Happiness & Joy

My brother and I thoroughly enjoy watching a family of daily vloggers on YouTube called the Shaytards. The father (Shay) has a younger brother (Logan) who is about to head out to Argentina for a two year mission. The family is Mormon, and although when I return to Uganda I will not be on a "Mormon mission" being that I am a Christian, I found his advice to his brother in his most recent video very applicable to where my mindset should be when I return to Uganda this coming January.

I think the common goal in missions is to share Jesus Christ with the world, whether we are Mormon or Christian.

So here is the little piece of advice he shared:

"I guess my piece advice to Logan would be to just really go to work. Lose yourself in the work. I remember when I was a missionary, when I just put everything I had into it and forgot about home, forgot about the things of the world. Just focus on serving the people of the country that you're living in; serve the Argentinean people and just love them. You'll have more joy and more happiness than you could ever experience...Forget about school and bills and like all those worldly things we're all caught up in. You know, trying to figure out what we're going to do when we grow up and how we're gonna pay our next mortgage payment and if we have the new shoes or the new clothes to look cool, to fit in at school. Or if you're driving the new car, you wanna get new rims or you have the sound system. All of those things that all of us as humans are always stressing out about and worrying about. Just forget about all that stuff. And that's the biggest tip I have and it was so nice for those two years just to focus on service and to help bring people to Christ. And that's really the missions that he's going to serve. It's not about baptizing people into the Mormon church. It's about showing people this person called Jesus Christ and about how He is our savior and about how we should all seek to be like He was. To have love, empathy, and patience and kindness and to love all of our Heavenly Father's children."

If you would like to view the video: http://youtu.be/ZAvCrSpo4Xc?t=9m50s

Good Intentions

During the past month that I have been back in California I have had the opportunity to talk to many people about my experience in Uganda and my plans to return. Many conversations seem to end with the phrase, "Just remember that there are people who need help here too."

This phrase always seems to anger me and I find myself having to just hold it in and end the conversation. It wasn't until one of my sweet friends understood exactly how I was feeling and shared something with me that put into words what I was unable to express myself.

"Sometimes in life we have good intentions to do good things for God. But it won't make a bit of difference if it's not where God has called you. A woman told me about how her entire family in the US doesn't know Christ. She WANTS to be there, ministering to them. She has good intentions. But the Lord called her to Kenya, and so that's where she is. And He's blessing her obedience."

I would love to help those in need here in Sacramento, but the fact is, God has called me to Uganda. I could stay here in Sacramento, but it will do absolutely no good, because God wants me in Uganda. I have good intentions to help those in need here. I would love to be helping here, but God has called me elsewhere and I must be obedient to Him. I desire to be obedient to Him.

In other news, I am $77 away from having my flight back to Uganda fully funded (including my return flight whenever that occurs). I am then on to fundraising $400 a month to live in Uganda. If you feel lead to support me financially, please feel free to contact me at kelseymagnolia9@gmail.com for the address of where you can send a tax-deductible check.