Stranger?

It's been seventeen months now in the mission field and I can still say that receiving mail still feels like Christmas.  Snail mail is the bee's knees in my book!  Today I received a letter from my "adopted" grandpa.  He is one of my best friends and the story of how we became such good friends is one of the greatest stories ever told, by me that is.

By now all of you are well aware that I worked at a swimming pool prior to coming on my mission.  Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning from 9:00-1:00 I was in the pool teaching swimming lessons.  While swimming lessons were going on there were a few water aerobics classes, lap swimmers, and people getting in their pool exercises.  It's like seventh heaven there!

Every day I was there to teach swim lessons there was a man that would come and do one of the water aerobic classes.  Because I am a talker and like to say "hello" to everyone and their dog, I started to talk to this elderly man that was attending water aerobics fairly regularly.  First thing I noticed was his German accent.  We talked about his days growing up in Germany, what it was like to be a member of the church there during that time, and he told me all about himself.  Each bit of information intrigued me to no end because my grandpa Nestman is from Germany. 

Awkward Turtle

This is probably the most overdue blog post in the history of overdueness.  But, the wait has been well worth it.  Trust me!

Swimming!

Boom!  That in and of itself could be my blog post.  Just that one word carries so much emotion and meaning to me.  Swimming isn't just a hobby, it is my life!  This sport changed me more than I could ever possibly try to explain, but I'm going to try to do just that here.

Once upon a time Sister Nestman was shy.  Not just shy, but mortified at the idea of talking to anyone I didn't know.  Which posed a major dilemma each time my family would move and I would have to make new friends.  Thank goodness there were some great outgoing people in my childhood, or I would have had no friends!  It took a lot for someone to get to know me and crack my shell.

Middletown Miracles

I despise the heat.  When the temperatures start going higher, I feel like I am getting lower.  Like I am melting and shrinking with every drop of sweat that falls off me.  It's just gross.  On Wednesday of this week I had the opportunity of going up to Middletown California for exchanges with Sister Cluff.  It was hot.  After being in Eureka for so long and then coming to Santa Rosa (which isn't too hot), Middletown felt like the Sahara Desert.

Aside from the unbearable heat, my time in Middletown was incredible.  Our mission president challenged each of the missionaries here in the California Santa Rosa Mission to go out tracting (knocking on doors) or street contacting (talking to people on the street) every day from 3:00-4:30.  During this time with Sister Cluff, we did exactly that.  We went out, hit the street, and knocked some doors.  What we found while knocking doors was miracles.One door specifically almost put the two of us into a coma.

Transformation's

How awesome is this?  I love it!  And, as you probably know, I want to tell you all about why it intrigues me.

Progression.

It begins as an almost splurb of color (if Dr. Seuss can make up words, so can I).  From this splurb of color it slowly becomes this dazzling colorful horse.  Just what every little girl dreams of!

Now, the application to the gospel (the moment you've all been waiting for).

Each of us begins life as splurb at one time or another.  We are incomplete.  There is so much for us to become!  Right now, I think I'm kinda in the semi-formed horse head stage of these pictures.  Heavenly Father can see the end of the picture.  He knows what we are becoming.  I am so grateful that He does too!  Because He has this big picture, or the final vision of what we can become, in His view, He can help us on our way to it.

I know I have seen this happen in my life.  The Sister Nestman of today is far different than the one that entered the mission field over a year ago.  Heavenly Father has been shaping me; molding me into the person He needs me to be.  He can do that for everyone and anyone if you let Him.  Rely on Him.  Let Him change you into the wonderful creature He wants you to be (even if it is a brown and pink horse).

I'm a Helper

I've said it once, and I'm gonna say it again and again: I LOVE SERVICE!!!

Nice hat right?  It is the official "blackberry picking" hat.  The other day my companion and I helped someone in the area pick some blackberries in her yard.  In all actuality, I think she helped us more than we helped her.  My stomach has never been happier!  Once the blackberries were picked, my companion and I reaped the reward of a wonderful blackberry cobbler (mmmmm).

Okay, I promise there is a good reason I am wearing the wig and water aerobics belt.  1) Before the mission I practically lived in a pool, so it was my way of "pretending" I was there.  2) It's a wig.  You're supposed to wear them on your head.  What other option was there really?  These two items were found while cleaning out a members home.  We were moving boxes around and helping to organize things a bit.  My muscles got a good workout with all the lifting.

Now this service, is what it's all about.  This is a woman we have been teaching and sharing the gospel with.  We, as missionaries, get to go out and share the message of the gospel with others.  No matter who you are, where you're from, or what you've done in your life, the Gospel and it's teachings will bless you.  What I've noticed as I have been doing this, not only are others blessed, but I have been blessed.  This has been the general theme for all the service that I have rendered on my mission.

"1And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

I know that as we serve others, God blesses us.  We are helping His children, our brothers and sisters.  Not only is this what He expects of us, but it is how we draw nearer to Him. 
What have you done to help someone this week?

What Smells?

At the end of the day, there's nothing like going home and feeling like you have given it your all.  However, this can be ruined if you go home to a home smelling like skunk.

Gross right?!  That's how we felt.  Whether you were inside the home, ten feet in front of it, or holding your breath, you couldn't miss the stench this skunk left behind.  We instantly searched for a Lysol can or air spray of some sort, but our search was in vain.  There was no magical air freshener.  As you can imagine, getting to sleep was a little harder than usual....

While I was lying there in bed thinking (and hoping the smell would go away), I thought about judgement day.  When we are there standing before our Father in Heaven to be judged, what will it be like?  What will He say to me?  Will I be ready?  What if I'm not?  Deep thoughts for someone living in a gully that smells of skunk.  But, the skunk smell was key to these thoughts.

The more I thought about it the more I thought how each of our sins ups the stench we place upon ourselves.  The scriptures teach us that "1no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins."  But, I'm not clean.  I'm imperfect.  How can I be clean and ready to face my creator?  That my dear friends, is what repentance is for.

Repentance gives us that ray of light.  The promise of a brighter tomorrow.  We are able to turn away from our sins, imperfections, flaws, and shortcomings and be made whole.  The stench of sin can be wiped clean!  Clean slate ready and prepared to meet our loving, kind, all powerful, and ever merciful, Father in Heaven.  I know this is true.  I have felt the relief and peace that comes from repentance.  Try it.  Not that I'm sayin' that anyone out there smells like a skunk, but we can all become a little better.

How have you changed for the better?

It's Official

It has happened.  As of Tuesday August 9th, 2011 I am a true Northern Californian.

I have now been inside a redwood tree...

And hugged one.  That makes it all official, right?

Hugging a tree and being inside of one may get me into the Nor Cal click, but it isn't how we join the family of God.  That is done through baptism.  When we are baptized, one of the promises we make is to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ.  This makes us a part of His family.  Someone once explained it as though we were literally adding His name to ours, such as: Brittany Nestman Christ.  Whoa right?

So, I have been baptized.  I realize some of the readers of this blog may not be (if you're interested in being baptized, let me know!), but you too can think about the questions I am about to ask.  Questions that I like to ask myself and have others think about are: "what have I done with His name?"  "Have I done all I could for Him?"  "Do others see the Savior's image in my countenance?"  "Would Christ be proud of how I represented Him?"  If you really want to dig deep into yourself with questions, read Alma 5 (in the Book of Mormon).  It will make you think.

The question I want to get some feedback on today is this: if you were to add the name "Christ" to the end of your name, how would that affect your decisions each day?

From the Mouth of Teenagers

Who is Heavenly Father (God)?  What is He?  How do you know if He is real or not?  These questions have troubled many great minds and the simple ones (such as mine).  Obviously, I know what my own answers would be to these questions and could write a novel about them.  But, to shake things up a tad, I asked the youth (ages 12-18) from home to answer them for me.
First question, who and what is Heavenly Father?

He likes me for Me!

When people try and guess my name, it usually doesn't take very long to get it right.  I look exactly like the stereotypical "Brittany."  Blond hair and blue eyes.  Yep, I'm a Brittany.  One of the streets I lived on had 4 of us, all on one street!  It was crazy!  We were also all around the same age (twilight zone music starts now).  To sum this up, I have felt, at times, unimportant and have struggled to feel unique. 

Each of us has to struggle at some point in our lives with who we are.  Develop our own sense of self worth and become our own selves.  The Lord said to the prophet Jeremiah "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee..."  A simple truth that God knows us.  He knows us personally, individually, perfectly, and eternally.  He is our Father and He cares about us.  There is something special in the parables of the lost sheep when Christ talks of going off in search of the one.

  4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing

Each one of us is special in the eyes of our Savior.  He is willing to go out in search of us and bring us back into the fold because we are that important to Him.  "1Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;..."

I matter.  I am a wonderful, beautiful, chosen daughter of God.  I know that each of you is a child of a loving Heavenly Father that wants you to be happy now and forever.  He loves you no matter what!  "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one... (emphasis added)"  Be happy to be who you are; a child of God.

God has a sense of Humor

Today I am taking a break from the "Life of a Sister Missionary" series to share with you an experience I had.  Yesterday was a day to remember and I thought it appropriate to share what I learned.  The day began as all others do on the mission.  Things were going great.  We were teaching, it was sunny, and everything was wonderful.  Most days are like this.  The Spirit is always there and you just can't help but feel happy about life.  However, my day took a very drastic turn.

Something happened that made me mad, well, furious.  Worst feeling ever!  As soon as I got mad, the Spirit left me.  There are few times in my life that I have felt the Spirit completely leave me, but never on my mission.  The anger I was feeling turned into complete frustration and confusion.  The only thing I could think to do was to pray.  Pray for guidance, peace, comfort, and forgiveness.  I have no idea how long I was actually on my knees, but it was for a long, long time.  It was one of the most powerful experiences I have had!  I was literally crying to the Lord to help me, to show me what I was to do, and bring me back from the lost state I was in. 

As I was praying, I realized that the Lord gave me this trial for me to learn and grow.  It was an answer to my prayers.  You know that common phrase: "be careful what you pray for?"  Wow is it true!  The last few months I have been praying for charity, to see people the way Jesus Christ would.  Heavenly Father must have a sense of humor.  Praying for charity, in my mind, did not equate to becoming infuriated, but it is how I needed to learn.  It taught me how to view things from another's perspective; how to respect someone else's opinion even when I don't agree.  What I really needed was to be humble.

After a lot of reflection, I am grateful for my little "break down."  It has helped open my mind and heart to the changes I need to make.  The Lord answers our prayers.  Not always the way expected, but always the way that will help us best.

Traditions

Each year my family gets together on Christmas eve and celebrates the season.  The night usually includes carols, treats, basketball (when in the church gym), and time with the family.  One of the best parts of the night is when my Grandpa, Lo Thar Nestman, pulls out the scriptures and reads from Luke 2:

1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all ^athe world should be ^btaxed. 
2(And this ^ataxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called ^aBethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5To be taxed with Mary his ^aespoused wife, being great with child.

6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn.

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the ^aglory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you ^agood tidings of great ^bjoy, which shall be to all people.

11For unto you is ^aborn this day in the city of David a ^bSaviour, which is Christ the ^cLord.
12And this shall be a ^asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14^aGlory to God in the highest, and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men.

In verse 9, when it says "And, lo", he pauses and stands up.  Always has to point out his name.  He thinks he is funny sometimes.  But, it has become something we expect and anticipate.  Not just because we find my grandpa entertaining, but because this tradition has always helped my family remember what the true meaning of Christmas is.  It is about the Savior.  It is a remembrance of one of the most important historical events this world has ever known.  I love Christmas time!  As you go through this season, try to remember what it truly is about.

Different or Amazing?

8 years ago something amazing happened in my life.  Something that has shaped who I am today, taught me many valuable lessons, and changed my entire perspective in life.  That event was the birth of my youngest sister Amanda.  She is a wild little child that loves to run, jump on the trampoline, sing and dance to Miley Cyrus, and play with her older siblings.  Amanda also has Down Syndrome.

For those that don't know, Down Syndrome is a genetic condition in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46.  Those that have it will typically learn a little slower and may have other problems that come with it.  Before Amanda came into my life, I knew nothing.  To be honest, I knew nothing about any disability.  It was all foreign and a little scary to me.  The unknown always is.  But, when my sister was born, a new world opened up before my eyes. 

People with disabilities are no different then those without. When I was a senior in high school I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a special needs youth group.  We all had a "buddy" and would go each week to hear a lesson then participate in some sort of activity.  My buddy taught me more then I ever would have dreamed!  Not only could she show me up on the dance floor, but she had a rock solid testimony.  She knew she was "different", but it didn't matter to her.  She is a chosen daughter of the most high.  No matter what someone said or how they may look at her, she was a daughter of God! 

There is a song by Carol Lynn Pearson that literally brought me to tears the first time I sung it with the special needs group.  It is called "I'll Walk With You".

If you don’t walk as most people do,
Some people walk away from you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
If you don’t talk as most people do,
Some people talk and laugh at you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.
Jesus walked away from none.
He gave his love to everyone.
So I will! I will!
Jesus blessed all he could see,
Then turned and said, “Come, follow me.”
And I will! I will!
I will! I will!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.

Christ loves everyone.  He is the perfect example of how to love.  The first time I saw someone look at my sister funny, my hackles flew!  My thought was "how dare they!"  After taking a step back, I realized that I had done the same thing once before.  It took me having my dear sister to really see that everyone is the same.  We are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father.  He is not a respecter of persons.  He loves each of us individually and infinitely. 

I love my sister.  She is the world to me.  She may not learn as fast as other children, may not be able to talk yet, may not even be potty trained yet, but she is perfect!  Amanda loves everyone the way Christ does.  There is no discrimination.  A goal I have set for myself is to see everyone the way my sister does.  Treat them the way Christ would if he were around.  "Jesus walked away from none.  He gave his love to everyone.  So I will!"  I will! Will you? 

Our "Pillar of Light"

16....I saw a pillar of ^clight exactly over my head, above the brightness of the ^dsun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

  17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself ^adelivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I ^bsaw two ^cPersonages, whose brightness and ^dglory defy all description, ^estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My ^fBeloved ^gSon. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1)) 

When Joseph Smith inquired of the Lord, he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.  Not all of us will have an experience like Joseph did, but we can all have our own personal "pillar of light".  The prophet Moroni tells us:

  3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how ^amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ^bponder it in your ^chearts.

  4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Moroni 10:3-5 (http://scriptures.lds.org/en/moro/10)).

This is a promise, that if we ask God, He will give us an answer.  Whatever question's we may have in our hearts can and will be answered.  The Lord will bring light into our hearts and minds as we diligently seek Him out.  But, to get a SPECIFIC answer, we must ask a SPECIFIC question.  The Bible dictionary states "The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them".  The last part is what sticks out to me.  "....conditional on our asking for them".  Joseph Smith asked a specific question, and got a specific answer.  If you aren't asking specific questions, start.  Let the Lord show you your own "Pillar of Light".