Holy Temple, Hallowed Walls

I had the amazing opportunity to go through the Rexburg Temple on Saturday, January 25th, 2014 and receive my endowments!! Absolutely incredible!!!! My personal testimony has been strengthened through feeling of Heavenly Father's love for me and all of His children. I can feel Christ's love for me also; I know the only reason it is possible for me to go through the temple is because He was willing to suffer and die for me. The atonement not only created a way for us to get back to Heavenly Father, but a way to make covenants with Him. Everything I've learned from when I was baptized to when I graduated high school seminary has prepared me for the temple. The temple is the Lord's house. Satan's influence is not accepted in the temple because of sacredness and peacefulness. "This world is not the real world. The honest, true real world is inside the temple." The temple is a world of peace and happiness beyond our happiest dreams. A couple days before the temple, I got a terrible rash all over my face. And I could feel my attitude and spirit slowly cripple under the temptation to not attend the temple. The VERY day I was so blessed to go to the temple, I could feel Satan try to convince to cancel and just not go because my rash had gotten so bad. I turned to my scriptures and prayed for the temptation to go away. I found John 3:30. "He must increase, but I must decrease." Yes, this day was the biggest day of my life, but it really is about growing closer to Heavenly Father and strengthening my relationship with Him. I am so thankful for the holy temple and its hallowed walls. The true Spirit of God is there and can be felt anywhere if we strive to stand in holy places, even if we physically stand alone, spiritually, we are never alone. I testify of His love and His gospel and His want for all of us to return to Him. I cannot wait to spread His light, life, love, and laughter to all. He is the Supreme Being of our bodies and spirits. He wants to be close to us and us to Him so much, He gave us a temple. Through prayer, scripture reading, and attending the temple, we can be so close to Him, it almost feels like He is right next to us. But, in reality, He really is. I testify of this work. I testify of His love. I testify of Him.

Love Always,
Sister Vande Merwe

Marriage or Mission?

A friend of mine asked me the other day, "What if you fall madly in love with someone before you leave?" Well, friend, that would be awesome! Love is amazing! Especially when it is a Godly love that is true, honest, virtuous, deep, kind, and selfless. Because if it was that kind of love, he would have the willingness to wait for me while I serve a full time mission, and I would have the faith he would wait. Love should never be held back. In the past 4 months, I've known 3 girls who had their mission call and were ready to leave, but was given the wonderful and beautiful opportunity to go to the temple with the love of their lives instead! I think that is so awesome! But, to be quite honest, that certainly isn't for me. Marriage is great and all... But, it's a MISSION. I get to SERVE THE LORD. For 18 months!!! IN ENGLAND!!!! I have been given this opportunity that is just as wonderful and beautiful as marriage!! Marriage is such an adventure! But, my mission is an adventure that I need AND want to experience! And I KNOW that a mission is perfect for marriage prep. You are living with someone you've never lived with before. You spend every single moment with them. You need to make decisions together. You work as a team. And not only that, you work with several companions that are all totally different! Some may be similar to you and some may be completely opposite of you! Throughout the 18-24 months you serve, you have dealt with and served with and lived with and ate with and trifled with and got along with many different kinds of people. And if you give your will to Heavenly Father, He helps you love each and every one of those different personalities. Sometimes it's not easy to love someone, and sometimes it's extremely easy to love someone. I feel this is perfect when finding someone to marry... Because you have learned how to cope with and get along with so many different personalities, you will have the will (blessed by Heavenly Father) to be able to marry any kind of personality. And I know some people might disagree with me. But, it just seems logical to me. It's funny I'm talking about eternal marriage because one of the reasons I wanted to serve a mission was because of my eternal family. I felt and feel so blessed to have an eternal family. And I want EVERYONE to have that chance! For about 6 months before I got my papers in (which is an awesome that I will share with you later) I didn't want to serve a mission. I didn't feel it was right for me anymore. (Back in July I was set and then the desire kind of went away. Another story I'll share later.) I felt I was ready for a relationship that would eventually lead to marriage. That's what I wanted. But, there were times I'd lay in my bed guilt ridden, thinking to myself, "Isn't unfair that you stay home and start YOUR eternal family, when there are people out there who have no idea that they have the chance to spend the rest of their natural and spiritual lives with their families?" I felt terrible that I wasn't spreading the message of eternal families. But, the desire to serve just wasn't there! Until Monday, December 9th 2013. The day before, after months of not doing so, I finally paid a full tithe. And for days and weeks and months during my "I hope they DON'T call me on a mission" phase, I kept getting the prompting, "ALLY. PAY YOUR FLIPPING TITHING." That morning when I was rushing to take care of some sick children, (I was babysitting over night) I kept getting the prompting to go to the ATM before church and get the money to pay tithing. So, with a rushed and rather bad attitude, I got the money and paid my tithing. No peace. No desire. Then the next morning during my Life of Christ institute class, POW. "Ally, you NEED to serve a mission. I know you don't want to, but I need you to." I still didn't want to serve, but I knew I needed to. I called my bishop and the next Sunday, December 15th, 2013, I got my mission papers in. And then, Thursday, December 26th, 2013, I was called to the England London South Mission. Marriage is WONDERFUL! A mission is WONDERFUL! Anything and everything you do that has you with mindset on the Lord is WONDERFUL! I cannot wait to serve the people of England and tell them there is Someone Who loves them VERY much. And He loves you.

Ready to be Worthy

I have noticed every time I read my call, my desire grows more and more. I know my worthiness to be a missionary isn't just determined just when I'm in the mission field, but RIGHT NOW during the preparation to be a servant of the Lord. I can feel the adversary work on me and make me feel unworthy to serve. It brings to my mind: if he is trying so hard to keep me from a mission, there must be a very glorious work for me to do. And when you think about it, none of us are worthy. We are all imperfect and human. But, we have a glorious blessing of the Atonement! Sometimes I think, "Lord, do You really trust me with this kind of work? I've sinned A LOT. Are You sure you want ME to do this?" A wise sponge once said, "I'M READY! I'M READY! I'M READY!" (I was a Spongebob Squarepants kiddo..) And he's right. I'M READY TO SERVE THE LORD!! I am ready to brighten people's days with the love of the Lord! I am ready to change my life and daily routine to revolve ALL AROUND the Lord! I am ready to endure to the end! I am ready to be worthy! I am ready to serve! I love reading my call; it provides the peace that I have been entrusted with a glorious work. 
       
“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” 
       -Joseph Smith. 

People of England, here comes Sister Vande Merwe!

Scripture Reading

Over the past few months, I try to memorize a different scripture each week. Today, I read a scripture that really changed the way I look at my mission. Alma 34:8-9. "And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon Him the transgressions of His people, and that He shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it. For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made." I am not preaching and teaching just about Christ coming 2,000 years ago to the Americas. I am preaching and teaching about Christ coming again. I am not spreading the story of Christ atoning for our sins, pain, guilt, and weight. I am spreading the good word that He is STILL atoning and carrying our sins, pain, guilt, and weight. I almost see this story I'm telling and this story yet to be written as a happy ending to a lovely fairy tale. Some people got into trouble; and the super hero, the knight in shining armor, the person with more courage and compassion than anyone else stepped up to the plate and saved everyone. Christ is our super hero, He is the knight in shining armor, and He has and always will have more courage, compassion, grace, will, and heart than any of us. I hunger to spread His story and His word to EVERYONE in London, England. I pray daily for the members I will be serving with in England. And I pray for those I will be teaching for their hearts to be softened. I pray for my future companions that we will have the energy and grace needed to serve Heavenly Father. I pray for my mission president and his wife (President and Sister Millar) that they have the energy to serve with all the wonderful missionaries in England. I pray for my family and friends that are like family that I may support them in their trials and bad days while being 5,000 miles away. I pray for myself and this time of preparing that I may become more like Heavenly FatherWe are His children. He loves us. He loves us so much, He was willing to give His Son, Jesus Christ. He is our Brother. He is everlasting. London, Sister Vande Merwe is coming in 2 months, 4 weeks, 13 hours, 28 minutes, and 27 seconds. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

Attitude

I saw The Saratov Approach last night with a very good friend of mine. Both of us are preparing for our missions. When we were going into the movie theater, I felt as if I was going to leave with a fear of going on my mission. Well, at least until one of the LDS missionaries, Elder Tuttle, bore his testimony of why he left his life to make a life for the Lord. He had never wanted to serve a mission; he had made the decision not to serve long before he had reached the age to serve. The person he told was his father; his dad was neither angry or sad. I'm sure he was disappointed, but Elder Tuttle described it as, "Son, I'll always love you no matter what choice you make." And then Elder Tuttle quoted Luke 22:42 of when Christ suffered for all His brothers and sisters feeling alone and forsaken. The Savior says, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." Elder Tuttle learned the Savior didn't want to suffer and sacrifice Himself for thousands of people He didn't even know. But, He did because He knew the plan would be nothing without His suffering. He did it because the Lord needed the Savior to suffer in order for all of us to be saved. Elder Tuttle didn't want to serve. But, He did because our Father in Heaven needed and wanted Him to. I know I need to serve a mission. And not just for the people I will be serving, but because of the perfectly imperfect man I will be sealed to for time and all eternity. Because of the beautiful souls we will bring into this world and raise to love the Lord. Because of the generations we as a family will establish. I know serving my mission in the England London South mission is going to not only bless myself and my family right now, but the family I will have in the future. This mission is going to bless generations and generations of families, even if giving a simple smile to someone walking on the same side of the road and my companion and I. My mom has told me several times I should not want to baptize everyone I come upon; my only goal every minute of every hour of every day of my whole life, especially on my mission, should be to simply brighten the days of others. We are converted into this church when we are baptized by immersion. But, we are truly converted spiritually into the gospel and love of Christ when the kindness of others inspires hope within us. The hope and love of Christ. Kindness isn't a personality trait. It is a gift from Christ. He was the original maker of true and utter grace and kindness. Christ isn't just a real and true being, but the symbol of hope and second chances. The world will never tell you, "Give second chances like they are worth a penny." But, Christ has a second, third, fourth, fifth, and infinity and beyond chance for each and every one of us. 

London, England!!!

This is the London, England Temple. I am so excited to serve the Lord. I am going to be in one of the greatest cities in the world doing the greatest work in the universe. 3 months, 5 days, 15 hours, 40 minutes, and 47 seconds left until I report to the Provo MTC. <3 Excited to the max!!! This work is true and good! We are not called to tell people what they are doing wrong in their lives. We are called to tell people the beautiful potential they have. We are not called to bring happiness to peoples' lives. We are called to bring people to the Lord who then perfects their lives with a perfect happiness. Life is so much better when you put your faith in the Lord and let Him lead you to the life you had no idea you had the potential of living.