Learning Heaven

Hello my dear Family!!

Thanksgiving is around the corner, it's finally getting cold, and I just passed my seven month mark! Time is progressing way too fast! This week we were super blessed to be fed by members, even though our meal calendar didn't get signed up on. I am grateful that although we're in a YSA ward, the hearts of the members are so big and willing to help!

We were able to do so much service this week! We went and cleaned the temple on Friday. We cleaned the granite out front and the flowerbeds and benches on the side. And then Sister Harvey and I got to paint a cabinet! Brother Adams and Brother Stubbs are so funny to be around. Also, I don't know if I told y'all, but my first day in the mission, there was a couple that took me to Hobbs on the way to Roswell. Their names are the Brother and Sister Griffin, and I absolutely loved them! I got to see Brother Griffin again! He helps clean the temple. We also got to help hang some new pictures that came in to replace old ones that are faded. We went up to the roof of the temple again, and this time we got to go up just a little bit higher! Don't worry, we took pictures. :)

We did a lot of service at the Food bank this week too. On Saturday it was suuuper cold and so we were inside sorting cans and other food. They were all in these huge barrels, and so when they got low and it was hard to reach the cans at the bottom, one of the elders would lift up the barrel and dump it while we sorted the food. So, that happened with one of the barrels, but the cans were all in bags, so it was hard to get them out. I told the elder that they were all in bags, but he kept tipping the barrel more and more! To me it seemed like he just wasn't listening! Finally, the bags all fell out of the barrel and onto the floor. At this, he looked sheepish and said "Oh they're all in bags! I thought you said they were all in the back!" So, all of the missionaries laughed and both the elder and I felt pretty silly because of a simple miscommunication.

We've found a spanish speaking investigator! This was a wakeup call to me though because I have been seriously lax in my language study! SO, I studied in Spanish this morning for personal study and I actually learned a lot! It's amazing, but there are so many scriptures that mean so much more in Spanish than in English. One of them is D&C 88:25. It's actually the scripture I've chosen to ponderize this week, but I'm going to do it in Spanish! And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law—

For some reason, it means more to me in Spanish :) I love that it says "the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation". There was a conference talk this last October about filling the measure of your creation, and I thought of that talk as I read this scripture this morning. We are destined to be celestial beings, and the only way to reach that point is to learn the celestial law while here on earth. There's a quote from Brad Wilcox that says "We're not earning heaven, we're learning heaven." That is truly what we're doing on this earth!

I love you all so much and I hope you have a fantastic week!

Love from Texas,

Sister Tycksen