CCM Week 1 ~ My Bedroom

Hola mi amigos! This past week has been a rollercoaster of emotions, spirit, and Spanish. Here at the CCM, me and my district of 12 have two amazing teachers named Hermana Rodriguez and Hermano Santander. They are both amazing teachers and I have already learned so much from them. Hermano Santander is the funny one, he gets the job done in a fun way, but also teaches us so much. Hermana Rodriguez is the cheerleader, she is always encouraging us even when we feel like our Spanish is AWFUL. Speaking of Spanish, I always thought the gift of tongues was an instant oh I know the whole language thing. Fun fact, it's not that most of the time. Most of the time it's getting on a zoom call and understanding things you didn't even realize you knew, or saying things with a perfect accent on week one, or saying your entire prayer in Spanish and wondering, how did I do that. The gift of tongues is real guys! Mi compañeras name is Hermana Marsh. I love her so much. We really bring out the best in eachother and I'm so glad my biggest fear about being a missionary has been resolved. My district is so funny. Everyone loves to laugh and is so supportive of eachother. Yesterday I had an interesting experience that I wouldn't have handled well in normal life, but as a missionary the spirit blessed my heart, allowed me to calm down, and adress my feelings in a Paige like way while also bringing the Spirit into the equation. I was hurt and offended by something an Elder said to me, but I was allowed the grace of not feeling that hurt, and also addressed the situation in a productive way. Spanish is naturally not my thing, but the Lord is blessing me in so many ways and I am truly learning the language. Diligence has been sooooo hard while sitting in my bedroom, I'm not perfect but I'm trying. That is my number one piece of advice, even if you're not perfect, keep trying. You'll get there with the Lord's help. My daily schedule is, wake up at 6:30, personal study, companion study, get ready, excersise and eat all before our 9:00 am zoom. Zoom lessons last until 12:00 where we get a two hour break to finish up asignments, and practice language skills with our district. Then we have a spiritual workshop and another two hour break. From 5:30 to 8:45 more zoom lessons. 9:00 to 10:30, journal, shower, clean up, duolingo, and lights out! I am so grateful that mi familia has been so supportive of me and given me that last umph of motivation when things get really hard. All in all, this was probably one of the most trying, hard, amazing, spiritual, and fun weeks I have ever had in my life. I can't wait to start week two but I'm also grateful I get to spend today with mi familia. I could write you an entire book about everything that happened this week but I know long emails are the bane of everyone's exsistance so, if you want more details about missionary life via zoom feel free to email me! My P-days are Wednesday's so you can expect a response sometime every Wednesday! Puedo hacer esto Señor. 

Hasta que nos volvamos a ver,

Hermana Sellers 

P.S I know I missed people on this list, please if anyone wants to be included add them! Reply to this email with names and emails por favor!

Pictures, me and my companion, my district, me starting the MTC, my room, my messy desk, my daily planner.

Reporting to the MTC ~ AKA my bedroom

Welcome Hermana Sellers!

Ready to go!

Messy desk

Distrito 10D with Hermano Santander and Hermana Rodriguez

Companeras ~ Hermana Sellers and Hermana Marsh

Where she spends most of her day!

Her planner

Hermana Sellers ~ It's official!

 Paige was set apart as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints today by our Stake President Shane Smeed.  She was given a special blessing and we know that she will be an incredible missionary as she shares her love for Jesus Christ with the people of Las Vegas.

Paige's Farewell Talk

Good morning Brothers and Sisters! It's so good to be back home! Unfortunately it’s not for long, as I’ve been called to serve in the Las Vegas West mission and will be teaching in Spanish. I report to the home MTC on November 17th and will leave for the mission field on December 30th. I am so grateful for the support I’ve had and the lessons I’ve learned in this ward from so many of you. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for me in Vegas.  I was asked to share some of my personal experiences and am sharing some things I came to realize through preparing for my mission along with my reason to stay on the path. 

Preparing for a mission is no joke! Not only am I learning a language, I’m learning new technology, packing my things, buying a new wardrobe, saying goodbye to friends and family, deferring for school, losing hard earned scholarships, and turning down some amazing job offers! All for what? To sit in an apartment with another crazy sister I’ve never met? Anyone can do that. As these doubts crossed my mind I could only think of one thing. There are people in Nevada that are waiting for you. To have the blessings of the gospel. You love the Lord and he loves you and the rest of his children. In a blessing I received recently it said, “Satan does not want you to leave. He is going to stop you in every way he can”. And guess what?! He is. I’ve been almost hit by a car twice, my car has broken down multiple times, I have had health concerns, job offers that were so hard to turn down and I’ve doubted my abilities, my decisions and my worth more times than I can count. 

In Sister Michelle D. Craven's talk, Eyes To See, she shares a story about the Savior. She says, “Certainly, the Savior of the world understands our mortal limitations, for He teaches us how to feel peace and calm even when the winds blow fiercely around us and billowing waves threaten to sink our hopes. To those with proven faith, childlike faith, or even the smallest particle of faith, Jesus invites, saying: “Come unto me.” “Believe on my name.” “Learn of me, and listen to my words.” He tenderly commands, “Repent and [be] baptized in my name,” “Love one another; as I have loved you,” and “Always remember me.” Jesus reassures, explaining: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

“I can imagine that Jesus’s disciples in the storm-tossed boat were, of necessity, busy watching the waves crash onto their deck and bailing out the water. I can picture them handling the sails and trying to maintain some semblance of control over their little craft. Their focus was on surviving the moment, and their plea for help was urgently sincere.” 

“Many of us are no different. In times of turmoil our faith can feel stretched to the limits of our endurance and understanding. Waves of fear can distract us, causing us to forget God’s goodness, thus leaving our perspective short-sighted and out of focus."

 As Sister Craven spoke, painting this beautiful scene this last sentence rang true in my heart, she continues, "Yet it is in these rough stretches of our journey that our faith can be not only tried but fortified.” I have seen the effects of this quote as I’ve prepared for my mission. I have watched my faith continue to be fortified time and time again. The trials seem to keep coming, however, I’m closer to the Savior than I’ve ever been. My faith has grown through these experiences. When I was merging onto the freeway I had a thought to slam my breaks. Nervous, I heeded the prompting and watched as a semi truck flew at terrifying speeds right through where my car would have been. That fortified my strength to trust the Lord. When I sat practicing Spanish, I started a Spanish lesson not even being able to pray, after I had spent hours practicing the vocabulary. I came out of my room so discouraged and defeated. But the next day I knelt for family prayer, and my Spanish clicked. My family might not have understood what I was saying, but that tender mercy reminded me that Heavenly Father is looking out for me and he’s on my side. I can still barely pray in Spanish and everything else is even shakier, but I have the faith that I’ll get there. When I struggled to find clothing that worked, I was stressed and worried and Heavenly Father blessed me with an amazing sale at a warehouse at a store I would’ve never walked into in Florida while on vacation. 

Sister Craven then explains, ““it brings a deep trust in God, whose knowledge is perfect! Even in turbulent times, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is gritty and resilient. It helps us sift through unimportant distractions. It encourages us to keep moving along the covenant path. Faith pushes through discouragement and allows us to face the future with resolve and squared shoulders. It prompts us to ask for rescue and relief as we pray to the Father in the name of His Son. And when prayerful pleas seem to go unanswered, our persistent faith in Jesus Christ produces patience, humility, and the ability to reverently utter the words “Thy will be done.”” As I have come to accept those words, thy will be done, it has opened my eyes to the countless blessings and miracles God places in my life, just so I can become successful, and I know he does the same for each and everyone of you. Recently I listened to a podcast following a recent come follow me topic. In the podcast, the host Melanie, was discussing the Brother of Jared and his people’s obedience to the Lord. As she started the story she said something that I had never noticed before and really helped change my perspective. In Ether 2:1-3 it reads, “And it came to pass that Jared and his brother, and their families, and also the friends of Jared and his brother and their families, went down into the valley which was northward, (and the name of the valley was Nimrod, being called after the mighty hunter) with their flocks which they had gathered together, male and female, of every kind. And they did also lay snares and catch fowls of the air; and they did also prepare a vessel, in which they did carry with them the fish of the waters. And they did also carry with them deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honey bee; and thus they did carry with them swarms of bees, and all manner of that which was upon the face of the land, seeds of every kind.” She then stated that she stops at this scripture every time and thinks, Lord, I could take everything in my barge but the bees. They’re loud and everytime the boat flips over they’ll buzz and sting. I can take everything but the bees. She then says she said everything but the bees, or anywhere but Japan, or anything but cancer. As we submit our will to God and say, okay Lord, I’ll take the bees, but you’re going to have to help me through. 

As I have persistently prayed to my Heavenly Father to help me submit fully to his will  I am reminded of his promise in 2 Nephi 32:9 it reads, "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul." He truly does consecrate our performance. I have relied on the Lord so much throughout these past two or three months. So, as we take on challenges in this life remember the bees. Ask the lord to help you through. Truly immersing yourself in his work is such a unique experience and I can't wait to be a part of that. I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers, and that our faith makes us who we are. (Bear testimony), en el nombre de Jesucristo, Amén.