The Refiner's Shower

Beautiful Daffodils everywhere!

I have been out now on my mission for a good solid 5 months and a day:)  How time flies when you're learning Dutch, riding (more like falling off) a bike, eating herring, and being "totes netjes" in the classiest of missions:)

Lunch at Hema:) The classy Dutch Target

Oh, did I mention that I'm serving in the Belgium/Netherlands Mission? :)  Anyway, this week, we had Zone Training, exchanges, district leaders coming to work with us, and e'er-thang in between; at Zone Conference, we got what they call "The Yearbook", a book of all the missionaries in the mission field for the past 6 months with full names, home addresses and emails. So, that just makes things a whole lot easier for me:)

Anyway, on Thursday a few of our lessons were cancelled, so we took to the rain and truly experienced the "Refiner's Shower as I like to call it.

This week we have General Conference!  And I couldn't be more excited; I've read, pretty sure, every talk from 2011 up to now within these past two months and am definitely ready for some new talks.  I love everything about Conference; the absolutely amazing opportunity to learn and feel the spirit.

This week is also Easter! The Dutch love Easter; they love the "paseiren", the flowers, the warmer weather, and the extra few days they get off from school and work:)

More Daffodils!

The best thing about Easter though is the amazingly astounding miracle that took place on that first Easter morning.  Jesus Christ, who three days earlier had suffered every pain known and unknown, obvious and subtle, was resurrected and with it came all the glory and magnificence that He was due.

Because of Him, we live again. Because He lives, every loss, every death, just or unjust, is made better.  We, through His Resurrection, are promised that we shall live again.  And through His Atonement, we can live again each and every day - as we use the Atonement each day to better ourselves, we start anew, we rededicate ourselves to His will and seal up our hearts for His courts.  

His Atonement, His death, and His Resurrection all come from one source: His love for us.  Because He loves us, He did this.  Because He loves us, He sees fit to chasten us; Heavenly Father gives us challenges because He trusts us and our capabilities to learn from and help others through the darkness.

Love is the source of all things good - it is because of love that the universe exists, that we exist. A loving Father in Heaven created us and everything around us out of love. As we strive to be examples of Jesus Christ and keep the commandments, all we really have to do is one thing: love:

If we love Heavenly Father, we will keep His commandments. If we love Jesus Christ, we will embrace His Atonement.  If we love those around us, we will do good and see them for their potential.

Love people and love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  If we love them, everything else falls into place.

Happy Easter and Happy General Conference!

Liefs, Zuster Dobler