I'm a Missionary!!

Hello, you attractive, intelligent, charming, wonderful person, you!
As you may have guessed (or been told, most likely by myself) this is the blog in which my weekly letters home during my 18 months as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in California, San Fernando will be posted. And I get to speak Spanish, no less! I get to email home once a week to family and can write snail mail to everyone else. I hope they'll be at least marginally entertaining, but more than anything I hope to share some really wonderful experiences with you as well as my understanding and love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
During these next 18 months, I will primarily be teaching about my church, it's doctrines and practices, though I will have ample opportunity to be involved in service projects, most likely teach English classes, and generally uplift and love the people of California. As a missionary, I am a representative of Jesus Christ and I can't think of anyone whose message and love I would rather share. He has changed my life in a million different ways and continues to help me change for the better.
So, to get this whole blog thing rolling, here is a letter that I actually wrote a while ago. For my Missionary Prep class, we were to write a letter to a non-member, explaining 6 principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had a specific person in mind when I wrote it, and I honestly can't remember if I actually sent it to him, but I had a lot of divine help with it and I think it's worth sharing. It might read a little stiffly in some parts because of the assignment requirements, but I hope you enjoy the central messages.

Dear .,
We’ve been talking a lot about religion lately, and some of the things you have said have really struck a chord with me. It feels as though every time you mention something that you’re looking for or a concern about spirituality, I look at the same aspect in my life and how it is addressed. Inevitably, it always turns out that my religion and the perspective and understanding it has afforded me gives me an answer to that concern. I know you have known quite a few Mormons before, but if I may, I would really like to explain a few basic doctrines of my church that may not have been shared or obvious from observation of your other LDS friends lives, or even my life.
1.God as Our Father- A few weeks ago when I asked you what it was that interested you so much in religion, you told me something to the effect that you saw that your friends who had religion in their lives had a sense of belonging and that you wanted to have that for yourself. For me the most basic principle that gives way to all others and allows me to make sense of, truly, everything in the world is that God is my Heavenly Father. He is the Father of our spirits and gave us the opportunity to be born into this life to learn and to grow. Just like an earthly father, He knows us individually, though better than we could ever imagine. He watches over us, cares for us (often much more than we realize) As I have come to understand my role as His daughter, I have wanted more than anything to live up to His expectations for me and trust that even though I may not understand why I have certain challenges, traits, or opportunities, all of these things have a purpose. Being able to trust that my life is in God’s hands gives me the greatest comfort. Knowing that I am a child of God also gives me confidence that I need to do and be my best each moment. One of the presidents of our church said, “it should stir within the heart of every man and woman a greater appreciation for himself or herself as a son or daughter of God. Paul’s words to the Corinthian Saints are as applicable to us today as they were to those to whom he wrote. Said he: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
2. Agency- In order to adequately learn and grow to become more like our Father, we have to be able to choose for ourselves. Like you and I talked about a while ago, parents give their children true principles to live by that will maximize happiness and prevent a vast majority of physical and emotional harm; things like honesty, patience, or “don’t stick a fork in the toaster.” So, too, does Heavenly Father give us principles like that, though His have a far more lasting impact. We have to use our agency to choose what we want for ourselves in our lives. To have so many options available is an incredible gift but we must exercise our agency according to the principles that our Father has taught us. In the Book of Mormon, it explains agency in these simple terms: “And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free. He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you . Thankfully, God has also given us a guide who, through promptings, feelings, and sometimes even a still, small voice, will help us to know Heavenly Father’s will for us and aid us in obeying it. Elder Spencer J. Condie, another leader of our church describes this guide: “He will not usurp or override our moral agency, but when given an invitation, his Spirit will augment and accelerate our agency. When the Spirit, the gift of the Holy Ghost, is given a chance to influence us, decisions become easier and despair dissipates as solutions to our challenges become clearly evident.” Our Father wants us to return to Him, having utilized the opportunities and resources around us to become our best selves, and our free agency allows us to do just that.
3. Atonement- Since we do not always use our agency wisely and do things that lead us further from our Father, and since “no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom” , we are in need of a Savior to pay for our sins so that we may become right with the God’s law and be reunited with Him. This payment that Jesus Christ wrought is called the Atonement and is conditional upon our repentance. “Ever and always it offers amnesty from transgression and from death if we will but repent. Repentance is the escape clause in it all. Repentance is the key with which we can unlock the prison from inside. We hold that key within our hands, and agency is ours to use it.” The Atonement not only allows us to be set right with God, it also enables us to become more like our Savior, a perfect being who is kind, just, powerful, merciful, and more than anything, loving. Jesus Christ, our elder brother, has given us this incredible gift and like the quote from earlier says, it is our choice to use it.
4. Personal Revelation- The Holy Ghost, as our guide through our lives, can help you to know of truth. This isn’t just “yes, I stole your shoes” truth, this is life-changing, earth-shaking, feel-it-in-your-bones truth that makes everything clear and maximizes your potential to become closer to Father. As God’s children, we have a right to this truth and we can gain access to it by praying to know of it. In the New Testament, it says, “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him,” . You have told me that you have prayed before but have never really gotten answers. In my experience, answers rarely come in the form we expect them to. As was said earlier, the Holy Ghost works through feelings and promptings and it is sometimes very difficult to hear or feel those impressions if we are not sensitive to the Spirit. “Even though we have a right to his constant companionship, the Spirit of the Lord will dwell only with us when we keep the commandments. He will withdraw when we offend him by profanity, uncleanliness, disobedience, rebellion, or other serious sins.” The Lord will teach us through our experiences with other people as well as the truths He has already given us, namely the scriptures and revelations given through prophets. We can use the Holy Ghost to verify that the things we have experienced, heard, and studied are truths that our Father would have us know and make use of in our daily lives. The key is prayer. Constant communication with God will allow us to gain access to those truths as well as the feelings of peace and comfort that accompany the Holy Ghost.
5. Modern Prophets- God has always used prophets to communicate His will to His children. There was a period of deviance from the truth, which we call the Apostasy, when prophets and apostles (special witnesses of Christ) no longer preached and testified of the nature of God as our Eternal Father, of Christ or his Atonement, or the saving ordinances and principles such as repentance, baptism, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. With the Restoration through Joseph Smith, such truths were brought back and prophets and apostles once again reveal Father’s will concerning His children. Yes, individuals may receive revelation to know specific truths in regards to their lives, but as I also said before, He expects us to make use of the resources already given, and if God has put forth the effort to prepare, call, and support a prophet, then we must likewise put forth the effort to listen to what he has to say. History is riddled with accounts of good men and women who try their very best to understand the scriptures and figure out how and why they should apply the lessons taught therein to their everyday lives, which is why there are so very many slightly different versions of the Bible. “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” God tells his prophets exactly how He wants His will to be carried out by His people and we can know if what he says is true by the Holy Ghost. “Prophets, seers, and revelators teach the word of God in clarity that all His children may benefit and be blessed through obedience to their teachings. ” If complete obedience and trust in God is the ideal, we may practice by listening, trusting, and obeying the words of his prophets.
6. Book of Mormon- Just as the Bible is the record of God’s faithful children in the Old World, the Book of Mormon is a record of His dealings with His children in the New World. It is a compilation of the writings of ancient American prophets and their experiences in living the commandments of God. The Book of Mormon contains true principles that will bless the lives of all those who live them faithfully. There are explanations of Heavenly Father’s purposes for things like the Fall of Adam, baptism, prayer, trial and hardship, scripture, the atonement, and countless others. Most importantly, it contains an account and testimony of Jesus Christ, his ministry, his atoning sacrifice, and his visit to the Americas. It contains the fullness of the good news of Christ’s gospel. “The Book of Mormon brings men to Christ through two basic means. First, it tells in a plain manner of Christ and His gospel. It testifies of His divinity and of the necessity for a Redeemer and the need of our putting trust in Him. It bears witness of the Fall and the Atonement and the first principles of the gospel, including our need of a broken heart and a contrite spirit and a spiritual rebirth. It proclaims we must endure to the end in righteousness and live the moral life of a Saint. Second, the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time.” Moroni, the son of the book’s compiler and namesake, pleads with everyone who reads it to put it to the test through prayer; “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” I have done so, independent of my parents, teachers, and friends, and I know that it is true. I know that it is the word of God. It encourages me every day and also teaches me how to live my life in such a way that I can feel closer to my Father and know that He is proud of me. I find comfort, joy, wisdom, and peace in its words. Every time I read, I feel a greater measure of Father’s and Christ’s love for me and know that I can do anything through them. It is truly amazing to me and I am so grateful for the knowledge of the truth that lifts and inspires me.
This is what I know. I feel it. I love it.
I hope you can feel even a small portion of the happiness that my religion has brought me and I pray that you will find the same joy for yourself, because I know that you are my brother, just as I know God is our Father and that He loves us. I leave my testimony of all of these things in the name of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen. Allison

So there you are. I am a missionary because I love the things taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It has brought me immeasurable joy and comfort throughout my life and I feel confidence and peace for the future because of those same teachings. I want to share that joy with people around me because I love them. Because I love you. You're worth it.