Joy!

Oh my goodness! Time flies so quickly here! I am almost at the end of my 2nd transfer. Wow! I still feel like I just got here a few days ago. I am loving this area especially as it has been getting warmer. (No coat today) Sorry for all of you stuck in the freezing cold... but rest assured Utah does truly have the best snow on earth! The snow here is heavy and wet and icy. :) I have loved getting mail and things from all of you! You have no idea how much it brightens my day and brings joy to my heart. I love all of you my family and friends. I apologize that the last few weeks have been so crazy! I haven't had a chance to write out hand written letters. I will do that as soon as I can. (probably not today because we have appointments this afternoon.) You are all so wonderful and I miss you tons! But the work out here is good and I can truly see that there is happiness entering many lives! It is such a joy to see the happiness this gospel brings when it is understood.
Many people think that church is a way to tell them how to live. I like to think of it more as a way that God has to show us what he wants for us. When we follow God's commandments and the doctrines that Christ taught we are able to experience more joy. (2 Nephi 2:25) I love this scripture because it says that Adam fell that men MIGHT be and men are, that they MIGHT have joy. When Adam partook of the fruit he chose to stay with Eve that they could multiply and replenish the earth.. So that they could have a family and that their children could have children. And so each of us is born. We are, that we MIGHT have joy. Joy is not just a temporary happiness or a moment of fun. Joy is something that is lasting... that survives hard times and difficulties. Joy is the peace we experience knowing that Christ is always there for us no matter what. That He has experienced what we have experienced and that we can lean on him for support. Joy comes not from what the world can offer but only from what God can offer. However, We know that we must experience bad to understand the good. ( 2 Nephi 2;11 "For it must needs be, that there is an aopposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad.") We are here for an experience that will help us to grow and to become more than we are at this moment. And sometimes growing hurts.... a lot. But if we are truly trying to be like the Savior we must expect to experience our own Gethsemane at times. How could we be like the Savior if we didn't? In a talk by Hugh B. Brown January 1973 (New Era pg. 14) he says "I was living up in Canada. I had purchased a farm. It was run-down. I went out one morning and saw a currant bush. It had grown up over six feet high. It was going all to wood. There were no blossoms and no currants. I was raised on a fruit farm in Salt Lake before we went to Canada, and I knew what ought to happen to that currant bush. So I got some pruning shears and went after it, and I cut it down, and pruned it, and clipped it back until there was nothing left but a little clump of stumps. It was just coming daylight, and I thought I saw on top of each of these little stumps what appeared to be a tear, and I thought the currant bush was crying. I was kind of simpleminded (and I haven’t entirely gotten over it), and I looked at it, and smiled, and said, “What are you crying about?” You know, I thought I heard that currant bush talk. And I thought I heard it say this: “How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. I was almost as big as the shade tree and the fruit tree that are inside the fence, and now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me, because I didn’t make what I should have made. How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.” That’s what I thought I heard the currant bush say, and I thought it so much that I answered. I said, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and some day, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down, for caring enough about me to hurt me. Thank you, Mr. Gardener.’ ” God knows what is good for us and what we need to be able to grow and become strengthened... and better than what we could be on our own. He loves us and He wants us to be amazing. :) And I want you to know that all of you are. You are amazing and wonderful people. I have so many memories of the amazing people that I have been able to call Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and Friend. I love you all so much and want you to know that you are some of the greatest people on Earth and that I feel very priviledged to know you. Keep living the wonderful lives that you do!
I would like to end with a favorite quote of mine from Jeffrey R. Holland from the last general conference. "My thanks to all you wonderful members of the Church.... for proving every day of you life that the pure love of Christ never faileth." He ends his talk as I would like to end my letter. "seeing your example, I pledge anew my determination to be better, to be more faithful-more kind and devoted, more charitable and true as our Father in Heaven is and as so many of you already are."

I love you all very very much.

God be with you till we meet again.
Love,
Sister Gordon