Past 3 Months!

Well, Elder Baldwin has made it through 1/8 of his mission already! Time has flown by, not only for me, but for him as well I'm sure! He seems to be so lost in the work of the Lord, it is wonderful. He is learning and growing every day in Peru.

Communication is harder now since he is so far away, but I have sent 3 letters and will continue to send them. I know it's harder for him to send them back my way because he is so busy... It's hard some days, but I'm glad! It shows me how dedicated he is to his mission, which is exactly what he should be dedicated to, and focused on. :)

I miss my best friend, but... I know he's doing well which brings me comfort and his family as well I'm sure!

Everyone continues to be amazed and proud of Kevin. :)

Hooray for 3 months!

Updates!

Elder Baldwin is now officially out of the MTC and serving as a full time missionary in Lima, Peru! From what I have heard he is loving it! The people are kind, his surroundings are beautiful, and he is experiencing something new and amazing every day!

However... With every mission comes those little road bumps. Kev got sick from most likely eating or drinking something funky. :( Poor guy! He couldn't even go out with his companion for a while because of how sick he was. Luckily he is feeling better and out and about again! I also heard that he forgot his pin number and the machine ate his card! Uh oh... And then a few days later it happened to his companion too?! Double uh oh. Hopefully that all got worked out too though. :)

In a letter to his family Kevin explained that he gets called a "Gringo" a lot... Which is a name for a "white guy" down in South America! HAHA. He also talked about how he gets hit on a lot! Apparently the peruvian ladies think he is quite the stud! Hmm... They must have excellent taste in men. Hahaha! I better watch out. ;) No but... His family said it was pretty funny to hear about! Apparently Kevin didn't quite understand what was happening when he was being hit on in a bus... So he just kindly went along with it... I can assume probably just nodding his head and smiling. Hahaha. :) His companion who I believe is a native had to explain to him afterwards what had just gone on. Kevin's spanish is good, but there's still work to be done on it!

Unfortunately I haven't gotten letters in a little over a month because of how much more inconvenient it is with him being so far away. It's about $1.10 to send a letter, and no guarantees that it will even reach whoever you're sending mail to. I have sent three letters so far, so fingers crossed they all get to him! I'm sure it's also hard for him to write since he is so busy... Which I am glad that he is. :) He's focused and ready to serve! Woohoo. :)

Everyone is so proud of him. He is and will continue to do great things. :)

Trust In the Lord

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct thy paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6

Let me just start off by saying that being apart from someone that you love so much is hard... But it's even harder when they write you and tell you that you can only be friends... But that's not where it stops. It gets even harder when you find out that you can't email them and you have to write them to tell them that emailing has to stop... Even if that means not hearing from them often or even at all... South America has an unreliable mailing system, not to mention stamps are expensive. None of this gets easier with people telling you that there's a possibility that he could meet a sister missionary while he's gone... Yeah, ok, you get it. It hasn't been easy these past two months. In fact, there have been times when I didn't feel that I could take it anymore.

But if there's one thing that I've learned it's that my Heavenly Father would never give me any challenge that he didn't know I was strong enough to overcome. Not to mention he aids me in getting through whatever challenges come into my life by placing tender mercies for me along the way. 

All of these struggles have made me realize a few things... One, anything worth having is worth waiting for, fighting for, and never giving up on. Yeah, with the circumstances that I have the world would tell me it's a hopeless cause... That it will never work out. Good thing we are taught to disregard the thoughts that the world tries to feed to us. I know that if this is God's will that Kevin and I end up together... Then it will happen. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind. Another thing I have realized... There will always be people or things that act as "challenges" to overcome. Whether these challenges are people who are being negative towards you or your missionary, or the world telling you no, you can't do it, this is impossible... Or even physical barriers such as an unreliable mailing system. These challenges will always be present. Not only in the specific circumstances but in life in general. We were placed on this earth knowing that it was a test... We all knew that it wouldn't be easy. Especially in times such as now when the world is becoming increasingly more wicked. However, one of the final more dominant realizations that I came to was that our Heavenly Father cares for us more than we can comprehend and will never leave us alone as long as we allow him to be present in our lives. It's so important to at times of struggle and perhaps suffering to instead of turning away from God as the world might tell us to do, to turn to Him. Run into his arms and pour your soul out to Him. He knows exactly what we are feeling. He sent his son, our Savior, Jesus Christ to atone for our sins. He has already felt every emotion that we've ever had, paid the price for our sins, and mourned and suffered through every pain and trial that we have and ever will experience. He wants to be there for us, to comfort and guide us. He wants us to be happy and to feel loved. Always. Of this I testify because I have felt His love and His hand in my life. 

I just want to say that these past few months have in no way been easy for me. They've been some of the hardest months that I think I have ever experienced. However, they have truly made me more mature, understanding, compassionate, and strong. I know that I was chosen to face these struggles because I need them. I need to experience them and grow with every struggle that might come from these 24 months. I am nervous... But I am ready. 

I know that Heavenly Father has a perfect and complete plan for me. I know that I can do this. I know that His plans for me are what will make me the happiest that I can be here on earth. 

To anyone who may be reading this, stay strong, keep your head up, and keep moving forward. Things won't be easy, but they'll be worth it. Hold to the rod, and never be afraid to ask for help because your plea will never be rejected. 

<3

God Gave Me You

"God gave me you for the ups and downs, God gave me you for the days of doubt." -Blake Shelton

Today i was at a youth fireside and they were talking about missionary work during parts of it... We watched a video of a bunch of young women who hiked 15 miles to get to the temple... This really touched me because they were willing to walk so far to get to the place where they knew they wanted to be... There were girls who had special needs, girls who were injured, etc. It was very touching to see them all working together to reach their goal... When they got there they all said that they knew that the temple was where they HAD to be... Nothing else made them happier.

Throughout this whole video I was just thinking about Kev. I was thinking about how he was serving the Lord and how he was bringing people the gospel... And how they would then be able to experience the blessings of the temple. I was also thinking about how I also know that the temple is somewhere I always want to be worthy of being. I want to be married in the temple and I would be the luckiest girl on earth to experience that with Kev. :) I know that whatever is meant to be will be.

I have been listening to the song "God Gave Me You" as well today... I have replayed it at least 10 times. Whenever I hear this song I just feel grateful that God gave me Kevin. I know that I was blessed to have him come into my life... And God really did give me Kevin so that we could share the happiness of good days, and also so that he could help me through my harder ones. God blessed me with someone who would help me through all of my doubts and push away my fears.

I am so grateful for Kevin because he has truly been my best friend and support... and it's days like today when I am especially humbled and realize that I have God to thank for everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlwysjDZ4c8

Lock Your Heart

"LOCK YOUR HEARTS and leave the key at home!" -Spencer W. Kimball

The quote above comes from a talk by Spencer W. Kimball about missionary work. I found this talk because my friend Felicia Campbell showed Kevin and I before he left. The talk focuses on the fact that missionaries should be focused solely on Christ and emulating his will. President Kimball proceeds to share of some unfortunate incidents where missionaries were opening up to things not of Christ, were sent home, and even excommunicated. 

As you know, this week I was "written off" and it was a very hard and confusing situation for me. I was in a bad place and I was in need of comfort and enlightenment. Well, just goes to show that when we pray to God he will always hear and answer us; I received exactly what I needed.

Elder Baldwin was able to write me and tell me exactly what I needed to hear. He apologized profusely for not explaining properly beforehand and gave clarification as to what he had meant with the previous letter. He explained to me, and referred back to this talk, that he was "locking his heart" but that he was giving me the key. He told me that this key was mine, and mine alone, to keep safe until he got home from serving his 2 years. He continued to explain that he loved me, missed me, and wanted a future with  me, but that all of that would have to be set on the back burner until he was home... This way he could focus solely on the Lord and his mission. 

Not only was this exactly what I needed to hear, but it made me so proud of him! This truly showed me what an amazing man Kevin is. He has grown so much in just the short time he has been out and I know he will continue to progress in leaps and bounds. I am truly so blessed with such an amazing man who loves and willingly serves the Lord. 

I will keep the key to his heart safe, and I will be the support he needs on this two year mission of his. :)

I will also leave the link to the talk so that anyone who wants to read it will be able to. It's a great talk, and it has blessed both Kevin and I.

http://missionaryhelper.com/talks/lockheart.html

Keep Your Head Up.

"When life gets too hard to stand, kneel." -President Gordon B. Hinckley

This week has proven to be difficult... However, whenever I feel down I just remember this quote given by former Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley.

This week I received one of the hardest letters I've ever had to read from Kevin... In this letter Kevin wrote me off.

Now, I know that this sounds bad and you may be thinking "well how could he?!" but he has good intentions. In the letter Kevin very kindly and genuinely explained that he was having trouble focusing and that he just needed to not have a girlfriend right now. He also expressed his concerns of "holding me back." Although this letter was hard to read, and I felt hurt... I know that he loves me and cares about me still. I can't imagine being a missionary and having to deal with such huge life adjustments so I tried to be supportive and understanding. I sent him a letter saying that I can understand where he's coming from, but also asked him to pray and make sure that this was his will and God's, and not someone else's. I have also been praying fervently and have had other amazingly wonderful people praying for me, and have felt some peace and comfort come over me.

I honestly do still believe that Kevin is the man for me. With every challenge that we have ever faced, we always just come out stronger; which is another reason I only want to be with him... We are able to not only make it through, but come out improved and stronger, things that are designed to tear people apart. I know that Kev is trying to be the best missionary he possibly can be, and I admire him for it. I know with all of my heart that this is not the end of our story. I know that we have much more to experience together, and I know that I can still give him my full support.

Part of loving someone is putting their needs before your own... Because their happiness essentially becomes your own.

I know that everything will work out as planned, and that this is just another thing that we must face. I know that no matter how alone or weak I may feel, that I am truly never ever alone and that God makes weak things into strong things.

Through Christ all things are possible. Take comfort in that, and never forget it.

<3

The Bridge Builder

This week in one of Kevin's letters he sent me some of his notes. On these notes were some things he found touching... Including a poem called "The Bridge Builder" by Will Allen Dromgoole. Kev then proceeded to ask me to ponder this poem and tell him what I thought of... As you read through this poem, I would encourage you to ponder it as well and interpret it for yourself.

After reading through this poem a couple of times I came up with my own personal interpretation and was able to share my thoughts with Kevin. Here is the excerpt from the letter I wrote him regarding this beautiful poem.

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and deep and wide.

Through which was flowing a sullen tide

The old man crossed in the twilight dim,

The sullen stream had no fear for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day,

You never again will pass this way;

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followed after me to-day

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”

"So I re-read the poem you sent me called "The Bridge Builder" and I started to tear up! I just really pondered it and I have figured out what it means.. At least to me. This poem is about pure love and charity. The old man to me was representative of Christ and how even though he was perfect and could have gone through his life without making that huge sacrifice for us, he did it anyways. He built that bridge for us. The bridge that he built was the atonement... Our way back to Heavenly Father; which means that we represent the youth that the old man is building the bridge for. Even though Christ could have easily made it back to Heavenly Father without suffering all of the pains that he did, he made that sacrifice, as the old man did in the poem, so that we could all make it back. After I thought of this, I realized that although Christ has made that bridge for us to cross... We must first find the bridge in order to get across it. You are now part of that process. You are sacrificing your time, giving of your love and knowledge, and you are helping God's children make it across that bridge that he has built for us. Kev... You are so important. Thank you so much for sharing this poem with me. It means so much to me now, and it truly was a blessing for me; not only just today, but every day. It shares such an important message, and is also very relevant seeing as it is the Christmas season. :)"

It is amazing how blessings come to us at times of need... Kevin obviously for some reason felt inspired to share these notes with me even if he didn't know why. Well, I have been having an extra hard week, and this is exactly what I needed. Just goes to show that the Lord knows each and every one of us personally and will never leave us feeling alone. He is always watching over us and blessing us whenever we allow him too.

Merry Christmas everyone, remember to keep the CHRIST in Christmas. :)