I Love You Dear Family, Love Sister Rose

I love you dear family.  I hope you know that.

I’m proud of all you do and I will forever rejoice that I get to call you mine.  But because I love you all so much and because we’re so “tight,” as dad has said, I’ve had a bit of a hard time.  I often think about the times we play games or do fun things together and I wish that I could be there again with you.  I’ve caught myself a few times, thinking, “I want to be there instead of here.”  But that can’t happen.  I mean it could, but if I were to come back now, I couldn’t bear it.  At one time the only thought that kept me going was that the only way I can bear to return to you is after I’ve served honorably and endlessly and have done all I could do. I want to return to you with Honor, and nothing less.  I’m not a quitter and I love you, so much so that I’m staying here! 🙂

In Preach My Gospel it says “Note that the two most prominent parts on your name tag are your name and the Savior’s name.”  My name tag doesn’t say Sister Rebecca, it says Sister Rose. Rose-our family name, that each of you have.  So what I do is a representation of my family.  I also stand as a witness of Christ, for I also wear his name.

We had a training yesterday that had a profound impact on me.  We learned that there’s “yourself” the things I was and did before I was a missionary, and then there’s missionary work. Thus far, I’ll admit, I’ve been me, doing missionary things.  I haven’t truly forgotten myself and gone to work.  I have worked hard, but I can do so much more.  I need to become a true Missionary.  So therefore I need to change.

I heard it said that if I’m not changed while on the mission then I have not done my duty.  But I’m not changed by the mission, I’m changed by the Atonement.  I’m changed by grace.  “How have you been changed by grace?” Elder Bednar said, “The main idea of the word (Grace) is; divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ.”  He goes on to say: “Grace is the divine assistance or heavenly help each of us desperately needs to qualify for the celestial kingdom.  Thus, the enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.”  (“The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality.” David A. Bednar)

Life Is Change 

So the tie in.  Life is full of change. It is constantly changing and so must we.  It’s the grand design of our existence to change, to learn and grow and become more Christ-like to be able to return to our Heavenly Father one day.  So we are expected to change.  But we don’t have to do it alone.  We are changed through Christ and through his help we become better.  My invitation to all is to change, to take the small steps that will lead us to the bigger steps.  I am going to change to be better so that I can return honorably home to you.  Let us all change so that we can return home to live with our Heavenly Father.  I know that we can through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.  As President Monson said recently, “Shall I falter or shall I finish?”  I, will finish.

Love,

Sister Rose

Hello Family, Love NYC

Today I’m writing to y’all from New York City! I find this city so fascinating and I love it here so much! I thought this would be the perfect place to write everyone a big apple update.

First Some Exciting News

So while I’ve been here I’ve stayed with two great friends of mine. While I’ve been staying here at Elisabeth’s she experienced an exciting life opportunity. On Tuesday Elisabeth booked her first broadway show! HOORAH, it was so exciting. On Tuesday night I went to see Matilda, the musical with Carter, and after the show he told me the exciting news!!! I about died and I was making all sorts of a scene yelling about how cool that was – and Elisabeth wasn’t even there! So we called her and took her out for gelato to celebrate.

I also got to meet up with my friend Oyoyo who is also out here in rehearsals for her first big show! She took us to this little thai restaurant just around the corner from her studio, and then after lunch let us come up to see their rehearsal space at Pearl Studios. I was so excited, and I’m so happy for her.

The more I’m here and the more I picture my future life in NYC, the more I want to be singing and performing out here! I can’t wait to be auditioning for shows and giving this crazy life a chance.

Michael, a BYU friend who was also in NYC for Adweek and I made a visit to the NYC public library on our way to an Agency visit.

The Real Reason I’m Here 

Ok, so let’s be honest the real reason I came to NYC this time, was to see shows and run away from school 🙂 haha. But my other, more logical reason for coming was Advertising week.  Adweek is a national conference for all the latest and greatest news and ideas in the advertising world. As students we weren’t exactly excused from school to go, but our professors supported those of us that choose to come. So about 18 of us from the advertising program left for the week to meet agencies and advertising big wigs during the conference out here. I has been neat to be able to envision more of what my life will really be like when I move out here in a few years.

Katie and I posing like the poster before we saw Cinderella!

Broadway

Of course I had to spend my nights at the theater while I was in NYC. With a friend landing her first big broadway gig, and my love for musical theater of course you’d find me at the theater. Among other shows two of my favorites were Cinderella, and Big Fish, a newer musical! There is such a fun nature about an evening at the theater that I just love.

After being in NYC 6 months ago and not seeing The Book of Mormon musical I couldn’t not see it this time. So a few days ago, after the beautiful Cinderella matinee, Katie and I decided to try for standing room tickets at the Eugene O’Neil Theatre. Long story short, WE GOT IN! And for super cheap too. It was so funny! It was well written and the talent on stage was top notch! I was dying and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Before the show started while we were waiting in line we talked to the people around us and told them that we were “real mormons!” It was exciting because people would talk to us about our church, and during the show they wasked us if it was accurate, etc. It was a fun opportunity to talk to people about what we believe and meet some new friends in NYC!

Meaning From My Visit

While I’ve been here I’ve been reminded of how fast paced this city is, but I’ve also been pleasantly surprised to find that I’ve found many moments to think and ponder about life, and my future. Although I didn’t find any remarkable revelatory visions, it was good to get away and think about things that are important to me. It’s neat that no matter how busy our surroundings, we can always find the peace we need to keep moving.

Did I mention that I love it here? I might just miss my flight tomorrow and have to stay here for a while longer. 🙂 Maybe forever!

Hope y’all had a good birthday weekend for mom without me.

Love,

Your Big-Apple Brother

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Hello Family, We’re Engaged!

Hello Family,

First of all I want to say that I am enjoying the posts that we have so far and I am very excited about our blog.  Hearing about what is going on in everyone’s lives and reading everyone’s testimony is very inspiring.

Getting engaged! and being engaged is awesome.  I’m glad that I’m here at this point in my life.  Ali and I are enjoying the process of preparing to start our life together.  There’s a lot of stress and work that goes into it, but we’re having fun along the way.  Here are a few previews of some of the engagements we took this last week.

I definitely wouldn’t be at this point in my life without the power of change, specifically change that comes through following Christ.  There are a lot of messages out there about change.  There are even songs on the radio that say that change isn’t that important.  They make some good points – there are things that don’t change right away and somethings that may not change in this lifetime.   For example, we’ll always be human and we will always be tempted.  Our “natural man” will be with us all a long the way and I don’t think that we should feel bad about that.  I don’t think we should feel bad about being tempted and feeling a desire to sin; we are after all mortal.

We are going to fail, in the short run, but this doesn’t mean there isn’t hope.  This doesn’t mean we can’t make changes, become stronger, and find true happiness.  The world would have us believe “we are who we are,” simply “born this way.” They say there’s nothing to change, and that we must simply embrace our natural self.  And I think it is ok that we embrace who we are, but I don’t think it ends there.

I know that we will find happiness and true joy if we believe that we can grow, change, and improve.  I believe that finding true joy, not the fleeting fun that sin brings, but true lasting joy, joy that brings peace, peace that never comes by following our “natural man” self, happens by following the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  It’s the only voice that gives us a solid and sure way to find that joy. Following that path is what has allowed me to become who I am and, because of making changes in my life, I am much happier.

Love,

Nick Rose

Dear Family, Love Mom

Dear Family,

This weekend Emily and I prepared a calendar to send to Becca for her birthday.  As I have searched through all our old photographs, to find ones to include in the calendar, I have been flooded with memories of so many great moments together.  Where have the years gone?   My great-grandmother, Therissa Clark wrote this in her journal, speaking of the happy years she enjoyed raising her children; ”Would a million dollars buy those … loved children?   No, nor bring the happiness they bring.  Nine were ours and what happy hours of companionship in those years.  …never while life shall last will those hours, days and weeks be forgotten.”  That is exactly how I feel!

As I looked, I found pictures of each of you on your first day of school!  That was always a sad day for me.  I shed many tears as I watched you walk off to school after a summer full of happy times.

Now you are all out on your own.   You come home to visit, then drive off to the adventures you are pursuing.   As you know, I still shed a few tears as you leave.   A mother’s heart is always with her children, hoping and praying that they will choose wisely, be watched over and protected, and come home safely.

As you go out into the world to pursue your life’s goals, your dad and I will always love and support you.   We can’t go with you (although we wish we could) but our love for you will always be strong.   There is One whose love for you is even greater than ours – for His love is Infinite and Divine.  He will always be there to guide, watch over and protect you, until you arrive home safely.

In Matthew 1:23 we learn of the prophecy  Isaiah gave of the Savior’s birth: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  Then, at the end of Matthew  in  28:20, the risen Lord leaves us with this message: “And lo, I am with you alway…”  In D&C 24:8, He again states it: “Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.”  And in the Book of Mormon, Nephi lovingly reminds us:  “He numbereth his sheep, and they know him, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture.”

May you never forget my love for you, nor the great love He has for you…until we all return home safely to Him!

Love,

Mom

Hello Family, Love Dad

Hello Family,

I hope this finds everyone well in your work and in serving the Lord each day.

I was reading in the scriptures the other day in the Book of Mormon.   In Ether, I came upon the part where the brother of Jared is constructing the barges to cross the ocean to the promise land.  (Ether 2:17)  “And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish, and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish, and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish, and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.”

I would like to think of our family like the dish.  Tight.  We have always been tight together, through thick and thin.  We have played together and we have learned to work together.  We have even camped together!  We also want to be tight against the evils of the world. The brother of Jared had to make sure the barge he was building was tight so the water would not come in.  We must make our lives tight with the Savior so we may be happy.

I’m so excited for the new opportunities that await us this year.

Love to you all,

Dad