The dream team!!!!

My two companions and Tara Miller who is my favorite recent convert EVER. Love her!!!!

It's officially cold. It is rumored to be one of the coldest winters in Missouri history. We’re talking, Mississippi River freezing over cold! I'm kidding... but I wouldn't be surprised. If things started going the way I WANTED them to go, I might actually think that something was seriously wrong. Haha. Heavenly Father had many great purposes in sending me to Missouri. That I might be able to feel and understand all that the early saints had to go through. Now I just have to work on adjusting my attitude to that of the early saints because I HATE the cold. Pray for me!

This week I found some great scriptures in 2Corinthians 12. Paul is speaking about this "Thorn in the flesh." THIS HARDSHIP he cannot get rid of. How exhausting! And he is tired of dealing with it. So he PRAYS, he PLEADS that it would depart from him. And not just once, THREE TIMES! He must have been pretty desperate. Oh boy... but THEN the answer comes. "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." The Savior is enough. Paul asks for the burden to be taken, and he is told, "Grace." Joseph Smith sitting in the PITS of Liberty Jail after being in that cold dark place for 110 days is told, "Peace." Me? Lately the answers to my prayers have been, "It's going to be okay." no. Not lately, always. haha. From the first time I received an answer from my Heavenly Father, the answer was, "Its going to be okay." and I have no idea what that means... But it's interesting as I pondered that scripture in Corinthians that I came to a great conclusion. That the gospel does NOT protect us from pain and it doesn’t always make the bad things go away, but it gives us perspective to deal with it. None of us are very welcome to change, or hardship... but we have to get over it. So the savior would not take away the thorn from Paul's flesh... but yet his grace IS sufficient. Isn’t it? I’m grateful for the testimony that I have of the savior and all that he has done for me. That the answer, "Its going to be okay," really is enough sometimes. For I declare as did Paul, "For when I am weak, THEN am I strong." I'm becoming strong. day by day. I’m learning that I'm a lot stronger than I think I am.

Missionary work is crazy. Any of you who have been missionaries understand. The ups and downs. The miracles and disappointments... yet in the midst of it all it goes forth boldly nobly and independent...

The work in Liberty 2nd ward is great. And my companions are my angels. I love them both so much and am grateful to be serving with them. We are the dream team!!!!

Love you all at home, hope it was a great week for all of you!

-jessica rose