Mosiah 2:22

Hey there Family!

Happy Thanksgiving from the South!! (: I hope that ya'll have some turkey for me!  I will be eating lots of FRIED turkey, FRIED veggies, MAC & CHEESE, and hopefully LOTS of potatoes, stuffing, and pie!!!  We have a few different dinner appointments. YUM!! Sounds like fun to me!! (:  The funnest part of my Thanksgiving will probably be going to an Episcopal Church and handing out Thanksgiving Dinner!  We tracted into the Preacher this week, and he invited us to come help!  I am very excited. (:

Lots happened this week!  Sister Moyes is being transferred on Wednesday, and I am staying in Jacksonville for the holidays!!  I look forward to it. (: 

This email might be a little short today, so sorry. 

I have been thinking.  First, someone said the other day that we always think that missionary work should be easy, and it is easy.  It is sharing the Gospel!  Something that we love!  I beg to differ.  There is a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland called "Missionary Work and The Atonement" please look it up.  He says something that I love.  Missionary work isn't easy, and it was never meant to be easy.  We are sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  What Jesus Christ went through wasn't easy, so why should it be easy for us?  Yes, missionary work is nothing like Christ's Atonement, but we represent Him.  Obviously, Elder Holland says it way better than me.  (so please go read it!)

Second, at Zone Conference this week Sister Hanks said something really interesting.  She said that there is no such thing as exact obedience.

WHAT?!?!

I sat there in awe.... YES! There is exact obedience! That is what we have always been told.  Obedience brings blessings, exact obedience brings miracles.  So.....?

I thought and prayed about that for a while, because it really sort of threw me for a loop.  I started to second guess myself, thinking that I am trying to be perfect. I was worried.  But I came to a conclusion.  There are so many scriptures about obedience.  Take Mosiah 2:22 for example.  It really doesn't say a thing about exact obedience.

Obedience is obedience.  Period.

It isn't exact obedience or just sort of obedience.  It is obedience!

Either you are obedient or you aren't.  There is no middle ground.  

Yes.  We will ALL mess up, but one very important commandment is that we repent, and repentance requires sin.  Obedience is obedience. Period.

Be obedient.  That is all that is required of us.  We need to be obedient to ALL of God's commandments and we will be blessed AND we will be happy! 

OBEDIENCE=HAPPINESS

Sorry, this is sort of rambled.. I hope that it makes sense.

Be obedient.

Be blessed.

Be grateful.

I love you BIG time,

Sister Casperson