A year in the service of my Lord

Happy New Years! I can't believe 2017 has begun. Looking back.. 2016 will forever hold a special place in my heart as the full year I was serving as a full-time missionary. My life has been changed forever from my time here in Washington:) I am so grateful for the fire that purifies our hearts and helps us become like our Savior. I have a deeper understanding of Christ's love for us and I have walked just a few steps in His shoes.

We are teaching a man named Byron. He is very poor and lives in a run down old trainer. In fact the only run down trailer in like the whole Sunrise Ward, because everyone is rich. But he is the sweetest and most humble man. He loves when we come and teach him. It is so cool to here how God has helped him even through hard times. It is funny that we can never judge who is ready to accept the Gospel. 3 Nephi 18:32

Also Melvin is doing great! He is reading the Book of Mormon and has such a good understanding of it! He loves the Plan of Salvation, especially the Celestial Kingdom:) He says there are going to be waterfalls there haha. I am so excited to help him come to know who God is so much better! Sometimes as members of the Church we forget how much knowledge and understanding we are blessed to have. He is close to committing to be baptized:) Love him to death!

As I have been reflecting on this past year I just feel so happy that I chose to follow God's plan for me. I knew a mission would be hard, as it has, but it is the greatest experience of my life. I feel so much more prepared and equipped for the new adventures that lie ahead of me with school, marriage, and motherhood. People in this world are afraid of work, and hardship, and change. But that is God's tools for us to grow. Heat and pressure are necessary in order to become like Him. How could we possibly understand Christ's atonement if we didn't to some degree suffer as he did? If our world was perfect we wouldn't need Him. I am learning to be grateful for imperfection in myself and others. Mosiah 5:8 "there is no other name whereby salvation cometh." He is the only way. I am grateful everyday for Heavenly Father helping me finding myself by losing myself.

Your Sister in Christ,

Sister Northrup

Not spiritual story: On Sunday both of our wards cancelled church because a little inch of slushy snow on the ground hahahaha. Sister McCrae both feel they are pretty silly for that, but as we went out to procelyte the car wouldn't unlock. Well we left the lights on so the battery was dead. Plus our car is funky and didn't have a key hole visible. Brother Berg helped us try and figure it out. Finally we just youtubed it and found the secret key hole underneath a little cap you had to somehow get off. Quite the ordeal plus it was freezing haha, but after a little prayer we got the car going. Fun times!!