Treasured Treasure

 Hey y’all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine."

Exodus 19:5

I liked the idea that the Lord's covenant people are a treasure to him.

As I studied this verse I thought of the things I have treasured throughout my life. I thought about my old toys and how I loved all of my stuffed animals and dolls equally but I had one particular doll that I treasured and felt a bigger need to protect, Pinky Dinky was special to me. Not in a loved-her-more-then-the-rest-way but in a this-doll-needs-me-and-I-need-her-way. 

In Come Follow Me, President Russell M. Nelson was quoted, "In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term from which peculiar was translated is segullah, which means ‘valued property,’ or ‘treasure.’ … For us to be identified by servants of the Lord as his peculiar people is a compliment of the highest order”

This insight from President Nelson brought the term "treasured treasure" into my mind. To treasure something means to protect, value and cherish something or someone. A treasure is something very valuable.

At seminary I listened as the teachers discussed this verse and I remember them saying that the Lord doesn't love the people who have made covenants with him more than those who have not. All of us are of infinite worth to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, but covenant keepers have done work to be obedient to Their commandments and they have a special relationship with the people who have taken upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ.

Making and keeping covenants invites the Lord's protection and blessings into our lives. As we worthily partake of the sacrament each week we are entitled to the companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost warns us of physical and spiritual dangers. The Holy Ghost can spare us from pain and embarrassment. And we can always have the Spirit with us as we treasure our covenants in the same way Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ treasure us. 

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father and I treasure my covenant relationship with Them.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Heavenly Father loves you. Jesus loves you. I promise as you make and keep covenants with Them you will better treasure them and you will know how much they treasure you.

Men's underwear, STL, & crying with people

 Yep. It's me again. You're welcome.

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

As of late I have been serving at the distribution center in Tooele. A distribution center is a place where people buy sacred clothing for ordinances and also books and CTR rings. It isn't exactly my most favorite place to be but that's not what service is about. To summarize my experience there I would say that I am learning much more about men's underwear than I'm interested in knowing.

The next order of business, I'm an STL now. STL stands for sister training leader and basically that means I am supposed to be real nice and also that I will probably need to talk more at missionary meetings. And a few other things.

Being a missionary has helped me to recognize some of my strengths and weaknesses. For example one of my strengths is my arm muscles, I beat all of my companions in arm wrestle contests. One of my weaknesses is adjusting to big transitions. In the last year (it's been a year) I've had some sacred opportunities to cry with people. I consider this a strength even though sometimes having a big heart means it's perhaps a little more heavy. Empathy has always been my superpower. It's probably my top Christ-like attribute, feeling things with people. 

I remember when it was time for my family to go and get flu shots my mom would take all of the kids at once in one appointment. I recall that while I didn't particularly enjoy getting a tiny needle poked in my arm it wasn't a terrifying or particularly painful experience for me. But it was for some of my siblings. They would cry and cry and cry and scream and it would always make me start crying too, I would feel so pained for/with them. I started needing to “go to the bathroom” when it was time for my younger siblings to get their vaccinations.

In recent times empathy has been more like crying beside my friend after they receive bad news. Or sitting in the foyer with students and listening to their experiences and for some reason I'm crying and realizing how much I love these students. With one of my companions it was feeling crappy and crying in the car with each other.

I used to think feeling so much because someone I loved was feeling so much was a little silly and sort of inconvenient. But this week I thought about how when choosing my service sites I wanted to be where Christ would be and I've been with people during times where they really needed Christ. Being a representative of Jesus Christ and being able to do what Christ would do for people is my favorite. 

In the scripture below a prophet named Alma is preaching to people at the waters of Mormon. Alma explains the qualifications for baptism, including mourning with those that mourn.

Mosiah 18:9

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

I'm grateful to be able to serve by being able to mourn with those that mourn. I'm grateful for the opportunity to love others the way Christ loves them and see everyone as a child of God. It's become sacred to me to have chances to fulfill my baptismal covenant to mourn with those that mourn. It helps me love the world despite… everything. I know people are good because I'm a person and I'm good. Certainly not perfect but good enough to give me hope.

Anyways joy to the world because we have our Savior. The good Shepherd is the goodest ever. I love Him so much. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love you! 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Sometimes my service situations are interesting and now I know more about underwear. #ohtheblessingsofservice They asked me to be a Sister Training Leader and I said yeah. Empathy. I love my Savior.