2015 was a whole calendar year without our Lauren as she has been serving in Paraguay! We are so grateful for the many blessings we have received on behalf of her service and willing heart. We are also oh-so-grateful for our many new treasured friends in Paraguay!! But we are so very excited for 2016 and the promise of Lauren's return!!

FAMILY!!!!

HI THERE!!

Okay, its' still weird to think that just the other week I saw your lovely faces. You guys are the best! :D

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! This week when I was studying I came across another quote from Elder Jefferey R Holland (you can never have too many elder holland quotes :)!!)

“The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead; we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future.”

And that's what this last year now is for us!! :) Isn't it so exciting to know that we can now apply all that 2015 taught us and just make 2016 the best year ever :)!!! I am so excited!!

This week, we as a mission are starting to read the Book of Mormon, cover to cover, again - with plans to finish before the next General Conference. I am currently in 2 Nephi and have just been loving it! We are reading, placing a special emphasis in looking for the themes of "faith" and "repentance and baptism". It has been really special to study and see how this has been the message of the prophets since Adam. The invitation has ALWAYS been for us to exercise our faith and REPENT and be baptized, that we might be made perfect and whole through the merits of Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful for the old as well as modern prophets that we have been blessed with, who continue inviting us to accept that loving and pierced hand that is always extended towards us.

Isn't it so special to know that here on the earth, even TODAY, we have an authorized servant of God, holding the Lords priesthood authority who is ordained and worthy to excercise such power? Isn't it lovely to know that the Lord's prophets, even Thomas S Monson, recieve direct revelation from the Father and converse with Him, like you and I talk face to face? Isn't it beautiful to know that the Father has done all this for us? That we might walk in the light :)

I am grateful to have a living prophet... I know that the windows of Heaven are not shut, but rather very much open. I know that the priesthood keys are here on Earth - allowing me to grow closer to my Heavenly Father and prepare myself with my family, for the eternities. I am grateful because I also know that the doors to revelation are very much open as well, allowing me, a daughter of God, to recieve His divine inspiration in my life. I am grateful for the prophet of God here on the Earth, and I sustain him, Thomas S Monson, as our prophet. And I am grateful for a Heavenly Father that continues invting us to come unto Him and to come unto Christ :)

To make this year the best one ever, I am going to keep myslef more centered on the Lords path by hearkening unto the words of his servants, the prophets!! :) I know that we will all be blessed if we do, because He tells us in the scriptures!! :)

For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more

I LOVE YOU ALL!

HAVE THE BEST WEEK! BE GOOD AND MAKE OTHERS SMILE!!

XOxoX!!

Hermana Fardos