The worth of a word

When I opened my call I SQUEALED when I saw English speaking. AND NOW I APPRECIATE IT MORE THAN EVER Sister Crook is speaking Estonian #eesti and languages add a whole new challenge to missionary work. 

But languages also add a whole new perspective. In Estonian, they have partial words and total words. We as humans can't love something or someone in total, our hearts and minds are in a hundred different places. So they have words that accurately explain our love for something: a partial word.

But when they talk about God's love for us, or the Atonement of Jesus Christ, they use total words. It brings so much more depth to God's capacity to love and feel. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ COMPLETELY, in all totality, love each of us. 

I so casually throw around the word "love." I love Honeycomb cereal, I love cheetah print, I love my camo crocs! But learning about the worth of a word makes me think a little more about what I really do love.

Love is my driving motivating factor! I love my Savior, Jesus Christ!!! He truly is my light and my strength and I am so grateful for this time where I get to focus all my efforts on Him and His work. 

What do you LOVE about Christ? What does He mean to you? 

Love big! Love hard! 

Sister Rex

Fav when you see it (Elfie's had a wild Christmas)

The classic trainer/trainee😤

Our lil nativity scene

Christmas pajammies 

Christmas shades = EVERYTHING HAPPY

The sky GLOWED after Christmas 

Tehachapi has the CUTEST main street 

Can't get enough of these shades!

Fam time!!

Out with the old and in with the new

Things we told ourselves repeatedly this week:

• It's only awkward if you make it awkward (this one every single day lol)
• We're working hard now to set our future selves up for success!!!
• Tomorrow. We'll get that done tomorrow. 
• There just are not enough hours in the day! 

Things Sister Crook told me this week:

• "You're trying to kill me."
• "You never stop talking do you!" 
• "I've already gotten louder because of you. My voice is sore by the end of the day."

We've quickly come to find joy in the little successes! Every text back, every answer on the phone, every person that waves back makes us grin. Sometimes it feels like we're not making any progress, but we have sweet reminders throughout the day that the Lord sees our efforts. All I can say is that you are exactly where the Lord needs you. Even the smallest smile can change a person's day. MOVE FORWARD WITH A SMILE AND OPEN EYES, you will find people that need you! 

HAVE THE MERRIEST CHRISTMAS!!! GO LISTEN TO MISTLETOE BY JB FOR ME & ALSO FOCUS ON CHRIST:)))

Love big! Love hard!

Sister Rex

(Old) Said goodbye to THE Sister Wood:( She's off to the "real" world! MISS YOU 

(New) Starting off strong with coordinating fits

Stay tuned for more jumping pics

"reHATCHed" district

Beast Hills My Soullllll NOW THIS IS A CREW

What team? THE WINNING TEAM

No gloves, no problem. Socks do the trick!

Floss then brush or brush then floss?

Hoppin on this training train

We woke up one morning just NOT feeling it, but we said "if anything, we're going to have a good miracle morning."

AND MAN DID THAT TURN OUT TO BE GOOD DAY

Entering our lesson with Ben, we went back to the basics, focusing on doctrine. And that was the. most. powerful. lesson. Halfway through, I knew. We're walking away with a baptism date. AND THAT WE DID. "It has to be a Thursday and an even number." Whatever you want Ben, we'll make it happen! 

The quiet warming of the heart. That is what we felt that night!! BEN WANTS TO BE BAPTIZED and we get to be by his side as he comes closer to Christ! 

A simple phone call that dropped me to the ground: I'm training. 

Those poor APs, the first words that came out of my mouth were "oh I can't do that. you don't want me to do that." 

President called me after seeing how shaken I was during our training meeting and did what he does best; helps his missionaries turn to Christ.  

One phrase that turned into a lifelong lesson:

"You can't do it alone. But you can with God. We need him."

We can do all things through Christ! 

Love big! Love hard!

Sister Rex

Last week with Sister Wood!

Straight FIRE district right here

What a group of sisters 

#embarassing but too funny not to share. Moral of the story: don't be an idiot 

Do what you gotta do for s'mores

Sending this crazy girl home to a crazy world

#cantthinkofasubjectline

 A jumbled mix of experiences because that's what this week was hahaha

• BEN CAME TO CHURCH!!! Over-sized but ironed suit and all with his chains hanging on the side. It warmed my heart as people came up and brought him right in:)
• #talkwitheveryone we stumbled upon a few people and as we followed this motto we got to meet some AMAZING people!!!
• "I'm not fluid." Trying to express I wasn't fully lucid, fluid came out and proved my point lol
• ChRiStMaS time is the best time!! All the lights, the smell of Christmas and our ward Christmas drive thru had me cheesin- listen to some JB Christmas for me
• The Atonement of Jesus Christ has become something more to me than I ever could have imagined. The more I learn about Jesus Christ, the more my love for Him and every single person around me grows
• In church this man was holding out his arms for his little girl to come to him but she just giggled and stayed where she was. And in that moment, I realized how often I am that little girl. I know that Christ's arms are always outstretched, but sometimes I find myself staying where I am, despite that knowledge. Just think for a moment, what holds you back from running to Christ? 
• The unconditional love that Christ has for each one of us in the reason that I do what I do! 

I love how individual the love of Jesus Christ is! #alwaysrememberHim because He sure remembers you:)

Love big! Love hard! 

Sister Rex 

Bear Valley views 

A forced group of friends lol 

The funniest day of my life- started with Sister Wood ripping her pants and ended with a little accident, causing her to wear her coat as a skirt ahaha 

Our "hike" flopped so to mix things up I made everyone get in a line for an Indian Run hahahah did not get a lot of positive feedback on that one

Glowing pink morning skies!

Just one of those days  

Exchanges with the hermanas!!

Behind the scenes of our "safety moment" #almostdiedfromanm&m

[I] wept.

You know when you're in primary and the teacher calls on one of the boys to share their favorite scripture? Grinning they repeat the only scripture they know word of word:

"Jesus wept." 

This verse hit different this week.  

I've gone through phases in my life, some where I cry over forgetting to brush my teeth and others where I can't remember if I've ever cried before. This week? A new cry. We had a lesson that left me shell shocked, unsure of what to think or feel. As I laid on my bed, silent tears streamed down my face. I love this guy that we're teaching so much and my heart wasn't sure how to help him. My comp sat by my side and said the kindest words, "You care too much. Christ wept because He cared and so do you."   

THERE'S NO SAD TEARS HERE only tears of caring:) 

I love where I am and I love what I'm doing!! There are moments where it's tough, but there are so many more moments where I can't keep a smile off my face! As my good friend said, "It's the hard days that make you appreciate the good ones even more." Embrace the hard and love it! 

Love big! Love hard!

Sister Rex

***disclaimer: I really didn't weep, I just shed 4 tears. I really am so happy here!!***

We felt like we were at fancy restaurant, all our separate tables, all dressed up with some nice background music #thanksTABCATS 

Our thanksgiving crew!!! Call us #chefs

Just out walking off all the popcorn we consume

7 MONTHS!!! Just me and my fav book

A sweet lady gave us bby Martinelli's to celebrate

The best recess ever:))) Jump roping and 4 square for the WIN

These elders get points for shopping but, for future reference, leave the shopping to the sisters 

Family call!!! So fun to teach them the Restoration!!!

God loves YOU and YOU and YOU and ALL of you

Week 29 - November 23, 2020

You would think I would've learned this by now, but I continue to learn the same lesson over and over again: HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES EVERYONE! We all know that one guy who always brings the conversation back to himself. Sister Wood would try to say something and he'd jump right in and cut her off and thank goodness for masks because I was a snickering. Yet, while he continued on, I had this overwhelming feeling that this was someone that God loves. He was right there laughing along with us, knowing His son perfectly. 

And that is something that never ceases to amaze me, HOW PERFECTLY GOD KNOWS EACH OF US! Something that helps me move forward is trusting that Heavenly Father knows His children, He knows who is having a hard day or could use someone to talk to and He places people in our lives just when we need them. Not only does He hear our prayers, but sometimes He uses us to be the answer to someone else's prayer. 

SO TAKE TIME TODAY TO PRAY AND BE STILL. Think of someone that you can reach out to, I promise someone will come to mind! And then of course REACH OUT gotta #putyourthoughtstoaction

As our friend Ben put it, "Satan is a sly dog." Satan is working hard but we are working harder!! Ben was planning on coming to church but came outside to find 4 flat tires. We had a few moments like that this week, where we had everything planned out but then found that we had some flat tires we had to fix first. Despite the challenges, THIS IS A GREAT WORK!!! 

Love big! Love hard!

Sister Rex

Volleyball QUEENS

Keep the Sabbath Day Holy pizza 

Outdoor church!!! 

Cutie pink sky and moon 

Jamming to 2021 Youth Music THIS IS A GREAT WORK. HITS DIFFERENT

The sunsets get better every. night. 

7 Seconds

Week 29 - November 16, 2020

Within the first 7 seconds of meeting someone you've already come up with assumptions of who a person is. 

My first 7 seconds with President: he told me I'm too casual

DO NOT EVEN WORRY, I'M STEPPING UP MY PROFESSIONAL GAME but this experience struck me. While I have time to show him that I can improve, there are plenty people that have only seen 7 seconds of me 

Sometimes 7 seconds is all we have. If 7 seconds was all you got with a person, what would you want people to know? 

I'VE ENTERED THE MISSIONARY WORLD, this is big you guys!!! My head is full of hilarious experiences from this week, but the most important thing: Christ has come up in every. single. conversation. IT IS AMAZING! There is so much power that comes with His name. There was one night where a woman shared her hard experiences and I felt like I was surrounded by darkness. But the moment I opened my mouth and spoke of Jesus Christ and the hope that He is, there was a physical difference in that home. We left with hearts full and the light of Christ bursting through the dark.

I've gotta dash, people need more Christ in their lives, but let me leave you with this:

What are you going to do with your 7 seconds?

Love big! Love hard! 

Sister Rex 

SISTER WOOD AKA THE BEST EVER

Tehachapi sunsets bbyyyyy

Literally my favorite district, full of sisters and two hilarious elders

Tehachapi sunsets bbyyyyy

My new bestie, call me a horse loving cowgirl 

My guilty pleasure, popcorn and the Safety Zone

Cannot get enough of these mountains