Sunday Post #1: The Atonement of Jesus Christ

So I've decided that I will start a weekly "Sunday Post."

Why?

Yeah, I'm a bit of a Potterhead, but ANYWAYS...

Sundays are special days for me. They provide a rest from my weekly labors and the opportunity to go to church and spend some quality time with my family.

I also try to keep my thoughts focused on the Savior, Jesus Christ. Oftentimes during our daily labors we forget to fully appreciate the sacrifice He did for us.
Many people don't understand how deep and sacred the atonement of Jesus Christ really is. All my life I've heard people bear testimony that they know that Christ died for their sins on the cross and was resurrected on the third day, but that just scratches the surface of His eternal sacrifice.

The four Gospels in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) all mention to one extent to another the night before Christ's Crucifixion and the agony he endured there.
What did he endure? EVERYTHING. Not JUST our sins and shortcomings, but every single thing we have to pass through in this life. To name a few:
-Your sins
-Your weaknesses
-Your temptations
-Your sorrows
-Your embarrassments
-Your heartbreaks
-Your physical pains
-Your emotional pains
-Your fears
-Your guilt
-Your disappointments
-Your worries
-Your spiritual pains
-Your shortcomings
-Your sadness
-Your depression

And I personally believe (THIS IS NOT DOCTRINE) that he also took upon himself our joys and happiness, just so he can feel even happier when we have joy in our lives. He suffered these things and many other things so he could support us when we are in need of it and help us as needs be.

Whenever you have feelings that simply no one can understand, turn to the Savior. He suffered, bled and died for YOU. You ARE important, just as important as any world leader or celebrity, because you are HIS child. He wants you to be ETERNALLY HAPPY, but it will take time to achieve that happiness.
This life is a test. If you do well on this test by TRYING YOUR BEST, you will eventually have your rest and reward abundantly given to you.

I testify that Jesus Christ lives, and that He WILL return to this earth someday, and that no matter how much you mess up in your life, He's always there, holding his arms out to you; you just need to accept his atonement in your life.

Krislee Nicole

Work, Work, Work and MORE Work!

Okay, so I've been home from my mission for nearly 3 months now, -Sheds small tear- and let me say that post-mission life is busy! While I was serving I always imagined my homecoming as a relaxing, non-stressful event accompanied by endless days of vacation and reading books.

Yeah right.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm loving life and I have been able to apply many skills that I learned on the mission, such as scheduling and a little Spanish here and there, but now I have the rest of my life to look forward to! I think of my mission as my "frozen in a moment of time" period, where my sole purpose in life was to share my testimony with others and have someone else manage my housing and basic schedule.

Now it's back to real life.

So I returned home on March 13, 2016 after spending 4 days with my mother in the Dominican Republic. I had fun showing her around my areas and introducing her to my friends and "family." It was a blast. We stuffed ourselves with juicy mangoes straight from the tree and sweet coconut candy, only to be offered an entire meal at the next house we visited. It was Mom's first time out of the US, so it was exciting to be there to introduce her to a new culture and way of life.

By March 22 I was had 2 jobs. Yup. No vacationing for me!

The thing is, is that once I was officially released from being a missionary, reality hit. I need to go to school. I will (someday) have a family to care for. I need transportation, food, housing, and a little bit of fun money! My post-mission bank account wasn't going to allow that, so what did I do? I got two jobs! Woo!

The first job I was given is a cafeteria server at Maryville College. That's right, I'm a lunch lady and proud of it.
My second job is actually my primary job, from 8 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday at the dry cleaners.
I actually enjoy my jobs-- They don't stress me out like my after-school daycare job that I had before my mission. -shudders in fear of the memory-

But life isn't just work!
For Memorial Day my mom got an awesome opportunity to do a blog post trade-off with Wild Water Rafting in Bryson City, North Carolina. We stayed in a Yurt (pictured below) overnight and enjoyed the chorus of bullfrogs serenading us all night (The bed was comfy so I actually slept really well.)

 Our yurt from the outside: A yurt is a tent/cabin structure that allows you to camp in style!

Our bed for the night inside the yurt... Not bad!

 Carter and I had a fun time trying to catch frogs and tadpoles.

 Nothing beats relaxing in a hammock! It's a miracle Kara and Carter shared without flipping it over!

 Did I mention we got to ride the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad to go white water rafting? Well we did, and the views were amazing! They even fed us a yummy lunch of sub sandwiches, chips and chocolate chip cookies!

Kara fell out of the raft at one point, but she actually seemed proud of herself. We had an amazing guide as well who seemed to fit right in with the family. The picture above was taken on the last rapid on the course, and we were happy to have the entire family safe and sound!

And now in August I will be heading off to Buena Vista, VA to attend Southern Virginia University! I am super excited to begin my formal education and to meet new people. I'm still not quite sure on my career choice, but I'm sure everything will work out as I continue working and trying things out.

Stay positive!

Krislee Nicole