t-minus 5 days

Sister Emily Katherine Louise Barnett
JUN11  GA-ATLN
2011 N 900 E Unit 235
Provo UT 84602

This is my MTC address I will be there until June 11th. You can use the website "dearelder.com" to send me letters this way!

See Ya Later

Here is my farewell talk for those of you who care :) I'm sorry you missed all of my awesome jokes. See Ya Later

Good morning Brothers and Sisters, Thank you to everyone who has come to support me today, as intimidating as it is I am grateful to feel so much love. Over the years I have seen some amazing people who I respect and love stand at this pulpit and testify of Christ, I feel inadequate to be standing here and I know that many of you could do much better than I. I pray that the Lord will give me strength and help me to convey the message that he wants you to hear today. But I do ask a favor of all of you as I speak, do not listen to the words which come from my mouth instead listen with your heart to the words that the spirit speaks to you, I promise that he is much better at this then I am.

The scripture I was asked to speak on today is 2 Nephi 2: 6-8

6. Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the holy Messiah, for he is full of grace and truth.
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.
8. Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth; that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the spirit; that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

A little background of these scriptures… This is after Lehi and his family had made it to the promised land. Lehi is on his death bed and is speaking to his children. In chapter two he is speaking specifically to his son Jacob who was born in the wilderness during much affliction and who would later become a mighty leader and missionary.

To understand these words of Lehi better and to share with you the insights that I have learned from these scriptures I am going to break these scriptures into a few parts.

1.     What are we talking about? And why did we need to be redeemed?

a.     (1 Nephi 10:6)  Because Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden they were case out and subject to death and sin. Men were then in a “lost and fallen state” no longer in the presence of God.
But because Heavenly Father loves his Children he provided a way that everyone could return and live with Him again. 2 Nephi 2:22-26

b.     There needed to be an answer to the law. As mortal beings we make mistakes and we sin, we are not perfect. Nonetheless there is a way that we may be redeemed and that we can return to the presence of our Father in Heaven again.

2.     Who is it that makes this possible?

a.     The holy messiah for he is full of grace and truth. 

b.     We were sent a savior to meet the ends of the law. Justice needs to be met when we do something wrong but because of the savior we are shown mercy and we are forgiven.

c.      Jesus Christ came to this earth suffered for the sins of the world.  He suffered so that we don’t have to and so we can be resurrected and  return to the presence of our Heavenly King once again.

3.     How can we receive of the blessing of forgiveness?

                                               i.     We must believe in Christ

1.     In this last conference Elder Jeffery R Holland told a story that I would like to share with you. A 14-year-old boy recently said to me a little hesitantly, “Brother Holland, I can’t say yet that I know the Church is true, but I believe it is.” I hugged that boy until his eyes bulged out. I told him with all the fervor of my soul that belief is a precious word, an even more precious act, and he need never apologize for “only believing.” I told him that Christ Himself said, “Be not afraid, only believe,”¹² a phrase which, by the way, carried young Gordon B. Hinckley into the mission field.¹³ I told this boy that belief was always the first step toward conviction and that the definitive articles of our collective faith forcefully reiterate the phrase “We believe.”¹⁴ And I told him how very proud I was of him for the honesty of his quest.

                                              ii.     Have a broken heart

1.     Godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10)

                                            iii.     Have a contrite spirit

1.     Humbled (see true to the faith)

2.      October general conference 2007 Bruce d. Porter (broken heart and a contrite spirit)
When we sin and desire forgiveness, a broken heart and a contrite spirit mean to experience “godly sorrow [that] worketh repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:10). This comes when our desire to be cleansed from sin is so consuming that our hearts ache with sorrow and we yearn to feel at peace with our Father in Heaven. Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God’s way instead. In such a condition of submissiveness, the Atonement can take effect and true repentance can occur. The penitent will then experience the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost, which will fill them with peace of conscience and the joy of reconciliation with God. In a wondrous union of divine attributes, the same God who teaches us to walk with a broken heart invites us to rejoice and to be of good cheer.

b.     Like I stated before, none of us are perfect but I know that as we strive to be more like our Savior every day we will find happiness in our lives. I know that every step we take towards Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, they are rejoicing in every step we take towards them! As we continue on our up hill climb we can find joy in the journey, I invite you to search for joy and the many blessing you have received in your life.

4.     After we have received a remission of our sins what must we do? And now for my favorite part of these scriptures…
Verse 8 reads
8. Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth;

a.     There are no excuses that can be made as to why each of us can not be missionaries and help others to come unto Christ.

b.     Although I have chosen and felt prompted to serve a full-time mission this is not the only way to be a missionary! As excited as I am to go away and spend a year and a half of my life preaching the Gospel to the people of Georgia…. There is one thing I am more excited about! I am excited to spend the rest of my life as a Disciple of Christ being a missionary!

                                               i.     Every member a missionary! The full time missionaries need your help in this work!

c.      What is our purpose as member missionaries?

                                               i.     It is to help others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.

d.     How do you begin today to be a missionary? Let me tell you… You are already doing amazing things with missionary work.

                                               i.     Here are a few ways I have seen all of you be missionaries in my life…

1.     Home teaching and visiting teaching

a.     I have watched as faithful men have come every month to minister to me and my family. They have been missionaries to me.

2.     Magnifying Callings in the church

a.     No matter what your calling is… people have been blessed and have been brought closer to Christ because of your diligence and love in fulfilling your calling.

3.     Family history work and redeem the dead

a.     As you do family History work you are blessed from the other side of the vale and you are creating eternal families!

b.      (stakes goal to do all the temple work for deceased individuals to equal that of a stake)

4.     Welcoming and inviting.

a.     You welcome people into your homes and to come with you to church activities so that you can share the happiness you have in your lives.

5.     Being a friend

6.     Living an honest life.

a.     Being an example in your life is one of the strongest missionary tools we have.

7.     Loving God and his Son Christ

8.     Caring and loving other people

9.     Not being afraid to talk about what you believe with others.

                                              ii.     As to the feelings of inadequacy in sharing the gospel with other…

1.     There is another part of the atonement that is often past over but that is mentioned in 2 Nephi 2:6
 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the holy Messiah, for he is full of grace and truth.

2.     ………that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the spirit; that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

3.     Through the grace of Christ.

4.      (Grace, true to the faith) 2 peter 3:18 but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our lord and savior Jesus Christ

5.     Elder Bednar said in a speech given at BYU in 2001 “It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts”

6.     I promise you that as you use all parts of the atonement and you ask for strength from the Savior you will be able to do all things that can help you return to your Father in heaven and also will help you to have the courage to be a missionary.

5.     Obviously there are going to be a lot of things that I learn in the next year and a half but the one thing that I know now and that I can share with you is that the best tool you have for being a missionary is Love. As we love our neighbors and pray to love all of those around us we will find success in our labors.

                                               i.     Christ is the perfect example of a missionary because he loves us. As we strive to be more like Jesus we will become better missionaries

b.     I promise you and I testify that you are a Child of God and that you are loved. We need you to help this work go forth.

D&C 4

1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

4 For behold the ^afield is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

Happy Mothers Day!

I am a little late to post this but i figured that it is better late than never :)
Happy Mothers day to the many women in my life who have been mothers to me and who have helped me in so many ways.
I love you all!

Don't Give Up!

WE MUST KEEP GOING!

These last few weeks heave been extremely tough for me. I am trying to look at the positives in my life so I am going to write about the ways that I have seen the Lord in my life during these difficult times. I have come to the conclusion that my Father in Heaven really is in the fabric of my life.

• I have been really blessed the last few weeks to be able to email some of my close friends who are currenlty serving on missions, I wouldn't be able to continue without their words of encouragement and support. I am so proud of them and the people they are becoming.
• The Book of Mormon, as I prepare to leave I am required to read this sacred book again. I know that the Lord is helping me and protecting me as I read. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon, I know it is the most correct book and it deals with God's children in the America's. There is absolutely no way that I could ever deny the this book is true in all of my life.
• So many people have come up to me, called me, texted me, and spent time talking to me about my mission. This encouragement from so many people is what is getting me through this time. The Lord has sent me so many angels who love me and who believe in me. 
• The Temple, this is where I go to find peace in my life. I love the House of the Lord. I am so Thankful to have the opportunity to go inside and partake of all of the wonderful blessings from God. 
• Nature, I have been privledged enough to be able to spend a good amount of time meditating on mountains and in the desert. I came to know God in the wilderness and that is where I can go back to find him often. 
• Primary songs, many of these songs remind me of who I am and the work I am doing. They help me to be excited about missionary work. 
• Memories, I am grateful to look back on pictures and read my journal to help me realize how blessed I am and how the Lord will continue to bless me. My future is beautiful and full of so many wonderful things.
• Patriarchal Blessing and other Priesthood Blessings, I love these blessing because they help me realize my potential and they help me to find peace when nothing else makes sense in my life. As I prepare for a mission I am reminded through these blessings that I am doing the right thing and that the Lord loves me.
• The Atonement of Jesus Christ, the one person I will always be able to count on when things get hard is my Savior Jesus Christ. He suffered to repair my broken heart but to also enable me to get through the difficult times in my life. I am coming to know Him in a completely new way, I am so beyond grateful for the closeness I feel with him. 
• Obedience, I testify that being obedient to all that we are supposed to do, miracles will happen in our lives. I know it!

I am so thankful for the opportunity I had, just now, to remember the ways I have been blessed. I testify to all of you who read this that the Lord lives and that he loves you dearly. Come to Christ and feel of his deep love for you. Remember to thank your Father in Heaven for all you have been blessed with, I promise it will make you feel better!
Keep your head up! Believe in the good things to come!
Also... When life really really sucks... Remember to take time to smell the roses and find a little bit of happiness right now, I promise it's there.

It's Right Now

Since the time I was 10, when I was baptized, I have wanted to serve a mission. Growing up a mission was always in the back of my mind, it was just that though... an idea in the back of my mind.
Last winter I got the impression that I really needed to seriously start preparing and getting ready to go to the temple, I thought that this was because I was going to be getting married in the next year or something other than a mission. On September 29th 2012 I wrote a very interesting journal entry that went a little bit like this...
"I have really had some strong feelings recently that I need to go on a mission. It's not necessarily what I want to do but it's what I feel like I need to do. I can begin my mission papers in about a year and 3 months because that will be 120 days before my 21 birthday."
Little did I know... A few days later at conference the mission age was dropped for sisters. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard the news. I could go on a mission and I didn't have to wait! I knew instantly that I was supposed to go. I called my Grandparents before President Monson sat down, through the sobs I asked if I could go.
So that next week I started my mission papers. My problem was that I couldn't decided when I wanted to leave. January or after April? I ended up deciding to wait and put my availability at the end of April. I am glad I did this and was able to go one more semester to school. I needed to really wrap my head around the whole thing and feel good about it.
I got my call on valentines day. At this point I knew deep in my heart that a mission was the thing that I needed to do but I was trying to fight it. I had a desire to serve but not a strong enough desire, staying home and dating sounded so much better to me. Even through all of that though I never really had doubts about being a missionary, I was just being stubborn about it.
Finally after months of praying I was slapped in the face with a whole bunch of desire. I wanted to go on a mission and that was all I wanted to do! I couldn't leave soon enough. Since that point I have been so excited and my desire hasn't faltered, but now I was faced with a new problem.
For the first time this last week I have started having some doubts about companions, if this is really the right thing and if I will be a good missionary. They have been so strange, I know that they don't come from God but from Satan. I am so blown away by the forces, i have always heard that Satan works hard on those about to have a wonderful spiritual experience but I didn't realize to what extent. Last night I got a blessing from my home teachers, and I was reminded to stay strong and do the little things like pray and read my scriptures. I am grateful to be surrounded by worthy priesthood holders who a can bless me with the power of God.
As I prepare and get even closer to my mission I know things are going to get harder but I know that the Lord is on my side and that I will be an instrument in His hands. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I pray that these trials before I leave will make me a stronger missionary.
I know that the Lord directs us and will lead us to where we are supposed to go if we trust in him. I know that my redeemer lives!
Trust in the lord and don't let things get you down. Here is a talk by Elder Holland that has helped me through all of this recently as well. If you have five minutes you should read it :)
Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence

Missionary Work and the Atonement

This is a powerful video about Missionary work and using the Atonement when times get hard.
I am still learning everyday about my Savior and the Atonement but I can testify to you that I KNOW that Christ lives and he suffered in Gethsemane so that we can return to our Heavenly Fathers presence again. The Atonement enables us to overcome and succeed.
As his servant I want others to know that by coming unto Jesus Christ by studying, understanding, and changing our lives we will find happiness. I am not promising you that things will suddenly be easier, I am promising you that you will be able to endure through the trials of life.
You are a Child of God. He misses you and wants you to come back, the way is clear.
If you have felt anything by reading this post or watching this video I invite you to act on it by thanking your Heavenly Father and asking Him to guide you home.

Called to Serve Him!

I have been called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I have been assigned to labor in the Atlanta Georgia North Mission. I report to the Missionary training center on May 29th!

This blog will contain my weekly emails home for all of my friends and family to read.

I am so excited for this new adventure in my life. I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I love the people of Georgia and I know the Lord is preparing them to receive the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love you all and I am so grateful for the support <3

Love,

Emily