Why I Need God in My Life

Yesterday, in a regional church meeting (Stake Conference), someone who recently got baptized shared a bit of his "conversion story" (why he decided to join the Church). He talked about how he really didn't have any huge challenges in his life, so he didn't see why he needed God or religion. But he received an answer to his prayers and decided to be baptized. Since then, he said, only good things have come into his life.

So why do I feel like I need God in my life?
Life can be terrible. There's depression, failure, setbacks, death, illness. If I didn't have hope in a Power that was looking down on me and helping me through those trials, they could be unbearable.
Life can be beautiful. Peaceful sunrises, laughter with friends and family, inspiring music, adorable animals, warmth and comfort, baby's smiles. I have somebody that I can thank for all of those amazing things. And I can take them as a personal message of love meant just for me from my Heavenly Father.
Life can be stressful. College, rent, dreams just out of reach. But I know that I can kneel down and pray, take some quiet time in nature, or sit in the Lord's house to find peace and answers.
Life is full of promise. My belief in God tells me that He has a plan for me and for all of us. There is a way to live that brings us happiness. There is a path back to His realm-- our home.

This path is His Plan of Happiness.

I know that God lives and loves each of us personally. He created a plan and sent a Savior to help us become the best and happiest people that we can be.

Chapstick

It's been a while, but I feel like I'm ready to get back to sharing through this blog. Today will just be a short post, but I hope it helps someone.

This year, our church has started a study program that focuses on learning in the home and then bringing what you learn to church for discussion and group learning. It's been a wonderful experience to really study on my own time and then get perspectives and opinions from others at church.
Here's a link to the manual. We're studying from the New Testament, so it's applicable for other faiths as well (although some resources reference modern-day prophets and the Book of Mormon for further light and truth).

As I was reading in John 2 for this week's lesson, it asked to consider how Jesus Christ uses simple objects to teach lessons. Then it invited the learner to look at common household items and draw their own connections. It just so happened that I had chapstick sitting on my desk in front of me and a few insights immediately leaped to mind...

  Firstly, while chapstick will help if your lips are already dry, it works much better as a preventive measure. We can always repent after we've gone down the road of sin; but if we can catch ourselves as we're starting to eye that thorny path, we're much better off.

Chapstick (at least for me) should be used regularly. I put it on whenever I notice it (I applied it before starting this post). That's how repentance should be. Whenever we think about it, we should repent (something I will do after this post).

Finally, chapstick is sweet, smooth, feels good, and helps keep my lips healthy.
All I have to do is apply it.

"Thy will be done"... "Hagase tu voluntad"

Hello! This is my first blog post since I got back from my mission. Being able to serve in Argentina was one of the greatest experiences of my life!

So today I was reading in Moses 4 about the life before this life when we all lived with our Heavenly Father. In this life, we held a Great Council, where our Father told us that He had a plan, a plan that would give us the chance to be like Him. This plan is known as the Plan of Salvation, the Plan of Redemption, or the Great Plan of Happiness! As it says in Job-- "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy..." (Job 38:7)
But there must be opposition in all things. Lucifer (now called Satan) wanted to change the plan. He wanted to take away our freedom to choose.
He said, "Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor."
Once, someone pointed out the pronouns in this statement: ""Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor." (Moses 4:1)

Thankfully, there was another son, and this is what He said: "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." (Moses 4:2)
The second Son, Jesus Christ, was chosen to be our Savior and Redeemer. We keep our freedom to choose but have a chance to repent from the wrong choices we make.
More on that later.

For now, I want to focus on what Christ said, and when He said it. He said, "Father, thy will be done." And He said it during a time when another was seeking for power. Rather than combat Satan's idea with a "bigger" and "better" idea, Christ submitted Himself humbly before the Father.
Then I started thinking about the other times that Christ had spoken that phrase.

He said it again in the middle of His mortal ministry when He was surrounded by followers.
"And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." (Luke 11:2, emphasis added)

Then, when He was alone, in the height of His suffering, He pleaded: "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
Isn't it amazing that He used the same humble phrase when He was accepting His mission and when He was fulfilling it? He used it when He ascended above all God's children and when He descended below all things. He used it in good times and in bad.

How am I doing? Am I accepting the will of God? Even when it's hard?
In my hardest times, do I humbly recognize that I might be fulfilling my calling?

I love the Lord, and He loves us. As we submit ourselves to the Father, He will strengthen us for our callings and help us to become better.

Found another post, if came before the last one that I posted :) Week ?? : Hi Friends!!

July 17, 2017

Hi, how are you all? How did your week go?

I`m great! One more week in the transfer, and I want to do a lot more in this ward, so I hope that I stay here again :D.

This week we changed things up and right after lunch after the district meeting we did intercambios (exchanges, sorry :S)

While in Claypole we had a great lesson with one of their families. We also talked with an investigator they recently found and he had some questions about the book of mormon and the restauration (what they`d taught the last time). We answered them and then taught about the Plan of Salvation. At one point he said "So our churches are pretty much the same." And my amazing companion said, "No, because we have a prophet so our church is true." :D. He then asked, "So if I don`t get baptized in your church I won`t get to this heaven (the Celestial Kingdom)". The answer-- "Nope. That`s why we´re here!" He said he`d pray about it. 

It was the most direct lesson I`ve ever been in/given, but it was great because this man doesn`t have any doubt about what we were teaching, he just needs to ask God if it`s true :D.

Thursday we had a training with the assistants after intercambios, so we barely made it back to A. Korn in time for the FHE that we needed to do. It was super fun, we played games and practiced applying them to gospel principles. Even the youth who comes with his member friends was able to find connections. :)

Friday we had interviews, it was great. :D Then we visited with Julia (the yoga teacher who said her first prayer). She`s been praying! She said it was weird at first because she felt like there was a little voice telling her that no one was listening (I thought "Go away, Satan!") but that she did it anyway, and that now it feels more natural. In the end of the visit, her mom walked in and said that she`d been hoping to find us there :D. We talked with her for a little bit, and tonight we`re going to have dinner with them!

Saturday we needed to go to a "White Storm" (when missionaries from different areas go to work in one area) and an open house in the chapel of Claypole. It was amazing, even though it was raining a lot of people came, and one man came in that some missionaries had just contacted in the train. He came through the first group, talked with the missionaries afterwards and agreed to be baptized in a couple of weeks, and then sat in the chapel listening to music until the end of the activity. It was amazing.

It`s been an amazing week. Today my comp taught me how to make Christmas Tree Bread (today we celebrated Christmas together. :D). It looks REALLY good. Another sister just sent me a bunch of alfajor recipes, so I`ll be able to make them for you all!

Love you! Have a great week! Keep a smile one your faces, and share the gospel (Using words when necessary :D)

Chao!

Sister Tova S Biesinger

Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

Found another post from my mission emails .... Week : Una Nueva Area!

July 24, 2017

This week we had a great district meeting one of the elders finished his mission, and bore his testimony. Almost all the elders then bore their testimonies and almost everyone ended up crying. It was so cool. 

Afterwards we had a member go with us to visit Magali, and even though we couldn`t teach as well as we normally did alone, it was great because this Sunday, when Magali came to church for the first time (:D!!!) she and the member already knew each other and she could feel more comfortable.

That night we had dinner with a Sister in the ward and she made us Paella. It`s rice with octopus, mussells, and green beans. I ate it all and asked for seconds! I`m so proud of me :) (I thought food would be more difficult for me, but Heavenly Father loves me and made all the food super yummy :D)

We were able to visit a less active member Wednesday before doing a last intercambio so that Hna Walker could go do her end of the mission things. I was with Hna Ortiz from Columbia.

Thursday was the independence day of Columbia, so she sang me the national anthem of Columbia and I told her the story of our national anthem. We visited a bunch of less active members, and one of them came to church yesterday. 

*Side note: please visit the less actives. They really need support and love in order to return. It`s been kind of sad hearing so many stories of testimonies that were weakened because instead of being nourished by the good word, they had to fight alone and sometimes even feel like they were fighting against the other members. They then decide not to come anymore because they don`t want to continue feeling attacked. It`s really sad because they`re great people and many have testimonies, but because of a lack of love they decide not to come to church. Sorry, rant over, love you all. 

The elders made a fun FHE about the Plan of Salvation, and three investigators (young girls, 12, 11, and 10) came!

Friday I went with Hna Ortiz to her area to work for a little while. She taught me how to make Columbian Chicken and we rode bikes! My first time riding bikes in months!! We finished the intercambio and Hna Walker and I finished the day visiting Magali again and Julia. Julia taught us how to make neoquìs, and they turned out great. Her sister, Sol, was also there and we were able to talk with her a little bit and develope a friendship. 

Earlier in the week a sister (Irene) told us that she wanted to go with us to visit her friends instead of just giving us the referrals! So we went visiting with her Saturday morning, and she opened a lot of doors that wouldn`t have been open otherwise! It was amazing.

We visited Magali one more time and told her the news... I was leaving Alejandro Korn! :( She was super sad, but we were able to exchange info, and she´s still going to listen to the missionaries (she almost didn`t want to, which scared us a lot. But it was just a little drama, and she`s fine now :S).

Then packing! :D

Now I`m in Adroguè, an area where I`d been a lot because of intercambios. And my companion is.... HNA MATTOS!!! If you recognize the name it`s because she was my third companion :). And now we`re back together! I`m also Sister Training Leader now, so will continue having lots of intercambios, but now I have responsibility, so need to step it up. I`m so excited to be able to meet and help the other sisters! It`s going to be an amazing transfer.

Love you all!! Have a great week! 

Sister Tova S Biesinger

Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

District and sisters

 Sis. Maciel and Paella, marine food

 A look at A. Korn

 Pictures with members

An investigator and her family. She came to church this week!! :D

 We made Noquis with Julia!! 

Week 63: Another Great Week!

October 16, 2017

So this week was great. Trios are fun :D.

Because we`re in a trio, we`re allowed to teach men even if there isn`t another woman with us, so this week we finally taught 4 contacts that we`ve been trying to teach for a long time! Two of them have a lot of potential, and we`re so excited that they now have the chance to hear about the gospel.

This week has also been an emotional rollercoaster, but that`s the norm in a missionary`s life :). 

I`ve been thinking a lot about how my testimony has grown and about the many people I`ve met here on my mission.

Today is literally my last day, I`m going home tonight, and while I`m excited, I`m also nervous. Excited to see my family, and nervous about pretty much everything else :D. But I`ll spare you the emotional downpour. The mission is hard, but it`s simple. It`s simply the work of God, and I`ve loved being a part of it.

Sunday we did one more musical number. I played violin once more and this time we had members singing with us and some of the elders, so we were quite the choir! We sang "I know that my Redeemer lives," and it was beautiful. 

Argentina is one of the only  countries that celebrates Mothers Day on a day that`s not in May, and the day was yesterday, so it was fun :D. My comp Hna Couto was able to talk to her family and I was able to share a spiritual thought with the Bishop`s family.

I love you all so much!! No matter what happens, always put the Savior first! It`s really the easiest and the best way. I know that He loves and that even when things are hard (especially when things are hard) He is always on our side. 

Thanks for everything, I`ve loved writing you all every week. Have a great day!

Sister Tova S Biesinger

Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

Week 62: Transfers!

October 9. 2017

So this week we had transfers. I stay in Adrogué with Hna Couto, but we were joined by Hna Manner, my comp-STL these last two transfers.

We`re super excited to be working in trio!

Not much happened this past week. We had a special conference with a Seventy who lives in Buenos Aires. He and his wife came to speak with us. It was amazing! 

The next day we had our last intercambios for the transfer, and we worked in Adroguè and managed to visit an investigator that we haven`t seen for a long time--Eduardo. He let us in again, and we had a good discussion about the Book of Mormon.

The other two days we walked a lot and talked a lot. It was great! It`s been fun seeing this area grow.  

Saturday night we had dinner with the bishop and his family and it was super fun! His son is less active, and his son`s girlfriend is investigating. We organized another musical number for next Sunday with the bishop`s daughter and another youth that`s leaving for his mission soon.

So yeah! Not a lot happening. Life is good. The mission is amazing. I love you all!

Sister Tova S Biesinger

Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission

Week 61: Welll....

October 2, 2017

This week was crazy.

Tuesday we had interviews, right after we started intercambios and I went to Cañuelas (the far corner of the mission) until Thursday, when I got back in the afternoon and had 2 hours to unpack, pack, shower, eat something, and go to Banfield to stay the night. Friday Hna Gove and I went to the temple and then that afternoon we had a self reliance class, so when we finally finished the intercambio it was study time.

Saturday and Sunday we had the Women´s session and the General sessions of General Conference and also did weekly planning because we hadn´t been together the rest of the week.

And that is why I didn´t work in my area this week :(.

But in Cañuelas we saw miracles! We were able to teach the family of an investigator that the sister´s already had and they are all willing to investigate and are very excited to learn more. 

We´d also found another woman who didn´t want to let us in at first because she has a 6 year old daughter with Down Syndrome. But I played with her daughter while Hna Lima taught the lesson. It was amazing, and we were able to establish a relationship of trust with her.

The next morning we taught another of the sisters´ investigators and invited them to be married. They were so excited when we talked about baptism, and the Spirit was very strong. 

In the temple I loved feeling the peace. Afterwards I had lunch with President and the 24 other missionaries who are leaving with me (we´re the largest group leaving that our mission president has seen). 

Then we had a three hour class introducing us to the principles of economy and the church´s program for self reliance. It was interesting, and basically the same plan that I had made, so it was nice to receive the confirmation.

Saturday we made a quick picnic lunch of pasta, watched the women´s session. I received a surprise message that I should bring the violin "to practice" with an elder notorious for organizing musical numbers during conferences.

Sure enough! After the first session, another sister (Hna Garner!) and elder arrived and they´d already planned a musical number and I´m going to play violin tomorrow when a Seventy comes to talk to our mission :S. It´s a good thing they let me in the loop late, less time to stress :).

That night we started beans and I made brownies with brigadeiro for the next day.

Sunday morning we planned, and in between the sessions we ate TACO SOUP! and the brownies. It was a great day.

I loved General Conference, there is always such a strong spirit and I come away feeling ready to begin again.

I hope your weeks also went well! I love you all and hope you have another wonderful week.

Besitos!

Sister Tova S Biesinger

Week 60: This Week

September 25, 2017

This week was a good week. 

Lets start from the beginning. We worked a little bit Monday, then Tuesday we had intercambios. I went to Ezeiza and it was so much fun! We were able to teach and feel the Spirit, and were able to find new investigators. 

I love my companion!! In the transfer before this one, I needed to motivate my companion to work after a tiring intercambio, but Hna Couto doesn´t need motivation. We both look at each other, tired but happy, and kneel down to pray before leaving. It´s amazing!

We had other intercambios Friday, and due to complications I stayed the night in Ezeiza one day to travel to Monte Grande the next morning, I stayed the night there, and then returned to my area :D. But it was a big adventure, and I got to know Hna Manner better. And I was able to be with my compi Hna Rascón again! 

We´ve seen a lot of fruits this week. Saturday we taught Cristina, lutheran, who took us to a cafe to have our lesson. We drank juice and taught about the restoration. Then we were able to teach Gisela and help her clean her house. 

She came to church again! We did our musical number, which was pretty :D. We almost had another investigator come, but she felt sick so backed out.

Today we went to buy food for the week, and the supermarket was closed, so I joked "IT´s supermarket day so it won´t be open." When we actually ask someone they told us that yes, it´s day of the comercial employee. :D. 

Love you all! Have a great day! I´m going to make empanadas :D.

Chau!

Sister Tova S Biesinger

Week 59: Una Semana de Bendiciones

September 18, 2017
Esta semana decidí que no hablo inglés más. Posso falar português, mas meu inglês è terrivel.

So.... this week ...

I had intercambios (exchanges), both times I went to Cañuelas :D. The first time with Hna Chappell! I love her! 

She showed me an icecream place that serves waffles with fruit, icecream, and dulce la leche .... mmm.... We had a great (if unhealthy) lunch :)

Funny thing- everytime I`ve gone to Cañuelas, we teach a recent convert named Isabel. They only visit her once a week, but it always happens to be the day that we do intercambios. Poor thing, she`s a little confused about why I keep showing up :D. 

We also had a zone conference which was amazing! I didn`t go home after the zone conference because we had another intercambio! o Cañuelas! :D

While waiting for the train, we realized that we wouldn`t have time to proselyte in the other sister`s area by the time we got there. So she suggested that we sing in the train and then pass for the seats and offer pass a long cards (we didn`t have any copies of the Book of Mormon). It was amazing. I was ready to finish, but we hadn`t done one car, so we did it, and the last people I talked to were two youth who started asking all sorts of questions, accepted the few pamphlets we had, and we wrote down their address. They were the only contacts we`d made that lived in the sister`s area! :O. Miracle!

I saw Sister Ortiz when she started her mission and now she`s training. She`s changed so much, and is such an amazing missionary.

The miracles didn`t end there. After the intercambio, we met a woman named Alicia who is amazing! She accepted us into her house, and is interested in reading the Book of Mormon in order to find more knowledge.

We were also able to visit a less active family who gave us brownies :D. 

The four of us (my comp and our "room"-"ward"-mates) were going to do a musical number this Sunday, so we practiced a little Saturday before contacting all of our investigators to invite them to church. The bishop forgot to announce the musical number, so we`ll do it next week but that`s fine :D. 

Last miracle of the week, Gisela attended church with us! She loved it. She participated in the classes the members were super friendly, and afterwards she said she felt at home and enjoyed the reverence and the learning that we had in the chapel. Yeah! 

It was an amazing week. 

It`s been a little crazy with four people in the apartment, and this week we`ll have the ETMs/viajeras/traveling missionaries with us, so we`ll be 6. :) It`ll be great. No drama at all ;)

I love you all! You`re amazing. Keep developing your testimonies and reaching out to EVERYONE you see! 

Love you! Have a great week!

Sister Tova S Biesinger