Let's get into the nuts and bolts of it all....
First of all every one go tell mama bear Mando that she is a queen because every Pday she knows exactly what pep talk I need to hear.
This week I've been learning to channel coffee shop Kathryn. Before I came out on my mission, I worked at a coffee shop. I knew everyone's orders, I suggested drinks to people that i thought they would like based on the questions I asked. I talked to everyone who came in, I got to know them, i sat with the coffee shop crew regulars and bantered with them, i made one and all feel at home in the little Kim&Co Cafe. I made coffee, good coffee. I don't drink the stuff, I don't know anything about it!
So here is what my mama bear reminded me last Monday....
I know Jesus, I know how to perceive needs, I know how to talk to people, I know how to be a friend to everyone. So all I gotta do is breath and just be. If I, the only "mormon" gal in town can run a coffee shop, then i certainly can share the joy and blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God didn't call me on a mission to be this idea I have in my head of what a missionary should be. He called me on a mission and sent me to Toronto to be me. He called me because the strengths and gifts I have are needed in the area I'm serving. He called me so that I could consecrate those gifts to him for the benefit of His children. He will help me become the person he needs me to be, but who that is, is up to him. In the meantime I need to breath and just be. Just be the person I know how to be. I know Jesus, I love the scriptures, I love missionary work.
So y'all I invite you to channel your coffee shop you. Breath and just be the best person you can be.
There is however more to breathing and just being than simply just waking up and going. So here are some breaths we gotta take that will make being and becoming who the Lord needs us to be a joyful and transformative experience.
First Breath: intentionally involve the Lord in what you do
This week my sis Hoy and I set goals for the people we wanted to find, like we do every week. But this week we were extra intentional to involve the lord in our goals. Additionally I set some personal goals. One being that every time I was about to get on a bus or ride the subway I would say a prayer to be able to open my mouth and talk to at least one person. Miracles I'm telling ya. Miracles. We reached our goal of finding and teaching 10 new people this week and were able to get 4 of our friends to church. This is His work, whether you are on a mission or not. He wants you to be involved in what you do! So breath and make him a part of it.
Second Breath: trust that through the power of the Holy Ghost, God will make your weaker parts stronger.
In 2 Nephi 33 Nephi is great at talking to the people, he is great at preaching, but the writing thing is where he lacks. He's not great at it but he records what he does because the lord commanded him to and he trusts that the lord through the power of the Holy Ghost will make his literary abilities stronger, that his writing will make sense and be used in the way the lord needs it to be used according to the understanding and benefit of His children (that's us!!).
I'm the flip flopped version of Nephi. I am great at the writing thing. No problemo there (which is great for y'all). The talking thing, the speaking in the moment and knowing what needs to be said.... not so much. I get in my head a bit. I overthink and wonder why I can't say what the spirit needs me to say. I'm learning that when I'm in the moment I need to just breath and trust that even if I don't have all the words thought out or strung together, that the Holy Ghost will speak through me to touch the hearts of those around me. Breath and trust.
Third Breath: don't look beyond the mark
You know in the Bible when Moses holds up the serpent on the staff and all the people gotta do is look at it and they'll be safe?? But some people didn't because that would just be too easy, and those are the people who perished?? Yeah well, guess what? It's that easy.
Jacob 4:13-14
13. Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also spake them unto prophets of old.
14. But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.
The gospel is simple. And the spirit testifies of the truthfulness of the gospel. Which means the spirit testifies in simplicity, in ways that we understand. Confusion, and frustration come when we try to overcomplicate, and overthink those simple truths. In a state like that the spirit is hard to discern. That's what Satan wants. He wants us to be confused, to seek for answers where there aren't any. He wants us to look beyond the mark, beyond Christ, beyond the gospel which teaches as things are, and really will be. Don't do that. Breath and look at the mark. Breath and look to Jesus Christ.
Fourth Breath: let it go
In times of my life when everything has felt out of control, that control has always been mine to take back. The decision has always been mine to make in order to regain stability. Whether for school, a job, etc. Even when I made the decision to serve a mission. Life felt out of control, so I decided I needed to serve the Lord as a missionary. But the funny thing about that decision is that as soon as I made it, thus taking control of my life again, I gave all that control away, right back to my Heavenly Father. This mission is not mine to control or organize to perfection. It's God's. And that my friends is a hard thing that this control freak, perfectionist of a sister is learning. I can control myself and the space I create for myself to feel and be led by the spirit. And that's about it. So breath and let it all go.
Taking these breaths is a process, that is, at times really challenging and overwhelming. But everyday I'm learning. And everyday channeling coffee shop Kathryn looks a little different. And this sister has had a very humbling couple weeks. But I thought I'd share because these four breaths are for more than just me. They are for everyone to take. So breath and just be. Breath and let Heavenly Father work through you to become who he needs you to be.
Breath.
And just be.
Sorry for the long one this week :) I love ya all many bunches! So go give em Heaven!
Love,
Sister Court
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