The Guyana Journal... Post #1

I promised to post about my trip to Guyana... well, I've typed up parts of my journal so I will start sharing those journal entries in different posts.  This entries in this post are all from the week prior to my leaving for Guyana.


Note: some of the more personal, spiritual, and irrelevant entries will be withheld from these posts (indicated by a "..." or "[ ]" to sum up what I've taken out)

17 Oct 2011 Monday

dr fred doing what we all
tried to do chance we got-
 exactly one week from this entry

One week from right now, it will be noon in Guyana.  And I have no idea what I’ll be doing- sitting in a bush plane, flying to the jungle?  Relaxing for a couple hours after 20 hours of ravel to fly from Seattle to Toronto to Trinidad-Tobago, to Guyana?  Setting up camp in some rural, jungle village?  Eating lunch in Georgetown?  In the jungle?  Puking my guts out from traveling?  Being briefed on what we’ll be doing and where we’ll be going over the next two weeks?  Becoming acquainted with my fellow teammates?  Being propelled through the jungle by canoe?  Taking pictures?  Reading my scriptures?  Writing in my journal?

I could go on.

I have so much to do to prepare.

….

I pray that I will be everything I need to be for this trip.  The Spirit whispers in response that the Savior qualifies whom He calls- He does not (always) call the qualified.  I suppose that would be me.  Unqualified, inexperienced, and weak.  But mine is an errand of angels; a mission given by my Savior.  Have faith in Him and confidence that with Him and His Holy Spirit, I can do all things.  Even hard things.

18 Oct Tues

….

Now, to be honest with myself-

·         I haven’t been drinking anywhere near enough water.  (Probably cuz I ran out of H2) bottles haha.)

·         My room is much too dusty and is a part of my sinus problem.  If I want to get healthy, I absolutely must deep clean it.  That means under the bed.  I’m a little frightened and wish I had a mask.

·         While avoiding sugar has been good for mental health, I haven’t been eating enough things of nutritional value.  Low-sugar cereal is not good enough for me to live off of.

I’ve lost weight!  Yay!  I weight myself at Katie’s the other day—165lbs!  I don’t remember the last time I was below 170!  Yay!  Yay!  Yay!

Guyana is getting closer.  I’m excited.

I’ve had a couple moments of nervousness, but those largely passed when I prayed or thought of my Heavenly Father.

….

20 Oct Thurs

….

[A friend of mine gave me some advice for my upcoming trip to Guyana.  He said to get to know the people and their families.]  There are things they can teach or bring to me which will help me live and appreciate a good life.

Budgeting.  Finances.  Don’t spend more than you have.  I think I may not go to Kaieteur Falls.  Maybe another day.  I would rather roam Georgetown, have money to buy some things for myself and my family, and have money left over for when I come back home so I’m not completely broke.  There is life after Guyana.   I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but it is there!

I’m excited.

…

21 Oct Friday @ the temple

This morning I didn’t want to drive all the way up here, but I read my scriptures and was encouraged to not be slothful (Alma 32 or 33) but have faith and look to Christ for healing.  So I came and blessedly arrived at the same time as a husband and wife who wanted to do baptisms.  Right after I was done with baptisms, I noticed my sinuses felt more open and the mucus and pus had started to drain.  That was nice.  And it wasn’t the chlorine water (I’ve been swimming and not had the same effect).  I believe it’s because Baptism is a cleansing ordinance and the temple is a holy, consecrated space.  I believe that even though I am performing the baptisms as a proxy for other sisters, I still receive some of the cleansing benefits.

I love the temple.  I so glad I came.  I’m so glad Heavenly Father helped me read my scriptures, get out of bed, and come.  I’m grateful that those Hungarian sisters were able to be confirmed or baptized today.  I welcome them to the Church.

I know that angels will be with me in Guyana and I am so thankful for that…. Indeed, I rely on the promise that angels will be round me to bear me up.  I’ll need it.

….

2 Corin 10:4 “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”

Nothing physical we do will pull down the barriers that exist between us and others.  Cuddling, holding hands, and kissing are not weapons.  Hitting, kicking, shooting, intimidating, and yelling will not do it either.  Rather, courage, testimony, strength- might! - given by God, will pull down those strongholds.

·         Courage

·         Strength

·         Testimony

·         Truth

·         Transparency

And always remember the scripture: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ”.

Don’t be afraid to tell people what I believe and allow them to act.  God has given me no commandment or advice of action aside from share the things I am blessed to have with my neighbor so that he may also be blessed by them and stand with boldness and meekness for the things Christ has given me faith in.

Do not apologize for the words of angels.

Share with courage what I know.

Love people for themselves.

Forgive people.  Go to them privately with injuries and anxieties that they may be resolved.  Invite people to come to me with injuries and anxieties that they may be resolved.

Journey.

Trust the Savior to lead those I love and worry about through intensive healing.

Love my future children.  Share that love with others.

Open up my heart to others, trusting the Lord to care for it.  When is the opportunity to do this?  Always.

[23 Nov 2011 Weds]  Conducting oneself this way towards those you love most is difficult, but possible.  Conducting oneself this way towards those with whom you have disagreements is, at least- daunting, and at most- terrifying.  I feel inadequate.  Yet I know that this is the way those of us who have Judeo-Christian values have been commanded to live.  We know it is best, it is right, and we know that God will help us.

“Lay aside the things of this world and seek for things of a better.”

Lift up my heart and rejoice!  Cleave unto my covenants:

·         Baptismal

·         Pre-earth

·         Covenants to come

“Continue in meekness and beware of PRIDE.”

The journey to Guyana begins!