Guest Post by Sorella Kelsey Baer

Guest Post by Sorella Kelsey Baer

Those sweet and precious words are the very words Papa Baer used to end each of his mission journal entries and each of his letters to me while I've been serving.

AND HOW TRUE THOSE WORDS ARE.

As I remember just how much I love the Savior, I'm endowed with power and reminded that I can do this. That the Lord has saved us for this time to be valiant, brave, faithful and optimistic. That the Lord doesn't give us any trial that we can't handle. Oh how sweet the joy the sentence gives-- I KNOW that my Redeemer lives.

This knowledge has been carrying me, literally carrying me this week. After receiving a call from my mission president last wednesday that my father was in the hospital, critically ill, I reflected on lots of things.

The reasons why I'm serving my mission:

-because the Lord asked me to, and I desire to be obedient.

-because I desire that others may taste of the sweetness of the gospel and have this incredible knowledge that I've been so fortunate to have.

-because the blessings assured to missionary's families are too magnificent to pass up. This is also what keeps me on my mission: because I have faith that the Lord will bless and take care of my family as I do my best out here to faithfully serve Him and submit to His will.

The things that matter most:

-the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and our personal testimonies and conversions of it.

-family. and our relationships with others.

-and... basta.

Just how infinite the Atonement of Jesus Christ is:

-it not only fully redeems us from our weaknesses and sins, but also,

-it enables us to become the disciples of Him, He desires us to become. Yes, the Atonement of Jesus Christ can even beautifully help a sorella missionaria serving in Como to feel peace amid difficulty; to not only function, but to be effective and positive. The strength and comfort that I've been blessed with, I KNOW, is not my own. It's because of the grace of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His PERFECT Atonement, that I'm sustained, carried and strengthened. Obviously, I'm having a tough time. But as we're thrown into the Refiner Fire's we realize just how dependent we are on Him. Thus, we lean on Him so much more, and we are bettered because of it. He refines us. I know that Christ is molding me into the missionary, daughter, sibling, friend, future wife and mother, and disciple that He wants me to become.

I am filled with peace, gratitude, hope and love in these days. I can sincerely that this is the hardest thing that I've ever had to deal with, but our sweet Savior is taking such good care of His sorella. My contentment and my peace rests on my testimony that He lives. that because He suffered individually, for each of us, He knows EXACTLY how to succor us.

Como is beautiful. I'm exactly where I need to be. Although, I still don't understand perfectly why it is His will and plan that I needed to be here, so far from those I love the most, during this time of difficulty, but I trust Him entirely, with everything. The Lord's blessed to feel at home here. During stake conference on Sunday, I was looking around the congregation of all of these dear Italians who have all stolen my heart, I felt like I was surrounded by my family. The Lord knew that I needed to feel a sense of belonging and security, a sense of home-- and so as we stood and sang the intermediate hymn, this is exactly what I felt. It also helped that the woman sitting right in front of me looked just like my mama with her bang-a-rang hair, and about 10 rows up, I could've sworn that Mama Shannon Larsen was there. It was her TWIN. I feel so blessed to have the members, companion, investigators and friends here that I do. Perché il Signore mi conosce perfettamente, e Lui sempre mi benedice con le cose per cui ho bisogno.

The gospel is true. The book is blue. (and so is my blood, go cougs:)

Do Sorella Baer a fav, would ya, and pray for her family? She's doing ok, just send all of the prayers to her fam.

I love being a missionary. My mission is SO sacred and SO precious to me. I hold it dear to my heart as of great value.

again,

''I love the Lord and I'm gonna make it.''

(that's my official ''trial motto''- you can make it yours too:)

Con tutto del mio amore,

Sorella Baer

p.s. I love you.

p.s.s. my comp and I just realized... together... we're BROWN BAER! good times! here's a pic of us out our balcony about an hour ago:)