A sneak peek...

Of the glorious New England autumn! The leaves are beginning to turn, my friends. Soooo very excited...stay tuned! :-)

"Fishers of Men"

Today I spoke in my sacrament meeting, part of the worship services held each Sunday for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I've posted several church-related things before, but have not taken the opportunity to tell the world that 

I'm a Mormon!

I hope to begin using this blog to share more about my religion soon. If you would like to know more information about what I believe, these resources are a great start:

Mormon.org

LDS Church Homepage

The topic of our meeting today was missionary work - sharing the good news of Christ with others.

I've got a whole lot of room for improvement.

I centered my message around this beautiful story from the Bible:

 Matthew 4:18-22

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

 

I also referred to a talk by Marvin J. Ashton titled

Straightway

One of my favorite quotes he shared called me to action when applied to my own efforts to share the gospel:

"Straightway is a power word.  Straightway is an action word. It means immediately, without delay or hesitation. It means at once. Also, it is associated with having no curve or turn - a straight course, track, or path.  Procrastination would be the very opposite of straightway. To procrastinate is to put off intentionally and habitually something that should be done.  Procrastination is unproductive delay."

To me, being a "fisher of men" means that I am actively participating in God's work and glory, which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children (Moses 1:39).  It means I am doing my part to fulfill the mission of the church by preaching the gospel (through my words and actions), strengthening the saints (including myself), and redeeming the dead (especially my own family members who have gone before). It means I am striving to listen for and act on guidance from the Spirit to know how to best spend my time, talents, and resources in building the kingdom.

It means I am keeping my baptismal and temple covenants.

It means I am accepting the invitation to  
follow Christ.


What "nets" am I investing my precious time on earth trying to fill and mend? Are they worth it? Am I caught in knots of busyness or laziness? Am I getting tangled up in anxiety, fear, and insecurity? Do I have the faith to leave my worldly cares, trusting that God will magnify my efforts as I make building his kingdom my first priority?

I know Jesus Christ lives!  It is through him that all things are possible.  As I continue coming to know him as my personal savior and friend, that relationship will naturally result in an increased desire to share his light and love with those around me.  God, my Heavenly Father, has blessed me with a unique combination of gifts, talents, and characteristics that will allow me to connect with others and share the gospel with those in my sphere of influence.  He has a grand plan that involves each of his children and will place me where my service is most needed.  My responsibility is to follow the Spirit and trust that God's will is best for my eternal happiness.   

For of him unto whom much is given much is required...
Doctrine and Covenants 82:3 

  

sometimes

- adv
1. now and then; from time to time; occasionally

Sometimes, wishes come true. 
And those times, I must say, are glorious.

I spent last weekend on Prince Edward Island.  
This place was simple, charming, peaceful... and absolutely breathtaking.

I can't begin to tell you how many times my friend Andrea and I turned another corner and found ourselves again at a loss for words for the stunning beauty surrounding us. 

Pictures will never do it justice. However, we did take a few... Okay, several?... Alright, we took over 1,000. Join me for the journey! 

*Disclaimer: this post is long. And it looks a little...maybe a lot...like a photo shoot. Just know that when two camera-happy girls travel together to beautiful places, we can't help but try to capture ourselves enjoying them :-)

First, we drove through

Portland, Maine
and checked out the Head Light (what we could see of it anyway)

Then we took our time driving the
Coastal Route 1 

 

 

and stopped in Columbia Falls for

Wild Blueberries  

which were definitely a highlight for me...no, I did not plan my attire accordingly, but I was more than thrilled once I noticed it.

 

This is Dell Emerson, and we got to visit his farm. He has been growing blueberries for most of his life. He even went to school to study them! His wife Marie runs the store where they sell everything and anything blueberry. We enjoyed a muffin, scone, honey, and jam...all blueberry! Then I got to eat the real deal all weekend long. I was in heaven. They've had lots of missionaries stop by (including my little brother Elder Stephenson the first); Dell said, 

"I think they're trying to save me."  :-)  Incredible people.

Next we drove all the way to the most Eastern city in the USA, 

Lubec, Maine 

 

 

 

Our first "Lobster Roll"... When in Maine, my friends.

Soon after, we crossed the border into

Canada!

Ferry to Deer Island, ferry to New Brunswick, many hours on the freeway, moose-crossing warnings, "Welcome to the Maritimes!" from our new friend Phil, an extremely long bridge, and then...

Prince Edward Island  

We stayed here, in the most adorable cottages with the kindest host, in North Milton... (North and South, anyone? Sometimes, my life is awesome.)

And of course, bright and early the next morning, we visited 

Green Gables

*Note: This happened. For real. I'm not even kidding.

 Screen Shot. The local weather app doesn't lie about location. 

Oh the joys. :-)

Ready to explore the Haunted Forest...

 

 And stroll down Lovers Lane...

 And take in a view of the Lake of Shining Waters...

 At this point, I would love to spout off all the interesting facts I learned about L.M. Montgomery, as well as share many of her beautiful quotes. However...there is much more to see on this island, so just know that I am incredibly appreciative of and fascinated by this woman's contribution to literature and her wonderful reflections, experiences, and fantasies embodied in her creation of Anne. 

We traveled next along the Central Coastal Drive and stopped at

Cape Tryon 

 

The next morning we made our way along the Points East Coastal Drive and explored a trail in part of the national park called

Greenwich

 

And around the tip of the island, past the East Point lighthouse, and into Basin Head Beach to enjoy the 

Singing Sands 

This fascinating phenomenon actual exists...google it. Better yet, go there and hear it for yourself :-)

We made a stop at the most ghetto gas station I've ever encountered, enjoyed the sunset, then ventured into the most adorable attempt at a "big city" I've ever seen,

Charlottetown

The next morning we went to church! Followed by an afternoon drive and perfect Sunday nap along the coastal cliffs of

Argyle Shore Provincial Park

 

 

 

  

That evening we may have just driven slowly along red back-roads until we returned to our darling cabin, cooked dinner, and curled up to watch Anne of Green Gables.

 On Prince Edward Island. 

Sometimes

I just can't quite get over how incredibly wonderful this world really is...and how blessed I am to continue to enjoy glimpses of it. 

Not pictured: 

The endless rolling hills and patchwork fields of all kinds, the adorable homes everywhere, the many fantastic people we met along the way, the darling white churches, the breeze blowing through our hair as we drove miles and miles of beautiful country in my sturdy lil' car, the smell and sound of the ocean, the feeling of foamy white waves washing soft sand between your toes, the instance after instance when things just "worked out," and the indescribable peace of knowing God lives...

knowing He always loves me because I am His child.