Sister Courtney King: Second to last email from Wisconsin!!

Sister Karlsson and I being studs at the three-legged race at our ward's pioneer party. (Yes, we won.)

One thing I have learned on my mission- you can do anything in a skirt!!

Hey Fam!

Man, you just don't think the weeks can go by any faster. But then they do. This week has been pretty crazy and busy. Also my heart has been full of like 10,000 different emotions so that has made the week even crazier. But it has been a great week nonetheless!

We have been starting to teach a lot of new investigators this week. And we also went on 2 exchanges. The first to Shawano and the second to Wisconsin Rapids. Exchanges have always kept me on my toes. And they sure wear me down too! But always learn so much from the sisters that we serve with.

Sue has been in and out of the hospital this week. So if you could keep her in your prayers, that would be great.

This week we have been studying a lot about the principle of sacrifice. This is a principle that I don't think I understood very well before my mission. (I probably still don't understand it as well as I should.) But on my mission I have learned why sacrifice is such an important principle of the Gospel. Sacrifice is giving up something good, and is hard to give up, for something better. We sacrifice things like 10% of our income, or a few meals on the first Sunday of the month. But sacrifice is so much more than that. I think the reason that God asks us to sacrifice somethings is so that we can come to understand a little bit better the sacrifice of our Savior.

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. (2 Nephi 2:7)

We will never completely understand the sacrifice of our Savior, but we can understand it better when we are willing to sacrifice for the Lord.

And the thing is, sacrifice is not about the blessings that we receive because of our sacrifice. Really, it is all about what our sacrifice helps us to become.

The reason why I have come to understand sacrifice better is because my mission has been the biggest sacrifice I have ever made in my life up until this point. I have sacrificed a pretty big chunk of time and seeing my family. (Not to mention all the blood, sweat, and tears that a mission entails.) The things that I left behind were all good things. If I had not come on a mission I would most likely still be on a pretty good path. But because of my mission, I was able to give up something good for something better. Because of my mission I have been able to see people's lives change. I have been able to teach people about our Savior's perfect and infinite Atonement for us. And I have learned more than I ever could have learned in these past 18 months that I would have spent at home. This sacrifice has been worth it 10 times over because of the blessings that I have received. Sacrifice really does bring forth the blessings of heaven!

It's funny- before my mission I felt that I had been blessed so much in my life and one of the reasons that I wanted to serve was to "pay God back" I guess for all that he has done for me and all that he has blessed me with. But really, I have been blessed so much more on my mission that I ever could pay him back for.

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

Mosiah 2:23-24

I will forever be indebted to my Heavenly Father for my mission, my family, and my life. Because I love him, I want to sacrifice the things that He asks me to. And I have complete faith and confidence that He will bless my and those that I love because of the sacrifices that we make and that he will shape us and mold us into better people than we possibly could have become on our own. Even though I wanted to "pay Him back" for all he has given me, I know that I will never be able to. But I am grateful that I was able to show Him just how grateful I really am. And I look forward to showing him how grateful I am for the rest of my life.

"Our lives of service and sacrifice are the most appropriate expressions of our commitment to serve the Master and our fellowmen."

-Dallin H. Oaks

I love you all!!!! Thanks for your love and your support!

Sister King