Letter #2

Feb. 12, 2013

Family,

I am trying my hardest to bust through this letter to be able to include pictures - I already have come to the conclusion I will not have time to email President Weaver, but will hand-write him a letter each week. The time just goes way too quickly!

Mom, I wrote a letter to you yesterday, but thank you again for all my goodies!! I went though it all, and saw the note with all the new bike gizmos & gadgets & just kept thinking, I have the BEST mom in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!! Thank you thank you thank you! & Check you out mom! I love that you put it all on yourself, very impressive! Yes, I heard they all went over there Saturday I think it was? How fun! Elder Bowen told me all the mormon messages you watched...woo! Not gonna lie, I'm kinda jealous but it's all for a better reason why I wasn't there I suppose. Which is what has been weighing so heavily on my mind this week.

This week has been a bit of a struggle, getting back into the swing of things...I can't really put it all into words, but it is slowly coming all together. We had Stake Conference this weekend & it was outstanding. It was mainly focused on loving the Savior enough to truly follow Him in ALL aspects. In EVERY way possible. There is definitely a balance to be found, as there is in every journey in life but to humble ourselves enough to follow HIM, to learn HIS will & align ours with it. This week has brought on a new sense of Repentance, a new perspective of change. Things that were part of mission life in Utah are altered here in the WA-Tac, learning to have a companion with different mission roots than that I have been part of, getting back to 'Sister Givens' mission-minded & forgetting the world when I am driving the same streets I have as Crystal is just way more challenging than I thought it would be.

There was a speaker in Stake Conference who did address a huge question on my mind, and it was a very brief statement (of which I do not have the notes with me, of course) but if I remember correctly he said something to the effect that once we get to the state that we 'get it' we understand what the Lord means (either doctrine or principle of the gospel) to the point where we 'get it' on a deeper level - that can not be taken away from us & are then expected to live up to it at a level higher than others may have to. Does this make any sense? Maybe I am getting way too deep here. I guess a way to think about it is like Elder Bednar's talk about testimony & conversion - we develop testimony, and once we clearly understand to the point of LIVING it, we become converted. We live our life on a higher level, and are expected to then do more.

Well, I've been stubborn. Big surprise huh? Ha! I have not wanted to find a balance at times, not wanted to stretch myself, not wanted to volunterily sign up to take a plunge in the refiner's fire because ya know what? IT HURTS. But you know what else? I need to. & yeah, it hurts, and at times it seems to take FOREVER, but I also look back & can testify it works & is SO worth it.

I looked back this week, not longingly as Lot's wife did, (I won't get into that one today....listen to J. Holla's talk for that if you want) but I didn't look back at my time in SLCS longingly, I looked back at the once Sister Givens & realized those 6 months were completely refining, with moments where the shiny diamond was present, but it wasn't until I came home & integrated that Sister Givens with Crystal that it TRULY made all the difference in my character.

That the effects of a trial, test, burden, mission, whatever you may be going through WILL bring blessings, WILL bring forth a depth of character, WILL bring forth miracles, WILL bring a change of heart, WILL deepen desire, WILL fight against Satan, WILL profit for your gain, WILL bring you closer to Christ, WILL shake of the natural man, WILL hold a firmer testimony, WILL shine one day....but we are not to say when it will be enough. HE is. He knows us, guides us, protects us, watches over us & loves us with an infinite love, one of which we can not comprehend right now. But we can gain glimpses of such. We can strive for Charity. We can strive to see & love others as HE does. But to do so, to know what he knows, to get to the point where we finally 'get it' - also requires some refining. And in the end, in the eternal perspective, it is worth absolutely ANYTHING.

When Christ knelt down in that garden he pleased with the Father to remove the cup if possible, knowing it was going to be hard, & asking if there be any other way...yet in the end he said, I will do it, if this is what it takes, I WILL. That doesn't mean it didn't come without pain, or tears, but we all know it WAS finished. He did what he always promised he would.

So I ask you this week to remember back to what YOU promised, if possible attend a baptism, or go to the Temple, or even just pray for greater understanding of the Sacrament Prayers this Sunday. Pray to gain that greater love & to truly 'get it.'

Isn't this what being a missionary is all about anyway? To take the hands of others and help them 'get it'?

Just a thought.

Well I have 5 minutes & 30 seconds left here.

I will try to print off some pictures & send them out.

Yes I am absolutely allowed to have mail & packages delivered here!

653 Gladwin Rd #4

Belfair, WA 98528

Tell Sister Jones THANK YOU for me!!

OH! & can you print me the pictures from my open house? I want to send them out to all the families who came & say thank you.

YES the fireside was GREAT! I am sad they are over, but so much clarity & closure came from the experience of actually being on the stand singing, it was great.

Mom, thanks for letting me soar. I love you.

And yes, I'll keep on ridin' till I'm told to quit.

Please pray for:

Mike McGee

Mike Gain

Mike Petersen

The Bishop Family

The Alop Family

& Sister Hays

Yep...we got lots of mikes.

I promise I will actually fill you in on the work next week...at least I hope there will be some!

Squeeze those missionaries guts for me!!!

Teat them like family, we all know they are! Love you!

Sister Givens