Don't stop fighting...

   Everybody knows the story of the tortoise and the hare. It is a beloved children's story that has been retold countless times. So when you think about that story, everyone can remember that the hare lost the race with the tortoise because he sat down to take a nap. The tortoise, although slow, won because he didn't stop. He was diligent. Never stopping to take a nap, although I am sure that little tortoise was far more tired than that hare! Well how does this apply to us as individuals... 

     Sometimes we might be like the hare- loving life! Moving forward without a care in the world! No worries!!!! Sadly that never lasts for long. We find ourselves taking breaks and falling behind... or maybe just getting exhausted (maybe that is why he took a nap!) All of our care and worries come forward and we sometimes fall short. If you have ever felt like the hare, that is fine!! We can all change! Lets mirror our lives after the tortoise. Let us be diligent! In "Preach My Gospel: A guide to missionary service."  we get the definition for diligence. "Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort..." You can have those different qualities in every aspect of your life. It will help us to not get overwhelmed. If we work with diligence in our life I know we will finish the race! We will look at our lives and realize we have come a long way. We finished!

   

     God knows that we are not perfect! We are going to make some mistakes. Luckily He has given us the scriptures to guide us. The scriptures help us to learn the qualities of diligence! How to live life and not get overwhelmed. A prophet in The Book of Mormon gave these inspiring words...

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." Mosiah 4:27

We need to have a "steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort.." to get that prize! I don't know what your individual 'goals' are but I know that this scripture applies to all of us. Don't run faster than you have strength! Don't stop working towards your goal!

KEEP ON FIGHTING! DON'T EVER GIVE UP!!!!

The tag that keep is together..

    I was thinking about the name tag that I wear everyday. I love being a missionary! "Sister Kraemer" I love looking down and seeing those words finally written on one of those little black tags. What I love so much more than that is the fact that right underneath my name is the name, "Jesus Christ". Thus I am constantly seeing the reason I am out hear on a mission! Someone in the missionary training center pointed out to me that, "the reason Christ's name is under ours is that He lifts us up! If we were to get rid of that name, nothing would hold ours up." Quite literally, my name would mean nothing with out His. I love my tag!!
      So being on a mission can be hard. Especially when I forget who is their to support me... I forget to let Christ lift me up... I have learned that we constantly can change though! I can make a choice and let Christ come into my life. I am grateful for this tag! It constantly reminds me of the person I represent.
        I think President Monson says it best, "The decision to change one's life and come unto Christ is, perhaps, the most important decision of mortality". Decide now to Come unto Christ! This quote reminds me to make the decision everyday to put on that name tag and remember who it is I am representing!

So here is a quote that has helped me out a ton!!! It helps me to remember to come unto Christ...don't know who it is by..sorry...but I love it :)

"One of the most frequent words in Christ's vocabulary was a small one-Come. The gesture which we associate with him echo the same idea. Arms outstretched in welcome, his entire being said, "Come." This is not a restricted invitation for the few, for the elect, for those who somehow deserve it; he made it open and for all, no matter how weak or afraid or hesitant. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden," he said, "and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) At another time he said, "suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, "appealing to the little child in each of us. (Luke 18:16) Come follow me, in fact, was the message of His life. Come. It is an immediate appeal, admitting no excuses. We who say to the Lord, "I am too busy; I am too tired; I will work for you at another time," have missed the point. There is not a mortal being who is not burdened with the cares that threaten to absorb him altogether. All are preoccupied, all busy. But when Christ said to Peter and Andrew fishing in the sea of Galilee, "Come... and I will make you fisher of men, " they dropped their nets and came. (Mark 1:17) Come. It is without qualification. Not come when we are perfect. Not come when we have no doubts, when life is uncontested and we have no problems. Nor is it an invitation to come only when life is at its darkest-only in time of dire need. It is simple, "Come now. Come as you are." Why is the Lord so insistent about this invitation? Probably because He walked with us and knows firsthand the mysteries, violence and contradictions of life on this earth. He knows if we will come to Him in Pain, we will leave in joy. If we come in confusion, we will leave in clarity. If we come in darkness, we will leave in light. So He offers the invitation and leave is extended with a kind of divine hopefulness-until we respond."

Come Unto Him.

"Regrets and Resolutions" By President Dieter F Uchtdorf

    Time is one of the greatest gifts God has granted us. We have time to change. This talk kept popping up today in my studies. We don't want to make it to the end of our lives and regret the things we have done here. We need to find Joy in the journey.
One of the greatest examples of a life well lived is the life of Jesus Christ. Here is an exert of the talk by President Uchtdorf, "I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished . I can't see it. Instead I see a compassionate and caring Son of God purposefully living each day. When He interacted with those around Him, they felt important and loved. He knew the infinite value of the people He met. He blessed them, ministered to them. he lifted them up, healed them. He gave them the precious gift of His time."

I invite you to think about the time you give...where is it most spent.
Read this talk :) It is absolutely amazing!!!
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng&query=regrets+and+resolutions

"Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." 3 Nephi 5:13

Dear Family and Friends,

      I am so grateful for this time to be serving a full time mission for the Lord. Everyday I have the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those around me. I am striving to be a disciple of Jesus Christ everyday. Just as I have been called to serve a mission, I know that we all have been called to serve. I love the talk "It's a Miracle" by Elder Neal L. Andersen. In his talk he says, "If you're not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart- painted, as Paul said, "not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God." (General Conference, April 2013 'It's a Miracle').  We have all been called to share the gospel with those around us. I hope this blog can  help you see how much God loves you and how important it is to share that love with others. I love you all!!!

                                                                   Love, Sister Raquel Kraemer