here in Idaho. It is so important to know that God is with us EVERYWHERE. Not just in a physical place but where we are personally. He loves us when we are doing well and when we are struggling. No matter where we are He is always going to be there.

Recently, I was reminded of this simple truth.

There are some days where I would give anything to go back to Michigan and be a missionary again. I loved it so much! Although, my mission was so much more than I would have ever dreamed of that is no longer where I am suppose to be. One of the hardest things I was ever told was that I was no longer needed in Michigan. In my last interview with my Mission President he told me that I had served my time in Michigan and that it was time to go home. This about killed me.

Heavenly Father is still very aware of me even though I am no longer a missionary. He still sends me reminders that He is there and everything is going to be okay. The way he reminds me is so personal to me. There is no one who knows me better than my Father in Heaven and my Savior.

Lately, there have been people from Michigan coming into my work. I am always surprised to find people from Michigan in Idaho. WHAT?? They come at the perfect time too. There was a specific experience that I have no doubt God had his hand in.

My coworker was checking a lady out and she looked over at me and said "Klurisa, this lady is from Michigan." Sure enough she was decked out head to toe in Spartan gear. All the signs were there. We bonded over our love for MSU and instantly became friends. She did not hesitate to tell me that she was Catholic and she wasn't sure why she even came into a Mormon bookstore. It was nothing short of a miracle. It was a friendship that was in need of being created!

I do not believe in coincidences. All things happen for a reason.

God is light! Whenever the simplest of thing brings happiness into my life I know it is God. I know it is His way of showing He loves me and that He is still there. I know He will never leave me. He is always seeking for ways to manifest His love to His children. It is then our choice to decide if we will recognize it as such.

The more I attribute these acts to God the happier I am. No matter who you are it always feels good to be remembered and to be loved. Each time I witness a miracle I am touched to know that God was thinking of me in that moment. To know that He is interested in me and my life and He cares about me. He is my Father in Heaven and He loves me.

I think of it like a lighthouse. His love is always there but how we live determines how far or close we may be to that light.  Our perspective changes according to how far or close we are. The goal is to always keep God close and keep that eternal perspective.

God's love is unconditional. My mission taught me how much God loves His children. This changed me life. If there was one thing I could tell everyone it is that God loves you. He is there. No matter where you are in life. Whether you are close to the light or far from it. It doesn't matter. He still loves you and if you will look you will be able to see that love manifest in your life. Let God love you!

Promised Land

About 18 months ago I left my family and everything that I had ever known and I entered the Mission Field in Lansing Michigan. I had no clue what to expect as I stepped off the plane and I was greeted by many friendly faces.  I often compare myself to Nephi and his family as they left Jerusalem and entered the wilderness. They went by faith having no idea what to expect only knowing that God was going to take care of them.

Michigan was my wilderness but it soon became my Promised Land. When my journey was over I then felt as if I were to enter into a wilderness again except this time with less trees. I grew to love Michigan so much it almost felt as if my previous life had never existed and that I had always been a missionary. This feeling made it hard to be excited about going home. Not because I wasn't excited to see my family. I was just so nervous and had no idea what to expect. I also did not what to leave the life that I loved so dearly.

I knew my journey was officially over when all the sudden mountain ranges filled my view. Trees no longer blocked my sight. I could see the windmills that were scattered across the land. I was back in Idaho. It was a beautiful sight. So many emotions washed over me as it hit me that I was no longer in Michigan and when I got off that plane everything was going to change. 

A question I often get asked is, "how are you adjusting." I am never quite sure how to respond. I still miss having a companion. I want so badly to have the missionary schedule back as well as knowing what I am suppose to be doing every second of the day.
My family is being so patient and loving as I am constantly inviting them to do things with me that I can clearly do on my own. They don't complain when I turn off the radio or randomly ramble off a mission story. They are okay when I decline their invitation to watch a movie with them.
So to answer the question of my attempts to adjust, well... I am fighting it. I still try to be a Sister Missionary in every way possible. I work at Deseret Book so I wear a skirt to work and I listen to church music all day. 

I would love to say that I am winning the battle but I am not. I feel like Peter a lot of the time when he tries to walk on water. God has given me a new adventure and I keep trying to live in the past. I am sinking. I have been doubting what the future has to hold for me. I catch my self thinking that nothing could be better than my mission, so why try?

Satan never stops working on us. He knows how precious my mission is to me and he is sneakily using that mindset as a tool to hold me back, Thank heavens I have recognized that. Now the next step is to move on. I need to make friends and create memories and enjoy this precious time I have with my family. I can have more than one Promised Land. God sticks us in wildernesses and gives us an opportunity to turn it into a Promised Land. A place we love to be.

There is missionary lingo for ending your mission. We always say that we "die" When we enter the mission we are "born" and when we leave we "die". I am not dead. I am choosing to live and I hope that through my experiences I can help other RM's live as well. This is only the beginning. It is a new adventure and though it may be hard it will all be worth it. God always has so much more in store than we could ever imagine. 

I will never forgot all the wonderful experiences I had in Michigan. They will always be the foundation of my testimony but I know that there are still more wonderful experiences to be had here in Idaho and wherever else I end up. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has a plan for me. He has not forgotten about me just because I have taken my name tag off. He is still there leading and guiding me. This is not the end. 

The end of conference is like going to bed on Christmas night, you are exhausted and have that weird feeling of "its over". AND then you start counting down till the next time it comes around. CONFERENCE IS IN 6 MONTHS!! I CAN"T WAIT!! 

Haha Isn't being able to hear from God's Prophets and Apostles the biggest blessing ever? I know that I had a lot of my questions answered and I truly felt the spirit testify to me that Thomas S. Monson is called of God and that he holds that Priesthood Authority that authorizes him to speak and act in His name. I also know that the three new apostles were called of God. 

I really loved all the insight from Conference. One thing I am trying to do to help me to "Stay in the Ship" Is recognize the Spirit more in my day! That is something I have noticed that takes people from the church. The common response I get is "I just don't feel it." How can we feel it? Well it takes practice and effort. 

The Spirit speaks to us in a still small voice. Which means we cannot have a million things distracting us. Eliminate the mind set of "I am multi- tasking" Haha the Spirit deserves ALL of your attention. Even when you may have a crazy day I promise you that God's hand was in your day you just have to look for it. 

LOOK FOR IT! haha I had to take my own advice. So I made a goal to recognize God's hand in every day! 

MIRACLES! It is everywhere!!

As we were walking on campus we had a girl stop us and she was like HEY where is the church at. We were like in shock because no one comes up to us haha. Turns out she is a member and hasn't been to church in a long time and wants to come. As we looked at this experience the timing was PERFECT! Everything lined up so that we could be in the same spot she was at the same time. 

Talking about God's perfect timing some times things happen that don't make sense to us at this moment. For example we were teaching this guy who was so Solid!! He was asking the best questions. He is Chinese and they don't grow up learning about God. Most the time when we bring up Jesus Christ with them , they laugh because that is not something that is talked about among their people. So as we were teaching him he was taking it all in. He said that he realized that to enter God's kingdom you have to be humble so then he asks, "How can I be more humble?" WHAT?? Who is this guy? 

the last lesson we had with him he informed us that he can no longer meet because his parents would dis own him. He was so hurt. I just wanted to cry for him. He didn't understand how his own parents could do that to their own son. My heart was breaking. He was embarrassed and very hurt. He thanked us for teaching him about God and how to pray. He said that he was going to continue reading the Book of Mormon and hopefully one day his parents hearts would be softened. 

This lesson was one of the saddest lessons I have been apart of. I have always grown up with  believing in God and Jesus Christ. These people are spiritually starving and they want this knowledge. They love how it makes them feel and they want more. This is something I really take for granted. It is something that I have been given freely. 

God's timing is interesting. Sometimes seeds just need planted so that they may grow and flourish later. You never know the end of the story in the beginning. You have to keep reading. I can't wait to see how this story unfolds. I know it will include lots of miracles.

I am loving serving on Campus! People are so kind! We went out in the weird rain/humid/ cold stuff haha it was a weird weather you only experience in Michigan! The main thing is that it was cold. People still stopped and talked to us for a good 10-15 minutes! We just put our umbrella over them and we had good conversations. I was impressed! 

It is really like serving a foreign mission without having to learn a language haha. I have talked to people from Brazil, China, Japan, France, Mexico, and of course the U.S. haha it is really interesting to learn more about different beliefs in different countries. I know that God is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever! He is our loving Heavenly Father and he wants all his Children to hear the gospel! 

I hope you all have a fabulous week and know that I love you and appreciate all you do for me!! 

SAIL ON!

​I have gained a whole new knowledge of what it means to SHINE and to SHARE YOUR LIGHT! This is not something you just do when you feel like it. It is constant. A lot of the time we don't even realize we are doing it. Sharing your light is simple as being an example and being the best you can be. God recognizes the simple things and he appreciates all you do. I don't think we give ourselves enough credit for what we do. 

 

Sometimes our best it up here

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sometimes our best is down here

God appreciates both because we are giving our best. We know and God knows so it does not matter what anyone else says!! 

This has been a really short week haha I don't have much to say! We are having P-day today because Elder Wilford Andersen is coming to speak to us on Monday!! YAY! And I have been asked to pray at the conference! Haha I am nervous I mean praying in front of a General Authority is a little intimidating! Haha as long as I do my best i am good right? haha time for me to take my own advice! ;) haha I am really excited he gave my favorite talk in General Conference! "The Music of the Gospel" It was fantastic! I can't wait! 

Transfer Calls are Sept 18th pray that I stay in Three Rivers! Haha I am not ready to leave! I know that whatever happens that it is inspired by God and he knows best!

I hope you all are enjoying school again! It is a fun time! I can't wait till all the leaves start turning here! It is going to be GORGEOUS!! 

I love you all and appreciate all your support! 

Have a fabulous week!(: 

Tune Your Heart

Drum roll please...... I have hit my 5 month mark!! I am truly amazed at how much I have changed and how much I have learned. The gospel is true and when you fully immerse yourself into it God shapes you into who he knows you can become. 

Some miracles of the week.

On Wednesdays we are in Sturgis which is about 35 minutes from Three Rivers and we were praying so hard to be effective missionaries while we were there. We were led to a members home and she was alone, her kids had been gone about a week. She was not expecting us so we caught her off guard when we showed up. We shared a message with her and then left. On Sunday she came up and thanked us for stopping by. She said she didn't realize how sad she was and that we really helped her. It was incredible. God knows His children and he knows what their needs are. 

JOSEPH CAME TO CHURCH!! We have been trying to get him to come to church for a very long time and it finally happened. It was really funny. People saw him and they were like "Hey who's investigator is that? Is it the Elders or the Sisters?" I took a look at him and I was like I have no clue who that is. I looked again and I was like hold up that is Joseph!!  You see he always wears a bandanna and so I have never seen his head. He looks a lot different. He even wore a white shirt and tie. I was so impressed. Prayers have been answered. He loved church. I could tell he felt the spirit. We showed him the font and he made the comment that it had a special feeling about it. He also said that we have a lot to talk about on Tuesday when we meet. I am so excited for him. MIRACLE! PURE MIRACLE! 

I got the opportunity to sing in church with Nicolle Ritchie! I just love her! and Shayna Petersen accompanied us! It was so fun! I only got to practice 3 times so that was intimidating. BUT the spirit filled in! I could feel the spirit so strong while we were singing! I love being able to share my talents. I know that I was given them for a reason so I love it when I have opportunities to share. People loved it too. We got lots of compliments and someone even wants to record us.

Brother Garners viewing was yesterday and the funeral was this morning. It was sad but really cool to see how many lives he truly touched. He was an incredible individual! I have really been thinking about how short life is. When I was little my Sister Kaysha used to tell me some wise words that I have never forgotten. "Life is to short to be mad." (I used to have quite the temper) I may not have applied them the best in my life at that time but I feel like the words are sinking in. We have got to be the best we can in this life and we are meant to have joy so Life is too short to be anything but happy! 

Also, I have been thinking about how people tend to treat life like a contest. It is not. This is a team sport and we are all here to work together. There is not a occupancy limit it Heaven. So why not help everyone as much as we can so we can all get there? 

Well, thanks for tuning into another week with Sister Young(: I am still loving my mission and learning so much! I appreciate all your prayers and support! I hope you are all having a fabulous week! I love you all!!