Welcome! "Come and See"

Welcome! 

Are you ready for an unforgettable journey?  Well then, let this adventure and marvelous work begin!

To borrow a verse from The Holy Bible in John 1:46, “Can there any good thing come out of”...Salt Lake City?  An invitation is extended to you.  “Come and see.”

Building on a theme of “inspired good fun” found in the book, Oh the Places You'll Go!, it is my hope that together we may encourage one another with positive thoughts, share uplifting stories, words of wisdom, kindness, and comfort, and find personal inspiration, while I serve a mission for God.   During this time, let us look for a Loving Father in Heaven's gentle guiding hand, and the many wonderful surprises He has in mind for us.  I have a feeling we will find extraordinary events begin to happen within and around us, if we allow Him to enter our lives. 

As Dr. Suess would say:

So...

We're off to Great Places!

Today is our day!

Our mountain is waiting.

So...let's get on our way!

Have a very special Valentine's Day!

 ***

Please enjoy the pictures taken during the past two weeks, and a letter written to my friends from Church.   I will share stories for these pictures as time permits. :-) 

***

(written 2-10-13)

Dear Friends,

I couldn't let another week go by without writing.

I LOVE my mission and I am doing GREAT! Yes, it's cold in Salt Lake, but because of your sage advice and preparation, I stay comfortably dry and warm. Weatherproof boots and a hooded long coat are my lifesavers! I look like a small and dark version of the Michelin Man, but I don't care.

Can you believe that I am already into week two? This has been an incredible experience thus far. Most of the time has been spent organizing myself, my new home, and work space. It takes a lot of effort to do this, but it has already proven to be worthwhile.  A few days ago, two Sisters stopped by in the evening unexpectedly.  I recognized one of them, Sister Olah, and the other I did not. She wanted to know if I could help my neighbor, Sister Allred. Because I had already settled into my new dwelling, and put away most of my things, I was able to provide these Sisters with my time, attention, and a clean, calm place of respite. Sister Allred felt so at ease, that she stayed until late that night, and has returned a few times since. Now, I am preparing my space at work.

You probably want to hear about Training, right? Well, as you already know, sadly I was not send to the MTC. Heavenly Father knows best, and His plans are always better than mine.  Instead of spending time in a building miles away that, as one smart Sister shared, “smells like 19 year old boys”, I had the privilege of receiving instruction in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (JSMB).  It elegantly stands only a few short blocks away from where I live.

Week 1:  Each morning began with a Devotional Meeting at 7:30, which included a scripture, an inspirational thought for the day, watching a few humorous video clips, and a deeply touching prayer.  First we assembled in a presentation room on the 10^th floor, over-looking the East side of the city.   Later we moved to our mission's main office  located in the third floor. We received one-on-one training for the most current Genealogy and Family History software programs, in order to work on our own Personal Ancestry File (PAF).

My trainer was Sister Carlisle, and we were divinely matched! She asked why I was only getting one week of training with her, instead of the standard two. I was not aware of that difference, but knowing it made me want to grasp the knowledge even faster than usual. Sister Carlisle was the best!  She was quick, thorough, and fun! She had a quote pinned on her wall that read, “This is 'serious' 'fun'!!!”- and it was!

Speaking of standard, I now understand that there is nothing “standard” or usual about this mission. Whatever you might have imagined pertaining to a mission, let that thought go. That's what I have learned to do. I also learned to stay alert, and become aware of God's special and subtle surprises, gifts, and blessings. 

Here is an example:

Little did I know that for the first week, I was temporarily placed with a group of Church Service Missionaries (CSMs). [They are different from Full Time Missionaries (FTMs), and our Mission is comprised of both.] They were part of the January 2013 Group, and because I was training with them, I was adopted into their unit.  On Friday, I “graduated” with them. We celebrated with a lovely Devotional Meeting in the Chapel of the JSMB, a “honey butter” social, and a group picture.   [I'll explain the “honey butter” another time.]   It was a wonderfully yummy morning!

After the festivities, I was asked to return to the training area. Why? Because I now needed to meet “my” group! I am part of the February 2013 group, even though I am not training with them. “Interesting... unusual... different... oh well”, I thought. What difference would it make anyway, right? Upon arriving at the Training Zone, I was warmly greeted by a welcoming line of trainers, all of them! This wasn't just for me of course. It was for my group, February 2013.  Because I arrived in the middle of the last group's training, I had missed this special part of orientation. You can imagine the fun we had “introducing” ourselves, and the jest of being summoned back after graduating only a half hour prior.

So here come the surprises, gifts, and blessings! We took an official group picture, and then were explained the (special-to-me) features of being a part of February 2013. Firstly, this is our Activity Group's name. Secondly, it denotes our church ward, or actually our branch. We are a missionary branch of about 200 FTMs!   Our group has the privilege of attending church in the JSMB!   Which means we are next door to the Temple!   As a matter of fact, one of the Sunday School rooms has windows looking out at the Temple. And Relief Society, it is held in a small ballroom!  Someone pinch me!

Once again, I am given the opportunity to recognize and acknowledge Heavenly Father's loving gifts.  We may understand that He is aware of us, but these sweet surprises, genuine and personalized “tender mercies” are truly very special blessings to me.  They go above and beyond what I could have imagined, but they are evidence that my Father knows...me, little me, one of millions of His beloved children.  I find that what is most important to Him, what shows the most gratitude and honor to Him, is that I know Him.  I know my Father in Heaven, and yes, at times I too call Him Abba... dear, tender, and beloved Father.

Isn't February a lovely month?  I think so. I will appreciate it differently now, and cherish it as never before.  I love it!  Happy Birthday to all those celebrating this month.  You are sweethearts!  To the rest, may you find true love in God, our Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. (The First Article of Faith) May we be forever blessed with this knowledge. 

Understanding this simple principle is critical.  It tells us of the nature of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that we are not left alone during this time of separation, this journey called life. Thank you, Bishop Blonquist, for guiding us to the Articles of Faith this year. I know that if we live our faith, we will love our Heavenly Father more, and draw ever closer to our Brother and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I send you my gratitude, love, and joy, and impart them in the sacred name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

With warm wishes,

Sister Binkhurst

P.S. The January/February Group intermingling reminds me of the blessings I received by participating in both Westlake Family/YSA Wards. A warm hello and thank you to the awesome YSA Ward!  Stay strong!