Hard Endings and Harder Beginnings

Farewell CCM District

Farewell CCM Instructor

Farewell CCM Insructor

Final days at CCM

Sisters Greenwood &  Maynes (Trainer)

Hola from the streets of Mexico! Before I left the CCM I was thinking how it was crazy that I was already 1/12th of the way done with my mission. Then I got to the field yesterday and decided it was scary that I was only 1/12th of the way done with my mission. Haha - but all is well because the promise in Moroni 7 holds true. As we pray with all energy of heart, we will be filled with His love. And that love may come in various ways. 

New Apartment

Yesterday I struggled to understand much of anything that went on in our lessons and I have continued to struggle in many ways. I had the thought to pull out my notes that others had given me before I left and throughout the CCM. As I read them, so much love filled my soul for them and for this gospel. The Lord hears our prayers and is very aware of us.

Kitchen

I gave a talk this past Sunday on Christ, and I focused on how He is the light in my life. As we go about doing good (Acts 10:38), we can become the light for other people and find the light more easily.

Living Room

There is always light. None of us are perfect, but we can strive perfectly.

I can't even begin to describe my love for my Savior. Because Christ walked our paths alone, we don't have to.

Bedroom

Although this new experience is stretching me more than I ever thought I could be stretched, I know that all these things are for my good and for my experience (D&C 122:7). Keep pressing forward WITH Christ!

Have a grand week!

Hermana Greenwood:)

Light Prevails

CCM Distrct - Elders  Zweifel, Creed, Mankins, Rivas & Sisters Palsson, Johnson, Lemmon, Greenwood, Fotheringham, Ridd

Favorite p-day outfit on a cold day

ONLY FIVE DAYS UNTIL I AM IN THE FIELD. I am so excited to get out there and meet and love and teach people! I am so blessed to have met an Hermana that works in my mission offices! She sat in my District Meeting with me this past Sunday and we chatted about my mission. She even showed me a picture of my trainer! She looks super nice, speaks fluent English and Spanish, and I am so excited to meet her! 

Hurray for packages! Someone knows Kim loves apple juice and popcorn!

I am also a little sad to leave the CCM though; my district and current companion are wonderful people and we have so many opportunities to be very spiritually fed. 

Bundled up for Kim's favorite weather

My thoughts are a little scattered but here are some cool things I wrote down/ random thoughts from this past week. In zone meeting we were talking about Alma 49 and how Moroni helped his people to be prepared and made weak cities strong. I was thinking about how it doesn't matter how weak you feel you are, you can always put on the Armor of God and with His help be more prepared.

Kim and Comp after p-day volleyball

Something I had never thought of before is that when you are in a dark room and it is light outside and you open the door, light comes in. BUT when you are in a light room and it is dark outside and you open the door, darkness doesn't come in. Light always triumphs! I love this gospel with all of my heart and soul. While I am so nervous to enter the field with the little Spanish that I possess, I know that the Lord is by my side.

Sisters Greenwood & Weston (met at the airport - so sweet!)

I challenge you all to read Alma 49 this week and try to put yourself in the story, try to see how God is there for you and about how you can better prepare yourself for whatever comes your way. "The Lord takes raw materials and shapes them and refines them." Sometimes the 'refiner's fire' can be intimidating, but you are never alone, and imagine what you will be on the other side of it. :)

Have a wonderful week everybody!

Love, Hermana Greenwood :)

2 Districts in Zone at CCM

Singing at the CCM

Spiritual Fuel

Sister Greenwood - very composed at the CCM

P-day with new CCM shirt!

How have I been here for a month?? Spanish is hard, sometimes the people are hard, sometimes all I want to do is keep playing sand volleyball, but my oh my how good the Lord is. This week I got to hear from Elder Renlund (IN PERSON) and President Nelson (via broadcast). Needless to say I have been fed immensely well spiritually. I got to shake Elder Renlund's hand!!! He talked about how we are called of God as missionaries, how the Lord cares about who we are right now, who we are becoming, that we are utilizing the Atonement, and that our missions are about Heavenly Father's children. My favorite thing he said was: "Do the best you can and try to get better." I feel like this applies so well to anyone's life. The Lord cares about who we are and what we are working towards, so keep working! 

Kim's caption: "Cute birds playing in the dirty water"

President Nelson (we watched the broadcast he did to the youth of the church) talked about how THIS IS OUR TIME. The gathering is happening now and we can be part of the Lord's batallion! We need to stand out and recognize that we are the heroes in this story. One of my favorite things that he said was, "We need you, it won't be the same without you." I challenge you all to let your faith be bigger than your fear. (Read Phil. 4: 13, 2 Tim. 4: 4-8, and 2 Nephi 31:20) We are all called to this glorious work, and we are all needed because of our individual talents and abilities. I love this gospel. :)

Perhaps a bit less composed -- jumping for joy! (She's still got hops!)

Have a splendid week!!!

Hermana Greenwood:)

Tender Times

Sister Missionary Roommates

Mexico City Temple Visitors' Center

I am HALFWAY through the CCM! I can't decide if I feel like I have been here for 2 years or 2 days, it depends on when you ask me... but what I do know is that it is amazing. 

Today we got to go to the temple again and I don't know how, but I'm pretty sure it was even better the second time. I went into the Visitors' Center and met some of the missionaries serving in my mission! They were so sweet and so excited that I would be there in a few weeks. It made me SO excited to get into the field.

Sisters Palsson & Greenwood - Christus

As hard as days in our lives can sometimes be, when we look for the Lord's hand, we can't really complain. Tender mercies are like my favorite thing to look for, because I can always find them. This past week, actually I think it was yesterday, I was just having a really rough day. The Spanish words weren't coming during my lesson, and lots of other things I felt justified about complaining about. 

Bring on the RAIN!

BUT after our devotional last night, still feeling a little rough and beaten down, I walked outside and it was RAINING. (I love the rain; my spirits are always lifted when it is raining outside.) God is so aware of us; the little things that matter to us, matter to Him! 

Companionship selfie - Mustard for the win!

During our Branch Meeting this past week we talked about how the Lord's hand is in everything and about how when we feel like we can't see tender mercies, we need to be one. And in my opinion, when we turn up, things turn up. :)

Have a grand week!

Hermana Greenwood:)

For God so loved the world...

Sisters Palsson (companion) and Greenwood

I am almost halfway done with the CCM! I feel like I have learned so much, and yet I still have so, so much to learn; but that's what keeps me going! People from "outside the wall" of the CCM volunteer to come and be taught (mostly members), and we taught two of them this week! It was really scary for me since I don't speak a lot of Spanish, and they didn't speak ANY English, but it was really cool! It made me super excited for the field!!

Quote from Kim describing this pic: "Email time! (left to right:
Hermana Marlee Johnson, Michelle Ridd, Julianna Fotheringham, Kelsea Palsson,
and the adorable one with no make up and a messy bun in the front is me ;) )"

Something cool the President of the CCM shared with my zone this past week involved the scripture John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten son..." Presidente Bennett said that God so loved the world that He sent us as well. I LOVE that thought! We are all so important in the hastening of this work!! :)

Weekly Schedule at CCM/MTC

This work is amazing; I love this gospel so much.

Have a great week!

Hermana Greenwood :)