Hermana Tycksen was called to the TEXAS LUBBOCK MISSION, spanish speaking. She began her mission on April 22, 2015. She is currently serving in Carlsbad, NM.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Learning to STAND STILL



Hello m y dear family!

       Well, another week has come and gone. I'm still trying not to acknowledge it ;) This week was an adventure. We spent a lot of time trying to contact less-active members and we were higgly-piggly all over creation looking for their addresses ;) (That's a reference to a Disney movie) I am proud to say that I've come to know Lubbock pretty well--even when we got lost, we weren't really lost... Everyone is starting to come back to town for school. It hasn't started yet, but we're getting pretty close! We've seen so many miracles this week. It's amazing. There is a less-active member that we're working with right now that hasn't been to church in months, BUT yesterday she came! She has really turned a corner, and told us that her goal is the temple :D Yay! We've been working with an investigator named Jessica for a while now, but the funny thing is that we've only had two lessons with her in person. She left for Houston for the break, and we've been able to have lessons with her over the phone. She is so awesome! When we first contacted her, (she was a referral from some other sisters) she asked if we had any bible study classes. We told her that we did (Institute) but that it had just ended and would start up again with the new semester. She said she'd really like to come. So, then, we said "Well, we have church on Sunday, would you like to come to that??" We were so excited! She came, and she loved it, and then we met with her twice before she left for home. She's been reading the Book of Mormon ever since we gave her a copy, and she's now in Mosiah. She's defended the Church to her friends, and she said that she's starting to think that this is the one true church! :D We love her! She is amazing. Oh yes, and in Houston, she's been attending the YSA ward there and Institute as well. She's so great. 

      Lately I've gained a stronger testimony of "being still". This week I've had more anxiety filled days than not, but the amazing thing to me is that when I trust in the Spirit and in God, it just seems to melt away. I've always been somewhat of a control freak (sadly enough) and it's hard for me not to know exactly what is going on at exactly what time. So, I've been trying to figure out how to fix that while on my mission, because in the end, all it does is cause me stress. This morning, I had a "revelation" from the Spirit. It's hard to put into words, but basically, I was reminded of the scripture "Be still and know that I am God." I'm going crazy trying to control every little thing, and the whole time, Heavenly Father is sitting there, being the patient parent that He is, until I'm exhausted, and then He goes "Are you done? Okay, good. Here's what you actually need to do." :3 I've been humbled so many times in my mission. The concept of conversion is so simple on paper, but then you factor in our fallibility as humans and all of the mistakes we make (I know that personally I'm guilty of making a lot) and it becomes a whole lot more complicated. Trusting in the Lord is a lot like swimming in a river with a strong current. We think that we need to go upstream, or to the other bank, or wherever, and so we swim and swim until we're exhausted, but in reality, all we need to do is to float and trust God because His current (His Spirit) will take us exactly where He needs us to go. 

       President Nelson gave an incredible devotional yesterday, and something that stood out to me the most was something that he didn't say himself, but the Spirit brought it to my remembrance. The second point he talked about, "Expect and prepare to do impossible things" kind of freaks me out. How can I do impossible things? I know that with God all things are possible, but that's a daunting task. Then, the Spirit reminded me of a quote from Alice in Wonderland, where she says "Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast." Later, she lists those things, and it turns out that they're pretty small things. They're the things that we can't explain. The "Miracles" in our lives. So, I've decided to try that out this week, and here's impossible thing number one:
We have a Savior who suffered and died so that we would live. And it worked.

I know that He lives and that He loves us. This is His church, and we are His people.
I love you all so so much!
Have a happy day!

Love, Sister Tycksen


Me and Sister Matheson :)
My attempt at a selfie back during Christmas time

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