Week 1- London MTC

hheelllloo  ffaammiillyy,,

yyoouu  mmaayy  bbee  wwoonnddeerriinngg  wwhhyy  II  aamm  ttyyppiinngg  lliikkee  tthhiiss  bbuutt  ((ssoorrrryy  ffoorr  tthhee  ccrruueedd  llaanngguuaaggee))  ssuurrpprriissiinnggllyy,,  II''mm  nnoott  eevveenn  mmeeaanniinngg  ttoo  ddoo  iitt!!  FFoorr  ssoommee  rreeaassoonn  tthhiiss  ccoommppuutteerr  iiss  ppyysscchoo  aanndd  lliikkeess  rreeppeeaattiinngg  hhiimmsseellff. 
OOkk,,  ssoo  II  hhaavvee  mmaaddee  iitt  ttoo  EEnnggllaanndd  ssaaffeellyy!!  AAss  yyoouu  kknnooww,,  mmyy  ffiirrsstt  fflliigghhtt  ggoott  ddeellaayyeedd  aann  hhoouurr  aanndd  aa  hhaallf,,  ggiivviinngg  mmee  aa  ffeeww  hhoouurrss  ttiill  ttaakkee  ooffff.  II  ttooookk  aann  hhoouurr  aanndd  wwaallkkeedd  aarroouunndd  ttoo  ttrryy  aanndd  ggeett  ssoommee  eexxeerrcciissee  iinn.  IItt  wwaass  wweeiirrdd  bbeeiinngg  aallll  aalloonnee,,  ttoo  mmyysseellff,,  nnoott  hhaavviinngg  ddiissttrraaccttiioonnss  lliikkee  iinntteerrnneett  orr  ttvv.  IItt  ggoott  mmeett  tthhiinnkkiinngg,,  ppeeooppllee  wwhhoo  ddoonn''tt  lliikkee  tthheemmsseellvveess  mmuusstt  nneevveerr  wwaanntt  ttoo  bbee  aalloonnee!!  iitt''ss  lliikkee  ssppeennddiinngg  aa  wwhhoollee  ddaayy  wwiitthh  ssoommeeoonnee  wwhhoossee  ppeerrssoonnaalliittyy  yyoouu  ddoonntt  lliikkee.  SSoo  ii  wwaass  vveerryy  ggrraatteeffuull  aatt  tthhaatt  mmoommeenntt  ccuuzz  II  lliikkee  mmyy  ppeerrssoonnaalliittyy  aanndd  II  tthhiinnkk  II''mm  ffuunnnnyy  ssoo  II  kkeepptt  mmyysseellff  eenntteerrttaaiinneedd::))  AAfftteerr  mmyy  wwaallkk  II  mmeett  uupp  wwiitthh  aa  bbiigg  ggrroouupp  ooff  mmiissssiioonnaarriieess.  WWeellll,,  oouurr  sseeccoonndd  fflliigghhtt  ggoott  ddeellaayyeedd  ttoooo,,  aatt  ffiirrsstt  iitt  wwaass  ddeellaayyeedd  ffrroomm  66ppmm  ttoo  99ppmm  aanndd  tthheenn  iitt  ggoott  ddeellaayyeedd  ttoo  99::4455!!!!  BBuutt  gguueessss  wwhhaat??!!  II  ddiiddnntt  eevveenn  rreeaallllyy  ccaarree!!  AAtt  ffiirrsstt  iitt  wwaass  aa  bbuummmmeerr  ccuuzz  tthhee  wwhhoollee  ttiimmee  wwee  wweerree  ssuuppeerr  bboorreedd  bbuutt((aaggaaiinn,,  ssoorrrryy  ffoorr  tthhee  ccrruueedd  llaanngguuaaggee))  II  wwaass  ffiinnee  wwiitthh  iitt!!  II  eevveenn  ppaasssseedd  oouutt  aa  ppaassss  aalloonngg  ccaarrdd  ttoo  ssoommee  wwoorrkkeerrss  tthheerree.

 II  tthhiinnkk  II  aamm  pprroobbaabbllyy  tthhee  mmoosstt  ttaallkkaattiivvee  oouutt  ooff  tthhee  ssiisstteerr  mmiissssiioonnaarriieess  II  mmeett.  II  ttaallkkeedd  ttoo  oonnee  ffrroomm  CCrrooaassiiaa  ffoorr  hhoouurrss.  SShhee  iiss  aawweessoommee  sshhee  ccoonnvveerrtteedd  oonnllyy  aa  yyeeaarr  aanndd  aa  hhaallff  aaggoo.  AAaallssoo,,  II  hhaavvee  ttoo  tteellll  yyoouu  aabboouutt  aannootthheerr  ssiisstteerr.  HHaahhaa  sshhee  iiss  ffuunnnnyy.  OOnnllyy  bbeeccaauussee  II  sswweeaarr  sshhee  hhaatteess  tthhee  wwoorrlldd.  AAllssoo  kknnoowwnn  aass  aa  ppeessiimmiisstt.  II  lliikkee  ttaallkkiinngg  ttoo  hheerr  tthhoouugghh  ssttiillll  ccuuzz  iitt''ss  eenntteerrttaaiinniinngg.  OOuurr  sseeaattss  wweerree  rriigghhtt  bbyy  eeaacchh  ootthheerr  oonn  oouurr  sseeccoonndd  ((77  hhoouurr))  fflliigghhtt.  SShhee  ccoommppllaaiinneedd  aabboouutt  hhooww  ssllooww  tthhee  ppllaaiinn  wwaass  ggooiinngg,,  iitt  wwaass  ttoooo  ccooll,,  tthheenn  iitt  wwaass  ttoo  hhoott,,  oouurr  llaayyoovveerrss,,,  sshhee  wwaass  ttiirreedd,  yyaaddii  yyaaddii  BBUUTT  TTHHEENN,,  ssoommeetthhiinngg  hhaappppeenneedd.  SSoommeetthhiinngg  II  nneevveerr  tthhoouugghhtt  II  wwoouulldd  hheeaarr.  OOuutt  ooff  hheerr  mmoouutthh  oouutttteerreedd  tthhee  wwoorrddss,,  ''''II  lliikkee  iitt''''.  WWhhaaaaaa??????  ((ZZaannee,,  qquuee  tthhee  wwhhaaaa  vvooiiccee))  SShhee  aaccttuuaallllyy  lliikkeess  ssoommeetthhiinngg??  II  aasskkeedd  hheerr  wwhhaatt  sshhee  wwaass  ttaallkkiinngg  aabboouutt  aanndd  sshhee  ssaaiidd  sshhee  lliikkeedd  tthhee  ttuurrbbuullaannccee  iinn  tthhee  ppllaannee.  IItt  mmaakkeess  mmee  tthhaannkkffuull  tthhaatt  II  hhaavvee  bbeeeenn  aabbllee  ttoo  hhaavvee  aa  ppoossiittiivvee  aattttiittuuddee  aabboouutt  eevveerryytthhiinngg. 

OOhh  aallssoo!!!!  SSoooooo  ccooooll  tthhaatt  oouurr  ppllaannee  wwaass  ddeellaayyeedd  ffoorr  ssoo  lloonngg  bbeeccaauussee  aann  aa  ffaammiillyy  II  hhaadd  mmeett  oonn  oouurr  ffiirrsstt  fflliigghhtt  ((tthhee  wwiiffee  ggrreeww  uupp  iinn  EEnnggllaanndd  aanndd  tthheeyy  wweerree  ggooiinngg  bbaacckk  ttoo  vviissiitt))  hhaadd  mmiisssseedd  tthheeiirr  sseeccoonndd  fflliigghhtt  tthhaatt  wwaass  ttaakkiinngg  tthheemm  ttoo  EEnnggllaanndd  bbeeccaauussee  ooff  oouurr  ffiirrsstt  fflliigghhttss  llaayyoovveerr.  SSoo  tthheeyy  wweerree  ssoooooo  lluucckkyy  ttoo  mmaakkee  oouurrss  ootthheerrwwiissee  tthheeyy  wwoouulldd  hhaavvee  hhaadd  ttoo  ssppeenndd  tthhee  nniigghhtt!!  AAAAAAnndd  aann  EEllddeerr  tthhaatt  ddiiddnn''tt  ffllyy  wwiitthh  uuss  ccuuzz  hhee  ccaammee  ffrroomm  DDeennvveerr,,  hhiiss  ffiirrsstt  fflliigghhtt  ddeellaayyeedd  aa  bbuunncchh  ssoo  hhee  wwaass  nnoott  ggooiinngg  ttoo  mmaakkee  oouurrss.  BBuutt  bbeeccaauussee  iitt  wwaass  ddeellaayyeedd  hhee  wwaass  ookk!!!!  BBlleessssiinnggss  iinn  ddiissgguuiissee.

II  hhaavveenn''tt  eexxcceerrssiisssseedd  iinn  aa  wwhhiillee  aanndd  ii  wwaaaaaanntt  ttoo.  tthheeyy  ttoolldd  uuss  tthhaatt  wwee  wwoouulldd  eeiitthheerr  ttaakkee  aann  hhoouurr  nnaapp  llaatteerr  oorr  eexxeerrcciissee  aanndd  dduuhh  ii  wwaanntt  ttoo  ddoo  tthhee  llaatttteerr  oobbvviioouussllyy.  BBuutt  nnoonnee  ooff  tthhee  ssiisstteerrss  wwaanntt  ttoo  ccuuzz  tthheeyy  aarree  aallll  ttiirreedd  ssoo  II  hhaavvee  rruunn  iinn  ttoo  mmyy  ffiirrsstt  ooff  mmaannyy  mmiissffoorrttuunneess  lliikkee  tthhiiss.  MMaayybbee  II  ccaann  ccoonnvviinnccee  oonnee  ooff  tthheemm...wwee  wwiillll  sseeee. 

II  mmeett  aann  eellddeerr  tthhaatt  ppllaayyeedd  tteennnniiss  wwiitthh  RRyylleeyy  BBeecckk.  HHee  wwaass  eevveenn  aatt  RRyylleeyyss  ffaarreewweellll  aanndd  ssoo  wwaass  II!!  ssmmaallll  wwoorrlldd. 

WWee  hhaavvee  hhaadd  oonnee  mmeeaall  aatt  tthhee  MMTTCC,,  lluunncchh,,  aanndd  II  lliikkeedd  iitt!!  II  jjuusstt  hhaadd  aa  ssaallaadd  aanndd  II''mm  gguueessssiinngg  II  wwiillll  eevveerryyddaayy  hheerree  bbuutt  tthhaatt  ddooeessnn''tt  bbootthheerr  mmee!!

WWeellll,,  EEnnggllaannddss  bboommb.  IItt  wwaass  rraaiinniinngg  wwhheenn  wwee  ggoott  hheerree  aanndd  hhaassnn''tt  ssttooppppeedd.  MMyy  bbaaggss  mmaaddee  iitt  ssaaffeellyy!! II''vvee  ttaakkeenn  ssoommee  ppiiccss  tthhaatt  II  ccaann  sseenndd  yyoouu  wwhheenn  II  hhaavvee  ttiimmee  nneexxtt  PP--ddaayy.  AAnnyy  qquueessttiioonnss  ffoorr  mmee??  II  lloovvee  yyoouu  aallll.  SSaarraahh  yyoouu  wwiillll  bbee  mmaarrrriieedd  pprroobbaabbllyy  bbyy  tthhee  nneexxtt  ttiimmee  ii  ttaallkk  ttoo  yyoouu.  CCoonnggrraattss  ssiissttaa!!  MMyy  ttiimmee  iiss  rruunnnniinngg  oouutt  bbuutt  kknnooww  tthhaatt  II''mm  ddooiinngg  wweellll!!  ((oorr  mmaayybbee  IImm  jjuusstt  tteelllliinngg  yyoouu  tthhaatt  ccuuzz  tthhee  MMTTCC  pprreessiiddeenntt  hheerree  ttoolldd  uuss  wwee  ccoouullddnntt  tteellll  yyoouu  gguuyyss  bbaadd  tthhiinnggss  ccuuzz  tthheenn  hhee  wwoouulldd  ggeett  aannggrryy  lleetttteerrss  ffrroomm  ppaarreennttss))  oorr  mmaayybbee  II  rreeaallllyy  aamm  eennjjooyyiinngg  iitt...

LLoovvee  yyoouu!!
SSiisstteerr  CCuurrttiiss

Farewell, I'm off to England.

Today I got to stand in front of hundreds of people and talk all I want and they just had to sit there and listen:) What sounds better than that, right? I tried my very best to write down what I said today at my farewell in my talk. I might not have caught everything word for word but I still think it's worth reading! Enjoy...

Introduction

Hi! My name is Emily Curtis and I am very happy I get to be here and talk to you guys today. I’ve practiced this talk in front of the mirror a couple times and it is a whole lot better getting to stare at your beautiful faces rather than mine the whole time.

Missionary announcement

So, not sure if you guys heard, but there is a new missionary announcement! Young boys are now allowed to leave on their missions at the age of 18 and girls at 19. It hasn’t exactly been broadcasted around the world so I just thought I should share that with you that way you will understand why I am up here giving my farewell talk. 

I received my call almost 5 months ago to the London, England mission; English speaking and I report June 27^th.

Google Search

I have to be honest, I have been pretty nervous for this talk. In fact, I’m a little embarrassed to admit this but I actually went on to Google and searched “I’m incredibly nervous to give a talk”. Apparently 80 million other people feel the same way so that helped me feel a little better, at least I’m not alone. What also helped me was asking for advice from my family members, friends.

Mom’s advice

I asked my mom one day for her insights for my talk and for ideas for a topic since the bishopric was allowing me to choose. She gave me a few ideas and one of them was that I should mention something about my dad.

Dad’s shout out

Let me start by saying how grateful I am for my dad He has supported me in every decision that I have made. He knew that going on a mission would be an incredible blessing for my life and he was with me every step of the way in the decision process.

He actually got up at 3 this morning to go hike a mountain to find my sister-in-laws lost phone and never once did I hear a complaint about it.

Mom’s Shout out

Oh, also, my mom in her words, said, “make sure you let them know that you are mentioning your dad because it’s fathers day. I don’t want them to think that I’m just a lousy mom so you only mentioned your dad.” Well… Mom, your birthday happens to be in 2 days so this one’s for you: Thank you for buying me all of my mission clothes when I knew dad would not want to pay for them, and thank you for your wonderful example in my life. Not only have you taught me how to have fun, you have also taught me how to be a follower of Christ.

Pokie and Chickies advice

I also asked my little sister and chicky Clark for advice. There only advice was to be funny; I guess this trumped giving a spiritual message, and touching lives in their minds. It’s nice to know that the future of our church is in good hands.

How I chose topic

So, like I mentioned before, I was given the option to pick my own topic and

After contemplating it for a while I realized that I want to talk to you guys today about the importance of trusting in the Lord in all that you do. 2 scenarios that can show our trust in the lord are 1) when we are making decisions, and 2) when we are going through trials.

Elder Scott said this, “your joy in life depends upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His holy Son, your conviction that their plan of happiness truly can bring you joy.”

I’ll start with talking to you about trials. It is important to remember that trials can come in so many different ways, big and small.

A few weeks ago a sister posted a story to a Facebook page dedicated to future sister missionaries. This was her post: I tried to edit it to make it sound a little less dramatic and like a teenager but I couldn’t fix everything…ok she said:

‪Jesseca Weeks’ story

I am about to cry, and this is stupid, but I just need help. For the last 4 months or so I've felt like I was supposed to go to this certain location for my mission. I felt I was needed there for some reason and it was weird. This other boy from my town and I have both put in our papers. My call hasn't come yet, but his came today. He got his call, and it's to the place I've felt I was supposed to go. I know we're not supposed to hope for a place and we're supposed to want to serve with the location not mattering, but I've just felt so strongly like that was the place I am supposed to go. There is no chance they're going to send both of us to the same place, and when I heard his call this evening.... my heart sunk. It's just stupid for me to have all these feelings anyways, so now I am really confused. I just need love, support, and advice.

THEN weeks later she posted this:

UPDATE! So I have a very special story about my call. A few weeks ago I posted in this group about how my friend was called to the mission that I had felt for 6 months I needed to serve. Today, I received my call. Now, it wasn't to the same place as him. It wasn't even close, but now I know why everything happened the way it did. He was called there and will definitely take care of those people for me. I though, needed to serve a different mission. 23 years ago my mom decided to serve a mission. My dad was an older convert that wanted to serve, but did not have the opportunity. He said he would wait for my mom. She received her call. She went 8 times to be set apart, but the stake president said he just couldn't do it. He placed her on the plane, and said they would set her apart at the MTC. She got there, and her mission president flew in to set her apart. As he went to do it, he began to cry. He set her apart and released her at the same time as serving a full-time mission and said that her mission was a mission of obedience. He said that she needed to have a certain child at a specific time, and so she needed to go home. She went home, married my loving father, and then had me. As I opened my call this morning, many thoughts went through my mind. I read the words, and I was called to the same mission my mom was assigned to serve 23 years ago. As I sit here typing this, it all makes sense. I will honorably be serving in the San Jose, California Mission. I am overjoyed. This IS the real Church. All mission calls are inspired of God.”

This sister received the answer to her trial within just a few weeks. Some answers, however, might not come as quickly as we want them to.

Tennis shoes trial

For example, this past week I lost my tennis shoes. Anybody who knows me knows that I can’t live without my tennis shoes. I use them literally every day. Well, I have prayed over and over again since I misplaced them a few days ago. Unfortunately, I have not found them yet. But I have so much faith that Heavenly father will help me find them! I know it’s something so small but that is what’s so incredible about the Lord.

Running a race scenario

When we go through trials we get discouraged. Just like fear, Discouragement does not come from God. A little while back I was listening to a speech and they gave the scenario of running in a race. You’re running you’re hardest and trying your best then, quickly, you get passed by the super fit guy. The speaker talked about how this could be discouraging but how it is important to keep going. Then I started thinking about when I was running my race and how I didn’t only get passed by the superhuman guy, I got passed by the pregnant lady, and the 80-year old grandpa too! He didn’t tell me what to do in that scenario! Don’t fret though; I came to my own conclusion that that cannot discourage us either.

Elder Uchtdorf said this; “I know this for certainty it is often in the trial of adversity that we learn those most critical lessons that form our character and shape our destiny.”

Decision Making

I now want to talk about trusting in the Lord when making decisions. If you have not already, you will face the world. It has been promised to us that all of our decisions, especially the big ones—marriage, mission, school, careers—will be easier to make if we pray in faith, truly trusting the Lord, and then follow the promptings of the Spirit.

I realized that it was important for me to share with you guys how I got to where I am now. The decision for me to serve a mission wasn’t easy. Just like any decision to be made, there were 2 steps that I needed to take in order get my answer. I, first, needed to go to the Lord to ask him what he wanted from me. Then, I needed to trust that what he told me would be what was best for my life and I needed to act on it.

My Story

Unlike a lot of my friends, when Prophet Thomas S. Monson made the announcement of the mission age change I did not have the incredible impact that I was going to serve. It took 2 1/2 months for me to decide. The announcement was made in October and I turned my papers in on December 25th.

The week after the news came out BYU campus went CRAZY with excitement. I, however, went crazy with decisions. How would I ever know if a mission was the right choice for my life? I knew that I had a lot of praying and searching to do; so I started.

Things holding me back

Admittedly, I realized that the things that were holding me back from wanting to serve were the material things that life offered. To name a few, fitness, dating, work, school, family, and friends. These are silly temptations but still seemed to be filling my mind with doubts about my mission. Big enough temptations that they were seriously holding me back.

Satan          

   I know that we are supposed to love everyone but I really don’t like Satan. He has decided to try to become my best worst friend these past few months. I know that he will try to get at anybody who is trying to be righteous and the decision to serve a mission was most definitely something that he knew would help me reach my full potential and he didn’t like that.

One night, over Christmas break, I recorded the following entry in my journal:

1-9-13

“Satan will make you feel that you are not worthy to serve a mission. The other night I lied awake for hours and I could feel Satan so strongly trying to make me feel unworthy. His presence was so strong.” I just remember feeling awful inside. Every sin, whether it be big or small, that I had committed had crept into my thoughts and camped out there for the remainder of that never-ending night. When I think back to this night I think the following quote is appropriate: “When Satan reminds you of his past, remind him of his future”.

BYU MISSION FIRESIDE

Only a few weeks after the announcement was made, BYU held a missionary fireside for anyone planning to or thinking about serving. I was so excited for it! Maybe this would give me my answer to my question! As soon as the fireside started I got a gut wrenching sick feeling. I felt nauseous, tired, and horrible all the way around. It got so bad I almost got up and left but decided to push through it and make it through the whole thing. I thought to myself, “maybe this is it. Maybe this is my answer. This sick feeling is Heavenly Father telling me that I do not belong here; a mission is not for me". 

Submission Date

I remember the day that my papers were submitted by the Bishop my thoughts went crazy! I was lying down in bed and kept thinking about it. For some reason I kept having the feeling, “I need to put them in 1 month from now. It’s too soon”. I went home and told my roommate. I asked her if it is final once the bishop presses submit or if there is anyway that I could have them postpone it for a month, or so… She then told me that it’s final. She told me that the doubts are only coming from Satan, though. She told me that once I open my call it would be so much better. These words helped, but still the doubt lingered and I just brushed off the words because I had already been trying to tell myself the same thing for months.

I would try so hard to get the excitement to serve just like most of my friends had. Before bed I would watch clips of missionaries, or read talks about serving. It was at these times that I would get a glimpse of the excitement I wanted..  

Differentiating between god and Satan

One of the hardest things for me was differentiating between what promptings were from God and which were from Satan. What if I really wasn’t supposed to go on a mission? What if it was not in Gods plan for me? And what if these doubts were not coming from Satan but rather from God?

Patriarchal blessing

I read through my patriarchal blessing a lot during this process. It reads, “I bless you, that as you counsel with the Lord, you will have the gift of discernment to be able to distinguish between what is right and wrong and what is true and false.” If I was blessed with this gift then why am I finding it so hard to tell the difference?

To be 100% honest with you, I never truly received my yes answer.

It was not until I read through my patriarchal blessing one night that I knew that I had made the right choice. It reads, “You have a special mission to perform. Satan recognizes your potential for good and will seek to mislead and discourage you. He will attempt to distract to you and entice you onto pathways leading to discouragement and transgression.” Things were starting to become clear now.

My patriarchal blessing has helped me so much in my life. It has been my lighthouse in my dark storms. I have such a strong testimony of my blessing and I continue to find blessings from the Lord in it that comforts me in times of need.

It came down to me looking at it as if it was the perfect thing for me to do for my life rather than am I supposed to go on a mission or am I not supposed to go on a mission. I did not need a firm yes or no answer. I needed to know that my Heavenly Father would support me and that this was a good plan for me. I needed to know that he would look after me and take care of me throughout the mission and throughout my life. He would make it the right plan for my life. I look at it a lot like choosing your spouse for eternity; you pick and then you never look back and never think of what could have been. You make it work and there will be struggles beyond belief but you do your absolute best.

Papers

My papers went in on Friday, January 25. I got my call just a couple weeks later. My friends and family started all came to support me. As soon as I opened the envelope and pulled out the letter, my eyes started flooding with tears. They got so blurry I could barely read the letters. I took a deep breath and began reading:

Dear Sister Curtis,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the ENGLAND LONDON mission. The tears rolled down my face. Everybody screamed and clapped and I knew immediately this call was exactly what I needed. It was inspired. It was absolutely perfect for me. There is no doubt in my mind now that this is what Heavenly Father wants for my life. It was an incredibly challenging decision process for me but it was all worth it. Because of the questions I had and the struggles I went through trying to decide, it made it that much better when I opened my call from the Lord. It is safe to say that I absolutely could not have done this without relying on the Lord for his help. I know that the struggles are not over. There will be so many times during the mission that will challenge me but, if I stay strong, they can only help me to grow.

Quote

I like to think of my mission not as the best year and a half of my life, but the best year and a half for my life.

One of my favorite quotes by Elder Russel M. Nelson says, “The decision to serve a mission will shape the spiritual destiny of the missionary, his or her spouse, and their posterity for generations to come. A desire to serve is a natural outcome of one’s conversion, worthiness, and preparation.”

Take home message

I hope that you will start to look to the Savior more often in your lives. Family and friends are great, but we should always remember to look up to our Savior for guidance first before we look to our left and right to our peers. 

Testimony

Now, normally you hear missionaries bearing their testimonies in the language that they spoke on their mission only in their homecoming talks. However, I have been a diligent sister and have been able to prepare for my mission so well that I have almost perfected the language already. So here it goes, I’ll now bear my testimony in the language that I will be speaking for the next year and a half of my life.

I know with absolute certainty that I belong to the true church and I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of it and bring others unto it. I also have a strong testimony of the temple. I hope I don’t offend any die-hard fans out there when I say this but Disneyland was wrong when they claimed to be the happiest place on earth. The temple is the happiest place on earth. I cannot wait to spend the next year and a half of my life spreading the Gospel and bettering myself. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and looks after me. I love him so much. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.